A Deal with Consequences

"How incompetent can you be?!" Ethan's temper flared. "Find someone now, or don't bother returning!"

Shaken, the secretary stammered, "I'll work on it immediately, sir!"

Isabella overheard the outburst. Her first instinct was to mock Ethan as she usually did, but then inspiration struck. This might be her opportunity to regain control of the Wilson Group.

Clearing her throat to capture his attention, Isabella called out, "Are you looking for someone who knows Italian and international sign language? As it happens, I can do both."

Ethan turned to look at her, suspicion evident in his eyes. "You?"

"Don't believe me? Watch this." Isabella showcased her fluency in Italian, seamlessly transitioning to demonstrate sign language.

The Anderson Group had perfected the chip in the local market and was now seeking to conquer the international stage. Their success hinged on forming a partnership with FSO, Italy's largest electronics manufacturer. The negotiations were at a critical juncture, and any delay or miscommunication could cost millions.

Ethan scrutinized Isabella with narrowed eyes. While her Italian was impeccable, he remained skeptical about her other claims. Nevertheless, she was his only viable option at the moment.

"What are your terms?" he asked sharply, fully aware she wouldn't offer her services out of goodwill.

Isabella smiled craftily. "A straightforward exchange: I'll ensure your negotiation succeeds, and you help me regain control of the Song Group."

"Cooperation, is it?" Ethan approached, gripping her chin firmly as his cold gaze bore into hers. "And why should I trust you?"

"Then don't," Isabella retorted, shaking off his grip. "But do you really have a choice?"

Her movement caused the blanket to slip, momentarily exposing her shoulder. Ethan's gaze flickered downward before he quickly turned away.

"Enough. Change your clothes. We'll talk on the way," Ethan commanded dismissively.

Despite her distaste for Ethan, Isabella felt a glimmer of determination. Reclaiming the Song Group remained her top priority.

They soon boarded a private jet bound for the capital city. During the flight, Ethan provided Isabella with an overview of the project.

"We've spent a year on this deal, contending with competitors from all over the world. FSO's decision will either validate our work or render it futile," Ethan stated curtly. "This is bigger than just numbers."

FSO's change in leadership had thrown a wrench in the works, with the new representative—a figurehead from the Thompson family—having unique communication needs. Though notified, the Anderson Group had only managed a last-minute scramble for appropriate resources.

"You only need to translate," Ethan instructed, his tone heavy with warning. "Stay out of anything else. Remember, without me, the Wilson Group will remain lost to you."

Isabella resisted the urge to argue, masking her frustration behind a bright smile. "Oh? And if someone were to acquire the Anderson Group, they might help me too, don't you think?" She feigned nonchalance, though every word was carefully chosen to provoke.

Ethan sneered, dismissing her hypothetical scenario. "You'd have better luck wishing bankruptcy upon the Anderson Group."

Upon arrival, a chauffeur from the Anderson Group escorted them to a five-star hotel.

At the front desk, Isabella froze upon spotting a familiar trio—the Thompsons. Recognizing the potential fallout, she instinctively buried her face in Ethan's chest, whispering sharply, "Hold me!"

Isabella lifted her head from Ethan's embrace. There was no fear on her face, only curiosity. Ethan pushed her away, his voice cold. "You better explain yourself."

"I'll explain in the room," Isabella said as she took the room key and hurried toward the elevator. Ethan's brow furrowed.

The secretary had booked the presidential suite, which, in addition to the master bedroom, featured a small suite with a large floor-to-ceiling window offering a stunning view of the river across the way.

Isabella took the initiative to "occupy" the small suite, saying, "I'll sleep here. You sleep outside."

"Do you know that family of three from earlier?" Ethan sat down on the sofa, calmly scrutinizing Isabella.

"I don't know them, but… it's possible that I do," Isabella said, her eyes flickering. "I suspect that the man in that couple is Mr. Anthony."

Anthony was the person in charge of the FSO Group this time.

But he himself was very mysterious. Apart from knowing his name was Anthony, no other information about him was available to the public.

It was unknown how old he was, what he looked like, or where he was from. However, in their subconscious minds, Anthony was supposed to be a foreigner with brown hair and blue eyes. But the man they just saw appeared to be much like them.

Ethan remained silent, his gaze calm as he observed Isabella. She could tell he didn't believe her, and she didn't have much confidence in her guess either. She was merely speculating.

"When we checked in, I noticed that the woman was the one talking to the front desk the entire time. This is obviously unusual. In situations like this, it's usually the man who handles such matters—unless the man has difficulty communicating."

First of all, this observation was consistent with Mr. Anthony's condition: he was deaf and mute. Isabella continued, "I also noticed that the little boy with them made a gesture that means 'I'm tired' in international sign language. If they were like us, they would have used a different gesture."

"Additionally, the travel stickers on their luggage had the Italian logo. With all these coincidences, it's hard not to think too much about it." Isabella analyzed everything she had observed one by one.

There was, in fact, one more thing: her intuition. However, intuition was subjective, so she didn't voice it aloud.

But Ethan's eyes had already changed. She was able to observe and reason so much in just a few seconds, which demonstrated her amazing observational skills. She was smart, calm, and rational.

It was completely different from before. Did she really lose her memory, or had she completely become a different person?

Seeing Ethan staring at her without blinking, Isabella's hair stood on end again.

"What are you looking at?" she snapped. "Believe it or not, it's none of my business if we don't make the deal."