Chapter 55
The moment Isabella heard Eliana had called the cops, a flicker of unease flashed in her eyes.
215%2
If it had been a stranger, it would’ve just been treated as a regular traffic accident, maybe just a hit–and–run case. But if Eliana found out it was her, things would get a whole lot messier
Isabella couldn’t help but furrow her brows and muttered, “I’m not great at driving. I almost hit someone just now, but it was just a close call. I didn’t actually hit her.
“She fell by herself. I was worried she’d try to blame me for it, so just left. I’ve already left, and coming back isn’t really an option.
“How about this, you guys handle it for me. How much would it cost to find someone to take the fall? I’ll send you the money right away. Can you take care of this?”
This wasn’t the first time they’d gotten a request like this. Some customers just didn’t want the hassle, or didn’t want to risk getting penalized, so they were willing to pay someone off to handle it.
For the rental company, as long as the money was right and the problem wasn’t too serious, they’d play along.
So when Isabella said that, the guy didn’t even hesitate. He just saw her as an easy mark and kept a straight face. “They’ve already called the cops.
“You’re looking at a hit–and–run, maybe even a few days in jail. It’ll cost you at least 90 thousand.”
“Fine, I’ll pay,” Isabella said, not daring to haggle at all. “Send me your account number. I’ll transfer the money right away, but once you get it, you have to handle everything for me.
“I’ve got all the transaction records. If you don’t sort this out, that’s on you.”
The rental guy hadn’t expected Isabella to be so easy to deal with He quickly replied, “Money talks. I’ll take care of everything for you.”
Isabella ended the call right after hearing that. But as soon as the call ended, Isabella felt a wave of anxiety hit her again.
She’d already blown all the money Logan gave her on a dress for the charity gala.
She’d thought she’d be the star of the night, but instead, Eliana stole the spotlight and she ended up being the joke of the evening.
Every time she thought about that night, her hatred for Eliana just grew. But right now, she didn’t have the bandwidth to be mad; getting the money was all that mattered.
Isabella gripped her phone tightly, anxiety gnawing at her as she hesitated for ages before finally calling Hannah. While waiting for the call to go through, Isabella took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves.
As soon as Hannah answered, Isabella said, “Hannah, do you remember that jewelry set you wanted me to buy for you? I spent ages persuading them, and they finally agreed to part with it. But there’s just one little problem.”
Hannah had been waiting forever to get that jewelry set. She needed it to keep up appearances at all those social gatherings.
So when Isabella said she could finally get it, Hannah jumped in right away. “What’s the issue? Just tell me. Anything I can help with, I’ll do it for you.”
Hearing Hannah say that, Isabella couldn’t help but let a relieved smile show on her face.
But when she spoke, Isabella still sounded a bit apologetic. “It’s not a big deal for you, Hannah, but I just feel bad. I promised
1/3
20:15 Tue, Jan 20 . G .
Chapter 55
I could handle it for you, and now I have to ask for your help.
285 vouchers
“Silly girl, you’ve already done so much for me. Just tell me what’s going on. The sooner we get that jewelry, the happier I’ll be,” Hannah said.
Isabella didn’t hesitate. “They suddenly jacked up the price by another 180 thousand. If we agree to pay the extra, they’ll hand it over right away.
“Honestly, I thought it was such a rip–off, but since you really love that jewelry set, I was worried if I pushed back too hard and things got tense, they might just refuse to sell it.”
Hannah replied without missing a beat, “Alright, 180 thousand is. I’ll send you the money now. Just promise me you’ll bring that jewelry set back for me, okay?”
“You can count on me, Hannah. No matter what, I’ll make sure you get it,” Isabella said, her smile impossible to hide.
Hannah wasted no time. She transferred the money almost instantly. She’d been waiting for that jewelry set for ages.
Every time she went to those social gatherings with the other ladies, Hannah would feel a bit frustrated about her jewelry.
Sure, her pieces were all expensive, but they were just the kind everyone had seen before.
Meanwhile, the other ladies seemed to have at least one piece with a legendary backstory or some prestigious origin, stuff that was truly priceless.
So whenever the topic of jewelry came up, Hannah would feel super frustrated. After hearing it so many times, it gradually became a real sore spot for her.
The Eliot family was loaded, but because of her taste and cluelessness about collecting, those ladies would gossip behind her back. That was the thing Hannah hated most.
So now, that jewelry set was everything to her. It had become her obsession. Even if they asked for double or triple the price, she’d get her hands on it, whatever it took.
Meanwhile, once Isabella had the cash, she immediately sent 90 thousand to the rental company, telling them to make sure everything stayed under wraps for her.
Once everything was settled, Isabella dialed her overseas contact.
up
“Yeah, it’s that jewelry set I mentioned before. How soon can you get that replica done? I’m in a rush here,” Isabella pressed.
“I know, it’s just 18 thousand, right? Money’s not a problem, but it has to be spot–on. If anyone catches on that it’s fake, I’m toast, and you’re going down with me.
“Alright, I’m sending the money now. Just get it done and send it to me as soon as you can,” Isabella added.
With 90 thousand still left in her account, Isabella felt totally in control now. She hung up and wired the money over without hesitation.
Once the money landed, they texted back right away, promising to get started on it immediately.
Meanwhile, at the hospital, Nathan had just finished getting his arm patched up.
Luckily, even though the wound looked pretty nasty, it hadn’t hit anything major, so it wasn’t a big deal. So Nathan was way more worried about Eliana than his own injury.
Seeing Eliana standing at the door like nothing had happened, Nathan frowned. “Did you get
Eliana nodded. “I’m fine, really. Not even a scratch. I already got checked out, so don’t worry.”
2/3
checked out?”
20:15 Tue, Jan 20 G 7.
Chapter 55
15%
55 vouchers
“You should really get checked out more thoroughly. You’re expecting, so you really need to be careful.” Nathan gently took Eliana with his good hand and started walking with her down the hallway.
