Chapter 222: Joining the Gossip Group Chat

While a heated discussion ensued, Alexander quietly observed Isabella, his mind preoccupied. Seeing her evasive behavior, he initially assumed she was shy, embarrassed, or remorseful. Soon, however, he heard a sigh of regret.

“Ah,” she thought, “my subconscious really failed me there. Why did I just hug him and kiss his cheek? Why didn't I passionately kiss him on the lips? After all, under those circumstances, even if I had, I wouldn't need to take responsibility. Oh, how could I be so terrible? It's really bad to think like this, but it's such a pity. His lips looked so inviting! Hehehe, it seems I'm still not bold enough!”

Alexander's reaction was almost a beat too late, his face instantly flushing. Within the dimly lit carriage, the extent of his blush was hard to discern. However, his downcast eyes, incessantly trembling eyelashes, and hesitant pout made him appear enticing.

“If you want to kiss me, you can anytime,” she muttered. “No strings attached. And it's not terrible at all.”

The Quirk family thought, "Ah, Bella, be bold! It's fine! We won't hold you accountable. Just do whatever you want, as long as you have the courage!" They were practically burning holes in their phones with excitement. Suddenly, they felt a gaze upon them. Glancing up, they saw Alexander's. He seemed dissatisfied.

The Quirks immediately understood. "We get it," they thought. "We really messed up! Why did we share a car with Alexander and Isabella just for gossip? We're so in the way! If we ask the driver to stop and let the extras leave, can you two continue being lovey-dovey?"

Dakota, one of the extras, wondered, "Why, despite the carriage's quietness, did the atmosphere feel so intensely charged?" Leaving wasn't an option; the atmosphere was already stagnant, and Isabella had moved on.

She had apparently been on the phone with others. After a while, she turned to Dakota with a smile. "Dakota, I've spoken with Danielle. We still need a long-term makeup artist at our studio. If you're interested, contact Danielle to sign a collaboration contract."

Initially drained, Dakota brightened. While Caleb might offer substantial compensation, the career advancement thrilled her more. She expressed her gratitude, deeply moved.

After leaving the car and watching them drive off, Dakota had a strong premonition. She figured Isabella orchestrated the video.

In reality, Dakota wasn't alone in this thought. Many leaving the Hampton manor that day speculated similarly. That night, explosive gossip about the Hampton family spread through elite circles.

High-society parties were common, but not with this kind of shocking gossip. The last time something so explosive happened was during the Quirk family's welcome party, when the Cowell family's twin incident caused a stir. This banquet, hosted by the Hamptons, with the Quirks present and Isabella's havoc in the entertainment industry, was too coincidental. It was suspicious that the video causing the scandal hadn't been publicly linked to a source.

There was vague speculation, of course. Online, the high-society gossip, while less exaggerated than celebrity news and not trending, still sparked interest among netizens. Journalists at the wine tasting party might not report the inside story, but leaked promotional photos fueled netizen speculation. A significant portion of these drama-loving netizens were from Isabella's fandom.

Netizen: Odd, why do I feel like I just saw a glimpse of my Isabella? Netizen: Is Isabella there as well? Netizen: It seems like Isabella comes from a wealthy background, or at least has some high-society connections. Netizen: It's unclear, but where there's gossip, there's Isabella! Netizen: Hahaha, is the Justice Upholder becoming the Gossip Queen?

Some netizens predicted this earlier, but it was just a rumor then.

The following day, Isabella was perplexed to see her name appearing online. Fortunately, Dakota wasn't mentioned. Danielle contacted Isabella, and Dakota signed the contract.

That afternoon, while the family accompanied Callahan to a competition, Isabella received more news. Heeding Caleb's warning, Audrey, her head bandaged, filed for divorce, tearfully pleading for Caleb to take her back. He ignored her. "Sigh, Audrey," Isabella thought, "why did you do it knowing the consequences? If you'd lived quietly, your secrets wouldn't have been revealed."

The Quirk family sighed; yesterday had been quite a battle. Alexander, at work, also received news of the complete fallout between the Hampton and Shepard families.

Their university friend group was abuzz, but Josiah didn't respond, and Audrey left the group chat. Suddenly, as if remembering something, Alexander spoke, adding Isabella to the conversation. Everyone's perception of Isabella had changed, their attitudes now enthusiastic.

Isabella was intrigued. She privately messaged Alexander: "Why on earth did you add me to your group out of the blue?"

Alexander replied: "There's a lot of gossip here. I never participate, and don't enjoy it, but I know this group loves it."

Isabella had expected Alexander to mention needing her to connect with his friends as his wife. His response made her smile, her heart filled with joy. She eagerly joined the gossip.

They had already discussed Josiah and Audrey's affairs extensively and shifted to Roland's wedding.

Clifford texted: "Roland, how did your family agree to you marrying her?" Damien: "Must be because of the child."

Roland didn't deny it. His father had agreed earlier; his mother hadn't. Sasha's pregnancy finally won her over. "It's good," he added, "to marry the woman I love with my family's blessing."

Aiden: "Looking back, you two should have had a child earlier. That way, your parents couldn't have interfered so long."

Roland: "I didn't listen to them about my career, why would I need their approval to marry? Sasha was hesitant. She's always cautious. She wanted my parents' agreement first. Even pregnant, she was unsettled, even contemplating keeping the baby. It's my fault for not providing her with security."

Everyone laughed or praised him, sensing their happiness. Isabella already knew their love story from Roland's perspective; it was a tale of redemption. They were high school classmates: he, a justice-minded leader; she, a timid girl who'd lost her parents and was bullied. Roland often rescued her, sometimes ending up hospitalized from fights on her behalf.

Previous gossip revealed Roland's childhood dream to join the air force. The Ford family had a strong military background, so his future was either business or the military. However, a high school brawl left him with severe injuries and visible scars, dashing his air force dreams. His pride and reserve prevented him from becoming another type of soldier or going into business. He became a police officer, eventually loving the profession, and the regret over the air force faded.

The serious incident forged their bond. Their shared experiences led them to date, even through different universities and long distances. Now, their long-distance relationship had its perfect ending.

Through the group chat, Isabella learned the girl's name was Sasha. Feeling sympathy for the bullied girl, she felt prying into her privacy was like reopening old wounds and avoided doing so.

Meanwhile, in Roland and Sasha's apartment, Sasha brought fruit. Roland put down his phone, helped her sit, and gently caressed her swollen belly. "I've told you before, let me handle these things," he said.

Sasha's eyes held a hint of sadness. "Were you chatting with your friends? About the wine tasting party?"

Roland: "I didn't mention it earlier because you were sleeping. Sigh, actually…" He discussed Josiah and Audrey's situation, and mentioning Sasha's pregnancy, added, "Audrey is heartless. How could she… well, not exactly… I've heard others speculate that perhaps Audrey intended to make Josiah the scapegoat and take responsibility for the child. How can a woman be so… sigh."

He noticed Sasha's pallor. "What's wrong, Sasha?"

"I-I'm just feeling a bit unwell again."

Roland ended the conversation, concerned, failing to notice Sasha's hesitant unspoken concerns. In the following days, due to Sasha's ill health, Roland handled wedding preparations alone, missing her increasingly odd behavior. It wasn't until the day of the wedding…

"Huh? Isn't that Stephanie? She's attending Roland's wedding too? Does her family have connections with the Ford family?" Selena was surprised to see a familiar face.