Isabella paused, then answered her mother. “A whole crowd showed up. Anyone still breathing and remotely related to Dad came.”
“I didn’t count, but there must have been at least fifteen or twenty people. They packed themselves into my office, all shouting at me to give them jobs, buy them each a house and a car.”
“Grandpa and Grandma went even further. They wanted me to give each of Dad’s siblings ten million. They said I got billions from the divorce, like there’s no way I could spend that much alone, so I should just share some with them.”
“They kept saying we’re family. That it was wrong of them to treat us the way they did, but that was years ago, and I shouldn’t hold a grudge. They said I’m still their blood, still a George, and you can’t erase that.”
“They went on and on. I told them no, and then they all turned on me at once. I called the cops, and when the officers saw them ganging up on me, they took everyone down to the station.”
“My face got hit while they were at it. But, Mom, I let them slap me a couple of times. If I hadn’t, the ones who got violent wouldn’t have been detained.”
“Now that a few of them have been locked up, maybe they’ll think twice next time. But it’s not like they’ll give up so easily. They’re probably desperate, and once they heard we were doing well, they just swarmed in like locusts.”
Isabella was ready for a long fight.
Cynthia’s face darkened, her voice hard. “After everything they did to us, now they want a share just because we’re finally okay? People don’t get to act like that.”
“Isabella, don’t let them talk you into anything. Forget about the inheritance they stole from us. Just the fact that they tried to sell us—how can we ever forgive them?”
Because Jackson protected them, Cynthia and Isabella got twenty years of peace. Now, two decades later, Isabella was grown and stronger.
Even with the George family coming back, Zachary didn’t worry as much.
At least Isabella knew how to protect herself now, knew how to use the law, and she didn’t have any attachment to those people. They couldn’t control her.
Isabella said, “Don’t worry, Uncle. I won’t let them get to me. I won’t let them push me around.”
She couldn’t remember most of what happened when she was little, but the worst moments—those she never forgot, not even after all these years.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan)
I will be devastated if Isabella and Ethan will get back together. Please, writer, Isabella deserves Harold....
Author, please get your characters names right. You always messing them up!...
I wish Harold will win Isabella's heart. I was so sad when Isabela was taken for granted coldly and cruelly by her supposed to be husband, and trapped,mocked and humiliated non stop by Natalie. This was so cruel, both don't deserve Isabela' forgiveness I wish for a happy ending between Isabela and Harold, he has the right to be happy after the long wait....
Frankly, the story initially was going quite good and the pacing was just right. unfortunately after Ethan got the dream of his past life, the story has been going in circles. Ethan's spouting the same nonsense every time he sees Isabella, they both have same conversations over and over. The authors monologue too has been the same for almost 400 chapters. Irrespective of which character the writing the just a repetition of what someone had gone through in the past and what made a certain character feel the emotions. York got introduced in 800 chapters yet nothing significant happened till date. Isabella is soft with Harold and kind of disgusted with Ethan, yet it is not entirely clear with whom she might end up. If she stays single i am fine with it but the story is clearly about Isabella and Ethan so almost 1000 chapters without seeing any progress in their relationship is frustrating. Except for being blindly in love and few aggressive instances with Isabella, Ethan actually isnt a bad person so i am fine if he can win her back. Even though Harold is coming off as a good second lead, i am somehow unable to warm upto him. Even the bad people in the story are not really facing any real consequences. I hate Jackson for his hypocrisy. I hate Jordan and Natalie for their self-righteouness and selfishness. I also hate Deborah, except when she is handing it out to Natalie. I am almost on the verge of dropping this story....
Why are they acting like kids 🤣😭...
Ethan is actually not that bad if we take out his blind love for Natalie...