Seeing Isabella’s distress gave Sophia a twisted sense of satisfaction.

She stepped closer, looming over Isabella with a mocking smirk.

“Honestly, Isabella. Jumping out a window? Do you really think that’s going to work? Even if you survive the fall, you won’t get far.”

Sophia paused, her eyes glinting with malice.

“What if I tell Ethan you purposely spilled that water as a distraction? To help you run?”

She let the threat hang in the air, confident it had struck its intended target.

Isabella drew a sharp breath.

“What are you implying?”

Sophia shook her head dismissively and sighed as if pitying a lost cause.

Her eyes narrowed. “You’re unbelievable. Did you really think such a reckless plan would work? That you could just come and go from this villa as you please?” She paused, her expression shifting slightly. “But… I can help you. If you agree to my terms.”

Isabella was stunned. She stared at Sophia, suspicion written clearly across her face. “Help me? Why would you do that?” Her mind raced, searching for any motive beyond their long-standing animosity.

Sophia’s lips curled into a knowing, calculating smile. “It’s simple. I want to marry Ethan. You’re in my way. If you disappear and promise never to see him again, I’ll help you escape.”

Isabella’s heart sank like a stone. Doubt and conflict flickered in her eyes. She didn’t trust Sophia—not for a second. Sophia was cunning, manipulative, always scheming. What was her real game?

Isabella bit down hard on her lower lip. Silence stretched between them. She didn’t answer, unsure how to respond.

Sophia didn’t push. Instead, she leaned back, watching Isabella intently, a smug smile playing on her lips. Her voice was smooth but carried a sharp edge. “Think about it. But don’t even consider the window. You won’t succeed.”

Just then, Ethan returned, freshly changed.

Sophia immediately took two steps back, her demeanor shifting instantly. The sharp, calculating woman vanished, replaced by a calm, composed facade. She wore a gentle smile as if nothing had happened.

Isabella’s eyes flickered toward Ethan as he approached. A faint look of confusion crossed his face. “Why are you spacing out?” he asked, his voice deep and smooth, laced with subtle concern. “Did you spill that water on purpose?” His tone was light, almost teasing, as if making casual conversation.

Isabella scoffed quietly, a bitter laugh escaping her. “Yes, I did it on purpose,” she said, her voice sharp. The anger she’d held back now surfaced.

She turned her eyes away, her voice growing cold. “Dinner’s over. Can I go back to my room now?”

Ethan’s gaze shifted to the small stain of soup at the corner of her lips, his brow furrowing slightly. He reached out instinctively to wipe it away.

But Isabella stepped back quickly, her expression firm. “It’s fine,” she said dismissively, avoiding his touch.

Without another word, she turned and left the dining room, her steps quick and deliberate. She didn’t look back as she walked straight to her bedroom and locked the door.

Isabella moved to the window, staring out at the sprawling grounds of Hawthorne Residence—Ethan’s world. Sophia’s words echoed in her mind, taunting her.