After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 461

Isabella didn’t know a thing about fighting, but she’d still gone up against a whole gang of kidnappers. The way she’d handled herself last night had left Ethan genuinely impressed. He might have the training, but he didn’t have that kind of raw determination.

Jordan had once told him that Isabella was always getting into fights as a kid. Back then, though, it wasn’t because she wanted to. Kids had bullied her, called her names, mocked her for not having a dad. That was the only reason she ever fought back. Over time, she’d picked up plenty of street smarts. If she actually knew how to fight for real, those kidnappers last night probably wouldn’t have stood a chance.

She looked at Ethan. “Did they catch the guys whose car I crashed?”

That was her main concern. She wanted to know if the people who’d ruined her life before had finally been caught.

“They did. They’re all in the hospital now, under police guard. Their injuries are worse than yours. One of them even had to go into the ICU after surgery.”

“What kind of people are they?”

Ethan looked serious. “They’re all career criminals. Every single one has a record, and some of them have been in and out of prison for years.”

They’d never done anything to get locked away for good, so they’d serve their time, get out, and go right back to their old ways. Some people never change. Sooner or later, they’d do something unforgivable and it would be over for them. This time, trying to kidnap Ethan and hurting Isabella meant they were in for a much harsher sentence. Ethan was determined to make sure of it.

“What about the ringleader? Do we know who he is yet?”

“Yeah. His name’s Bruce.”

Her expression grew fierce. “They must really have a death wish.”

Those guys had been after Ethan. If Isabella hadn’t fought back, he would have been taken for sure. Even if the police showed up, the kidnappers would have used him as a hostage and there’d be nothing anyone could do. If it had been anyone else with Ethan last night—someone timid or scared—the outcome would have been completely different.

Stephanie felt a rush of pride thinking about how Isabella had handled herself. She’d stayed calm, kept fighting, and held out until help arrived. That’s exactly the kind of strength needed to be the head of the Adams family. If it had been Natalie, she probably would have frozen in fear, forcing Ethan to protect her and putting both of them in even more danger.

“Grandma, I’m sorry I made you worry.”

Stephanie’s voice softened again. “You did scare me. When I heard what happened, I thought my heart was going to stop.”