Isabella stood completely still.

Lucas?

Ungrateful bastard?

What was Sophia talking about?

A cold dread twisted in Isabella’s gut.

Her fingers clenched around her phone.

She immediately called Lucas’s number.

The line rang. Once. Twice. A third time. The sound was hollow, endless.

No answer. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She called again. And again. Each attempt was met with the same dead silence.

“Lucas… what’s wrong?” she whispered, her voice shaking. Fear washed over her, leaving her pale.

She couldn’t just storm into Grant Group.

That would only infuriate Eleanor.

She forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath. She needed facts before she made a move.

She strode to her car, yanked the door open, and slid inside.

The engine growled to life. The black SUV sped away from Silverwood Estate, racing toward her studio.

Her hands were locked on the steering wheel, knuckles bone-white.

Tension rolled off her in waves. Sophia’s mocking words echoed in her head. What the hell happened to Lucas?

Isabella pushed open the door to her studio.

A heavy, unnatural silence greeted her.

The usually vibrant space was eerily quiet. A few employees huddled together, whispering. Their faces were tight with anxiety.

“Miss Scott…” A young designer approached her nervously, a folded paper in his hand. “I’m resigning.”

Stunned, Isabella took the letter. Before she could process it, several more staff members stepped forward, offering their own resignations.

They looked uneasy. Their eyes avoided hers. They were clearly holding something back.

“I’m resigning too, Miss Scott.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Scott.”

Within minutes, the studio was nearly empty. Only a handful of people remained. Clutching the stack of resignation letters, Isabella felt a surge of bewildering unease.

“What is going on? Why is everyone leaving?” She fought to keep the panic from her voice, speaking as calmly as she could.

“Miss Scott, we truly have no other choice,” an older designer said with a weary sigh.

“We just landed the deal with Sterling Industries. Our project with Blackwood Enterprises is still active. But even so, you…”

The remaining staff exchanged grim looks, their expressions defeated. “We just can’t stay.”