Chapter 189

Nina didn't hesitate. "Yeah, I don't like you!"

"I don't believe it!" Richard snapped, gritting his teeth. "Say it to my face!"

Nina looked him in the eye. "Mr. Cole, I really don't like you!"

They stared at each other for a moment, the sound of the sea and waves filling the silence.

Suddenly, Richard lunged forward, grabbed Nina, and pinned her against the railing, kissing her forcefully.

Nina struggled, but Richard was too strong, holding her hands with one of his, his body like steel, making it impossible for her to move.

His kiss was as forceful and domineering as he was.

Nina stopped struggling and let him kiss her, but she didn't respond.

When Richard finally let go, he saw the determination in her eyes and was shocked. Realizing what he'd done, he abruptly released her.

Nina stood up straight, fixing her clothes. "Mr. Cole, consider this kiss as repaying your debt. We're even now."

Richard gritted his teeth. "You don't get it. I repay both kindness and hatred. I saved your life with my blood, so now you owe me yours. Either stay with me, or I take your life!"

He grabbed her neck with his left hand, lifting her off the ground.

Nina's breathing weakened, her neck feeling like it might snap.

She didn't struggle, just closed her eyes.

Richard looked at her, almost grinding his teeth to pieces.

In the end, he couldn't kill her.

He let go.

Nina fell to the ground, clutching her chest and gasping for air.

Richard stood over her. "Nina, this is just the beginning for us!"

Nina's heart tightened. When she looked up, he had already walked into the cabin.

After Charlie's incident, things seemed calm.

But Isabella knew a bigger storm was coming for her and Sebastian.

One day, she thought of Vanessa.

Since Charlie died, Vanessa had disappeared.

Thinking of Vanessa made Isabella uneasy.

She told Sebastian about her worries.

Sebastian had Jack investigate Vanessa's whereabouts. They found she had left Lakina and returned home.

Jack's friends found out Vanessa had a job and a boyfriend, and they were planning to get married.

Hearing this, Isabella felt a bit relieved.

"Looks like Vanessa wants a normal life."

Sebastian pulled her close, his fingers brushing through her hair. "That's the smart choice. If Vanessa tries anything, I won't spare her!"

Isabella nodded. "Emma hasn't come to see me. Do you think she will?"

Sebastian said, "She'll come soon."

Isabella had been seeing a lot of news about Sebastian and Charles's business battles lately. Even though it was just numbers, she could imagine the dangers involved. Sebastian's retaliations had hit the Landon family hard, and the father-son relationship between him and Charles seemed completely ruined.

"Sebastian," Emily walked in with some documents. Seeing the two being close, she looked away. "There's a problem in Northhaven. We might need to go there immediately."

Isabella knew they had business to discuss, so she got up from Sebastian's lap. "I'll go upstairs and watch TV. You two talk."

Sebastian squeezed her hand. "Don't watch too long."

"Okay."

Isabella had just gone upstairs when Kelsey called.

"Isabella, are you home?"

"Yeah, I am."

"Great, I'm just passing by. I'll come over to chat."

"Okay."

Not even a minute after hanging up, Kelsey's car drove into the yard.

Isabella saw from upstairs and smiled. "You really were just passing by."

Emily opened the door.

Kelsey was surprised to see her. "Emily, what are you doing here?"

Emily didn't say much, just let her in.

After changing shoes and entering, Kelsey saw Sebastian sitting in the living room, frowning at a pile of documents.

"Sebastian, I'm here to see Isabella," Kelsey said.

Sebastian looked up. "She's upstairs."

"Okay." Kelsey nodded, her eyes darting between him and Emily before heading upstairs.

As soon as Kelsey reached the second floor, she heard Emily's voice.

"Sebastian, look at this."

Kelsey paused and looked back.

Sebastian was sitting on the sofa, and Emily, holding documents, was squatting in front of him. From Kelsey's angle, they seemed quite close.

Kelsey pursed her lips and ran to find Isabella.

"Isabella!"

Isabella was startled. "Why are you out of breath?"

Kelsey grabbed her hand. "Come with me."

Isabella didn't have time to ask before being dragged out of the room.

Kelsey pulled her to the staircase, and they squatted there. Kelsey pointed downstairs. "Look."

Isabella saw Sebastian and Emily sitting on the sofa, discussing business.

"What's wrong?" Isabella looked for a while and didn't find anything strange.

Kelsey said, "What's with Emily? Why is she at your house and so close to Sebastian?"

"She's an employee of the Landon Group now. I'm pregnant, so I can't go to the company. Emily went instead."

Kelsey blinked.

Because of family matters, Kelsey had taken half a month off and hadn't been to the Landon Group, so she didn't know about Emily.

Now that she knew, she was quite surprised. "You actually agreed?"

Isabella nodded. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"

Kelsey pulled her back to the bedroom. "Isabella, do you know that Emily..."

"What about her?"

Kelsey sighed, her tone slowing down. "Back when I was in high school, my brother and Sebastian were in college. Emily was two years ahead of me. She was Susan's relative, raised by the Anderson family. Calling her a relative sounds nice. In the Anderson family, except for Susan and Kevin, no one else is treated well. If Leo, a legitimate son, is treated like that, how do you think Emily is treated? She was basically Susan's follower."