After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 209

Dennis’s family was the first in the village to open a restaurant. You’d think that meant they would have made a fortune, but it turned out just the opposite. Other families who opened restaurants later all did well, but theirs barely scraped by. Her grandparents and uncles had a reputation for being dishonest and never kept their word, so even during peak tourist season, hardly anyone wanted to eat there. Off-season was even worse. Over the years, the restaurant just managed to break even, and their lives were nothing special.

No one in the family was interested in hard work. They all hung around the restaurant, doing as little as possible, never looking for any other job.

Right then, a few tourists stepped into Anchor & Oyster. It was lunchtime, but the place was nearly empty. When Paul spotted the group, he rushed to greet them, forcing a big, friendly smile.

“What can I get for you?” he asked.

“We’re by the sea, so of course we want seafood,” one of the tourists said. “Where do you keep it? We want to pick out our own.”

Paul led them over. These tourists didn’t hold back, going straight for the most expensive seafood in the tanks. As they picked out the priciest items, Paul was already running the numbers in his head, calculating how much he’d make off this table. His smile got even wider.

There were two women in the group, and one of them kept glancing at Paul. She looked him up and down so much that he started to feel awkward. He wasn't as handsome as Dennis had been, but he was still better looking than most guys his age. He’d kept himself in decent shape. Maybe she had a thing for older men with a bit of charm.

“Excuse me, do you have a niece named Isabella?” the woman suddenly asked.

The George family had picked up bits and pieces about Cynthia’s new marriage, but nobody really cared. If she remarried, she had no right to come back and claim anything. Everything Dennis left behind belonged to them now.

“She doesn’t go by Isabella George anymore. She’s Isabella Lane. Her mom married into the Lane family. They’re super rich. Can you believe it? A widow with a kid, and she marries into a wealthy family.”

“People talk about her all the time. I even saw Isabella’s photo in the newspaper. She looks a little like you, honestly. Then I found out her real dad’s last name was George and that he was from this village. That’s why I asked. I never thought you’d actually be her uncle.”

Paul’s face darkened as soon as he heard Cynthia had married into a rich family. Cynthia had always been beautiful. After Dennis died, Paul was still single and had thought about marrying her himself, but she refused him every time. He got angry and convinced his parents to try and sell Cynthia and Isabella. He never imagined she’d actually end up marrying so well. If Isabella George was now Isabella Lane, she must be rolling in money.