Chapter 74

Isabella sat down, her hands gripping the weightlifting machine's handles. With a deep breath, she pulled. The hundred pounds lifted effortlessly.

Gasps of astonishment filled the studio. Cheers erupted. "Ahhhhh, she's amazing!" one fan exclaimed. Another agreed, "Unbelievable, she's so strong!"

On stage, disbelief reigned. Stella's eyes shone with admiration. "You're unbelievable!" she declared. Alex's jaw dropped. He thought, That's crazy! His voice trembled with excitement. "Dr. Lovett, how did you do that? Can you take me as your student?"

Jayden remained frozen, his gaze fixed on the hundred pounds. How could she, a woman, do that? he wondered, struggling to comprehend the scene. Losing to Alex was one thing, but losing to Isabella?

In the audience, George slapped his thigh, laughing heartily at Jayden's dark expression. Serves him right, he thought. He never appreciated Queenie. Now he knows how amazing she really is!

John, still in shock, smiled at Isabella. "Wow, that was incredible! You just lifted one hundred pounds!" he said. She's not just a miracle doctor… she's superhuman, he thought. Turning to the others, he asked, "Anyone else want to challenge one hundred pounds?" Everyone quickly shook their heads. Who in their right mind would try that? they thought.

Isabella stepped down, her smile soft as she bowed. Despite her slender frame, she had lifted the weight with ease. The crowd's applause filled the room. They thought, She's truly someone to be reckoned with.

Jotun announced, "And today's winners are none other than our miracle doctor Queenie and superstar Jayden!" The studio erupted again.

Backstage, Isabella was leaving the dressing room when she spotted Jayden waiting. She paused briefly, her eyes flicking over him before continuing without a word. Jayden called out, "Bella," but Isabella didn't stop. What could possibly be worth discussing? she thought. Jayden persisted, "Why did you lie?"

Isabella's steps faltered, anger flaring. Jayden grabbed her wrist. Is he out of his mind? she thought, her temper rising. Before she could react, George appeared, swatting Jayden's hand away.

"If you've got issues, go see a shrink!" George spat, his baby face twisted in anger. Civilians might be afraid of Jayden, but not me, he thought.

Jayden's face darkened. George cut him off, "What, 'you'? Can't you see she doesn't like you? Stop throwing yourself at her like some desperate fool. You're not gold. Not everyone's going to like you!" George's insults flowed rapidly.

Isabella raised an eyebrow, amused. George is really enjoying himself, she thought. Jayden's face was dark, but George continued, rolling up his sleeves and positioning himself aggressively. "I'm telling you, Jayden, if you keep harassing Queenie, I'll call the cops. Let your fans see what kind of scumbag they're idolizing." He would have gladly punched Jayden if the situation allowed.

Jayden's eyes flashed dangerously. "George, you've crossed the line!" he warned through gritted teeth. Even though George's status was unusual, Jayden wasn't someone to be insulted easily. George, however, didn't care. He stepped closer, sneering, "Oh, I definitely crossed the line. What are you going to do?" Does he want a fight? Perfect, George thought, anticipation bubbling in his eyes. Jayden clenched his fists, but forced himself to hold back. It's not just George's identity that matters. I can't afford to offend Isabella and Queenie, he thought. Getting into a fight was out of the question.

Jayden's gaze softened as it fell on Isabella. His voice became gentler. "It was my mistake not believing you at first. But is humiliating me really necessary?"

He was trying to defuse the situation. Isn't she just looking for me to give her a way out? I'm giving her one. I hope she won't be too stubborn to take it, Jayden thought, frustration rising.

Isabella turned back, a mocking smile playing on her lips. "Jayden, you should learn to have some self-respect." she said. Jayden's face darkened violently. Isabella turned, tugging George along. "Let's go," she said coolly.

George threw one last menacing look at Jayden before following Isabella. Jayden clenched his fists, knuckles white, veins bulging on his forehead. Fine! Fine! he thought furiously. How long is she going to keep playing hard to get?

A suffocating tightness gripped his throat. Why did Ivana have to lie to me? If she hadn’t told me Isabella wasn’t Queenie, none of this would’ve happened!

His agent, Eric, approached, noticing Jayden staring blankly. He patted Jayden's shoulder. "What's this? You've taken a liking to her?" he asked playfully. A woman as stunning as her? It wasn't surprising the famous movie star might develop feelings, Eric thought.

Jayden snapped out of his daze, loosening his fists. What a fool I was. If only I’d treated Isabella better from the start. Now it wouldn’t be so hard to get Queenie on board, he thought. Suppressing his frustration, he muttered, "Stop teasing me. Let's go."

Eric watched Jayden in confusion. Something was off. Scratching his head, he followed. "Right, right."

At the Howerton Group, the atmosphere in the conference room was heavy, like a storm brewing. The executives, usually authoritative, were sweating profusely. None of their proposals had been accepted. They cast furtive glances at Samuel, whose face was dark and aura menacing. One look from him was enough to make them avert their gaze. They were terrified of becoming his next target.

Talon trembled as he handed over a file. "Mr. Howerton, this is this week's report," he said cautiously. Samuel's gaze softened briefly as he took the file. His fingers flipped through the pages, but when his eyes landed on the final numbers… BANG!