Chapter 548
Chapter 548:
Isolde raised one hand. She pressed her thumb to the corner of her mouth. It came away red.
She looked at the blood.
Then she looked at Grayson.
“Is this the family you chose?” she asked. Her voice was terrifyingly calm.
Grayson took a step toward her, his hand reaching out. “Isolde — let me see p>
Isolde flinched and stepped backward sharply, her heels skidding on the polished floor.
“Don’t come near me,” she said. “You make me sick p>
Ellyn reached them and threw her arms around her daughter, sobbing. “Oh my god, Izzy. Your face—” She spun toward Cheryl, her whole body shaking with rage. “I am calling the police! You animal p>
𝘚a𝘷e 𝘺оu𝗿 𝗳аvо𝗿𝘪𝗍е no𝘃𝘦𝗹s 𝗼n
Belle’s eyes went wide. “Ellyn, wait — please, don’t make a scene. Think about the press. Think about InnoTech stock—” She shot a frantic glance at Cheryl. Fix this.
Cheryl rolled her eyes. “Call them. Let’s see who they believe — the frantic ex-wife, or the board member p>
Isolde gently freed herself from her mother’s arms.
The dizziness was coming in waves now, black spots drifting at the edges of her vision. But her mind was perfectly clear.
She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
“No settlements,” she said. “No NDAs p>
Grayson stepped forward again and placed his hand over her phone screen.
“Isolde.” His voice was low and urgent. “Think about this. Police involvement gets complicated. It drags Effie into the press. I will handle Cheryl. I will make her apologize. I will make her pay p>
Isolde looked down at his hand covering hers — large, composed, pressing down to smother her voice. Managing the situation. Managing the optics.
“Pay?” she asked. “The way you were willing to pay for the room p>
She looked up at him. Her eyes were dry, flat with disappointment that had moved past anger into something much quieter.
“You think everything is a transaction,” she said. “That’s why you’re alone, Grayson. Even when you’re standing in a crowd p>
Grayson’s jaw tightened. “I am trying to protect you from the circus p>
“No,” Isolde said. “You are protecting the Lancaster name p>
She pulled her phone from beneath his hand.
She dialed three digits.
“Nine-one-one p>
She put the phone to her ear. Her eyes stayed on Grayson’s face.
“Emergency,” she said, her voice clear and steady. “I am at Mount Sinai Hospital, VIP wing. I want to report an assault. The assailant is Cheryl Juarez p>
Grayson’s shoulders dropped. He let out a long, slow breath and stepped back.
Cheryl’s face finally drained of color. She looked at Belle. “She — she actually called p>
Isolde lowered the phone.
“I am not your victim anymore,” she said. “And I am certainly not your family p>
Two hospital security guards had rushed to the scene, their frames creating a firm barrier between the two parties. They had guided Isolde and her mother to a waiting area bench while a third guard kept Cheryl and a pale-faced Belle at a distance.