After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 1146

Isabella laughed, thoroughly amused. "Why would I test you? If I'm testing anyone, it'll be Harold. He's my boyfriend now. Barring any surprises, we'll be getting married."

Ethan's strikingly handsome face fell.

"Isabella, do I really have zero chance? I'm fixing my mistakes. I've compensated you. Can't you just give me a chance to start over?"

"Harold... you two are a good match. I couldn't even say a bad word about him if I tried. He's infinitely better than the old me."

Stuck in bed and unable to pursue his ex-wife, Ethan had no choice but to acknowledge his rival's merits.

Once he was discharged, he would fight for her.

Unless she actually married Harold before he got out, in which case, he'd have no choice but to offer his blessings.

"He is much better than you."

Isabella stated flatly. "It's not that you aren't good; it's just that you gave all your goodness to someone else, not me."

"Ethan, we're talking about Natalie's pregnancy, not us. There is no 'us' anymore. At best, we have a few business ties. That's it."

"We can't even be friends?" Ethan asked, his chest tightening.

Isabella fell silent for a moment before replying, "It's best we don't. I don't want Harold to get jealous or misunderstand. I don't want him constantly worrying or feeling insecure."

"You never showed me that kind of consideration."

Ethan said sourly.

"You never truly loved me, so why would I consider your feelings? Harold gave me his whole heart, so I'm giving him mine in return."

Ethan was left speechless.

"She might have been set up, and someone took a lot of photos of her. Those photos were even mailed to me anonymously."

Ethan suddenly understood. He knew it. He might have been blind, but he wouldn't have fallen for someone so inherently reckless.

His expression shifted as he asked, "How do you know she was set up? And by who? She's the daughter of the Gates family and the daughter-in-law of the Lane family. Who would dare drug her and take photos?"

Even without his protection, the combined power of the Gates and Lane families meant nobody in their right mind would mess with Natalie.

"Her eyes looked glazed over in the photos. It was just a guess. That's why I suspect York. Only York would be bold enough to completely ignore her family's status and target her."

"Remember that night before we divorced, when those thugs ambushed us on the way home? That was Dave. In my dream, they were the ones who kidnapped and killed me."

"Your dream confirmed that Natalie paid them a fortune to do it. While she wasn't involved in that specific ambush, she clearly had her eye on Dave's crew."

"She probably tried to contact his superiors—meaning York—to use his power against me. She truly hates me enough to want to drag me down with her, even if it kills her."