Ethan grunted in pain and immediately released her.

Seizing the moment, Isabella swung her hand and delivered a sharp slap across his cheek. The crisp sound echoed inside the luxury vehicle. An instant silence fell. Hearing the slap, the driver stiffened, holding his breath anxiously.

The impact turned Ethan’s face to the side, leaving a vivid red imprint on his skin.

Slowly, he turned back toward her, his expression a mix of shock and something darker, more dangerous.

Isabella’s breath came in ragged bursts; her entire body trembled with raw emotion.

“Stop this car right now, or I swear I’ll jump!” she yelled, her voice shaking with fury.

A flicker of something like regret passed over Ethan’s features. Pain shadowed his eyes as he looked at her. “Pull over,” he ordered, his voice rough.

Grateful, the driver swiftly guided the car to the curb. The moment the doors unlocked, Isabella burst out, sprinting toward the subway entrance without a backward glance.

Ethan watched her determined escape, his gaze icy. “You will regret this,” he murmured, his tone chillingly calm.

A shiver of cold fear traced Isabella’s spine, but she didn’t slow down. She kept running, her focus entirely on reaching the safety of the subway.

The sleek black Maybach slid back into traffic, disappearing into the river of taillights.

Under the soft glow of the bedside lamp, Isabella quietly closed the door to Liam’s room. Her son lay sleeping peacefully, his cheeks flushed, long lashes casting delicate shadows. She let out a soft sigh and moved to tuck the blankets snugly around him.

In his sleep, Liam murmured, “Mommy,” his small fingers clutching the edge of the duvet.

A sharp pang of pain shot through Isabella’s heart as the memory of what happened in Ethan’s car replayed vividly in her mind.

She touched her cheek reflexively, bitterness welling up inside her.

Meanwhile, tension hung thick in the air at Grant Manor.

“Lucas, tell me the truth. Do you really intend to be with Isabella?” Eleanor’s voice trembled with frustration, her eyes filled with a mixture of despair and disappointment.

Lucas remained seated on the sofa, his expression tense, brows drawn together in silence.

“You’ve been ignoring my calls for days,” Eleanor continued, her voice rising with a sob. “Do I still mean anything to you as your mother? Look at what you’re doing!”

“You’re constantly at her apartment, even picking up her child from school. What are you trying to prove? You’re the heir to the Grant family, yet you’re playing father to another man’s son. Can’t you see how much shame you’re bringing on this family?”

“Mother, I am fully aware of my actions,” Lucas replied, his voice calm but resolute.

“Are you truly?” Eleanor shot to her feet, her tone cutting. “You would choose her over your own family?”