Chapter 100 The Proud Isabella Gets a Lesson: My Baffling Engagement

Elena Garcia's POV:

"Elena, I don't want you to embarrass yourself in front of your friends. Go get back to the banquet hall now."

Isabella was fuming, her eyes practically shooting daggers at me. "I hope you haven't forgotten our phone call!"

Even now, Isabella, my biological mother, still resorted to these nasty threats. I couldn't help but reflect on myself. Why did I ever hope for her love? Why did it hurt so much to see her favor Sofia so blatantly?

Honestly, she and Sofia were more like mother and daughter.

I even wondered if that was why she always favored Sofia.

"You mean you threatened me that if I don't listen to you, you'll mess with my education?" I laid it out there.

Isabella was embarrassed. She didn't want anyone else to know that she was threatening me as it would ruin her image.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Elena, I've tried so hard to accept you, but your past has had too much of an impact on you." Isabella put on this act of a forgiving mother, which made me sick, especially after what I learned from Albert about her past.

She had always been a lousy mother. The only difference now was she tried to pretend she was a good one.

Isabella continued, "I'm sorry you turned out to be such a rude child, though it's not my fault. It's your foster mother who failed to teach you properly."

I saw right through Isabella's game. She was subtly blaming me while trying to shift the blame to Rosa. She was trying to provoke me into being the rude person she claimed I was.

"Rosa is a thousand times better than you." I didn't take the bait, glaring coldly at Isabella. "You told William to come here and lied to him that I forgave him. What do you mean?"

Looking at William, who kept glancing at me, I scoffed, "How could I ever forgive him? Unless he dies, I will never forgive such a despicable and hypocritical person."

William said hurriedly, "Elena, how could you say that? Don't you remember that I saved you before? At our first meeting, you made a fool of yourself at the party—"

"Oh, speaking of that, I forgot to tell you; it was Marco who saved me." I cut William off, mocking him. "Are you sure you want to keep up this lie? He almost killed you that night. Was that your first brush with death? I hope you don't make it your last."

Hearing that I exposed his lie, William immediately shut his mouth, looking terrified.

"Idiot," Albert said, looking at William with the same expression as me.

"You better hurry up. We're on a tight schedule." With that, Noah pretended to check his watch, then frowned at Isabella.

Isabella's face turned red with anger, but she kept her superior demeanor as she spoke to me.  "You are already engaged to William."

Her words were like a thunderclap, shocking both Albert and Noah, and even me.

"What?" I frowned. "No one told me, and no one asked for my opinion."

"Enough, Elena! This doesn't require your consent. I arranged it all!" Isabella's face showed a hint of smugness as she leaned in and whispered, "I will announce your engagement at your father's birthday party. All you have to do is accept my arrangement and prove that the rumors about Sofia are false. I'll forgive you for not apologizing to Sofia, as long as you behave."

I suddenly understood why Isabella was doing this. The issues between Sofia and me had probably spread, making people believe that Sofia was a deceitful and manipulative bitch.

Isabella had no way to salvage Sofia's reputation, so she thought of using me to prove that some of the rumors about Sofia were false.

Doing so would benefit Sofia, helping to clear her name. Then, people who didn't know the truth would sympathize with Sofia and side with her, doubting the remaining rumors.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing from Isabella. What did she take me for? A mindless tool? Was my life's value to help Sofia maintain a clean reputation?

"Don't act so unwilling. Isn't this what you want? You were jealous of Sofia for stealing your boyfriend, but now he can be entirely yours." Isabella seemed genuinely pleased with her idea, which made me even more disgusted.

Albert, standing close to me, had heard everything Isabella said. He looked at Isabella with a straightforward gaze, as if she were an idiot. "Why don't you get engaged to William, Isabella? I think those gossip lovers would prefer to hear that William, who secretly loved Sofia, ended up engaged to her mother after a brief relationship with Elena. Wouldn't that story be more effective in diverting attention from Sofia's bad reputation?"

Albert's words were sharp, and his tone conveyed a suppressed anger. He showed no respect for Isabella as a mother.

"Are you crazy? This is none of your business, Albert!" Isabella's face turned red with rage.

"Wasn't it you who went crazy first?" Albert's tone was cutting. "I'm no longer part of the Garcia family, remember? You kicked me out after berating me. I have every right to speak, and you can't stop me."

Isabella's chest heaved as she struggled to breathe. She raised her decorative fan, desperately fanning herself.

"You have no right to reject this! I will discuss everything with your father, and until then, you are not to leave the Garcia Manor!" Isabella's voice was loud and commanding, finalizing everything. She reached out to grab my arm, but I dodged her.

I looked at her and shouted, "Do you think you can restrict my freedom?"

Noah, who had been lurking nearby, approached us. Though he hadn't heard everything, he had caught the key parts.

Hearing Isabella's firm declaration to keep me, he smirked. "I don't think James will allow this."

Isabella frowned and asked, "What?"

Noah said, "Mrs. Garcia, hello, I'm Noah Bianchi. Elena has a new boyfriend—Marco Bianchi, the heir to the Bianchi family. If you don't know who he is, I suggest you ask your husband for the answer. I wouldn't want to see you publicly humiliated."

Isabella eyed the unfamiliar Noah warily, especially his cold demeanor, which made her uneasy. She knew Marco, but she probably didn't know his identity, or maybe she had forgotten.

I saw her call over a maid, whispered something, and then the maid quickly headed to the hall.

Soon, James came rushing out, his face filled with panic and anger.

Seeing Isabella blocking our way, he couldn't contain his fury. He strode over to her and slapped her hard. "What have you done, you fool! How could you arrange Elena's engagement to William on your own! Are you trying to ruin the Garcia family?"