Chapter 48 I Can't Help You

Lucas had just hung up when Clara, nearby, started griping, "It's all your fault. If I'd married George, I'd be living the high life now."

Lucas snapped back, "Who refused to marry him back then? Now you're blaming me?"

"Who else? If I'd married George, you wouldn't be begging Isabella, who never even visits. You're losing it," Clara retorted.

Donna, standing by, chimed in, "Back then, George was in a coma. Who knew he'd wake up? If we had, we wouldn't have let Isabella marry into the Spencer family."

"What's the point of this now?" Lucas grumbled.

"Lucas, there's still a way. Get Isabella to divorce George, and Clara can marry him. Problem solved," Donna suggested.

Lucas looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you nuts? Divorce isn't that simple. Even if Isabella agrees, the Spencer family might not want Clara. George was half-dead back then, so they took Isabella. Now he's fine, and many women are after him. You're dreaming."

"How do you know George wouldn't like Clara?" Donna argued. "Clara's beautiful, educated, and has a great personality."

"George didn't even like that actress Juniper. You think he'd like Clara? Stop dreaming," Lucas said, half-lying on the hospital bed, his head throbbing.

"If he likes Isabella, why not Clara? Lucas, Clara's your daughter. Don't be foolish. Isabella is just a—"

"Shut up," Lucas snapped, glaring at Donna, making her swallow her words.

"It's true, though. You're always mean to me," Donna muttered, sitting angrily in a chair.

Clara couldn't get a word in but seemed to catch something about Isabella she needed to ask Donna about later.

Isabella wanted to visit Lucas, but George insisted she rest for a month first.

A month later, Isabella went to see Lucas.

Though Lucas was in bed, he didn't look weak. When he saw Isabella, he pretended to cough and 'weakly' got up, saying, "You're here."

Isabella cut to the chase, "Why did you call me here?"

"Since you married into the Spencer family, I haven't seen you. I missed you," Lucas said.

"You missed me? You left me in the countryside for ten years and never visited. Stop beating around the bush. If you have something to say, say it. If not, I'm leaving," Isabella said, turning to go.

Lucas quickly said, "There is something. Sit down first."

Isabella knew he was faking and had something to ask.

"What is it?" she asked.

Lucas coughed again, trying to look pitiful, and said, "Ever since Hazel and Lester passed, I've struggled to keep the company afloat. Now I really can't hold on, so..."

Isabella coldly replied, "If you can't hold on, just go bankrupt. Why suffer?"

"Isabella, that's Hazel and Lester's hard work. How can it go bankrupt? I called you here to—"

"I can't help you," Isabella cut him off.

"How can you not help? The Spencer family is loaded. If you just ask, they'll definitely help our company," Lucas insisted.

Isabella sneered, "Didn't the company already change its name to the Jones Group? What does it have to do with the Nevilles? How is it my family's company?"

Lucas was stunned by her bluntness. Dropping his act, he said sternly, "Aren't you my daughter? As long as you're my daughter, it has something to do with you."

"What if I don't help?" Isabella asked, her gaze cold.

"Isabella, you're just like Hazel, cold-blooded," Lucas said, his chest heaving with anger.

"Talk about me all you want, but leave Hazel out of this. You don't deserve to mention her," Isabella stood up. "Only you know why she jumped off that building."

Lucas's eyes reddened, his fingers trembling as he pointed at her. "What do you mean? Do you think I caused Hazel's death? Why would I do that?"

"I didn't say you caused it, but if her death had anything to do with you, I won't let you off," Isabella warned, storming out.

Lucas was so angry his chest hurt.

Leaving the hospital, Isabella, feeling frustrated, tried calling Elodie to chat. But after several attempts, the number was disconnected.

'How did it become a disconnected number?' Isabella wondered.

She found Elodie on Facebook and sent several messages, but got no response.

'What's going on?' she thought.

Unable to reach Elodie, Isabella called Colin.

Colin met with Isabella after getting her call.

"Did something happen to Elodie? Her phone is disconnected, and her Facebook is deleted," Isabella asked anxiously.

Colin was silent for a long time, making Isabella even more anxious. "Did something really happen? What happened to her? Tell me!"

"Elodie... she dropped out of school," Colin said slowly.

"Why did she drop out?" Isabella asked.

Colin explained, "I heard something happened at home, so she dropped out."

Isabella was confused, "What happened?"

Colin only knew rumors and didn't want to speculate, so he said, "I'm not sure. I heard her family moved abroad."

'Moved abroad? Why so suddenly? Elodie always hated the idea of moving abroad,' Isabella thought.

Isabella's eyes lowered in disappointment. Colin hesitated before saying, "I saw Elodie before she left. She was crying a lot. I don't know the reason. Could it be a breakup?"

Elodie wasn't the type to get caught up in romance, judging by her constantly changing favorite celebrities.

"Did Elodie tell you why she was upset?" Isabella asked.

Colin shook his head, "Elodie didn't say. Her eyes were swollen from crying. I later heard from others that her family moved abroad."

Elodie's sudden departure made Isabella very sad.

She and Elodie had been best friends since childhood, closer than sisters. 'Why did she suddenly disappear from my life? What exactly happened?' Isabella wondered.