Chapter 416: Chapter 418 It’s Not Love

After returning home, Anna placed the shopping bags in the kitchen. ‘She was so exhausted that as soon as she dropped the bags on the floor, she collapsed on the chair next to her.

Panting, she looked over to Isabella and said to her, “Isabella, would you stop eating ice cream and help me with the cooking?”

Upon hearing Anna’s words, Isabella turned around, only to see that Anna was covered with beads of sweat on her forehead.

Then she nudged Tammy, who was sitting next to her, with her elbow. To her disappointment, Tammy snapped the box of ice cream from her and refused to help Isabella this time. Therefore, Isabella had no choice but to help Anna with the chores.

The moment Isabella stepped into the kitchen, Anna said to her, “Isabella, we’ve talked about this. You shouldn’t wear revealing clothes like that every day. Do you know how dangerous it could be if you walk out at night dressing like this? | heard that several girls were harassed in our neighborhood recently. Now that you’re under my roof, you need to listen tome.”

“Gee, Anna! You’re so old-fashioned. It’s my body and | make the call! can wear whatever | want. You know what, perverts will always be perverts. They just can’t keep their hands to themselves even if | wrap myself from head to toe with clothes!”

Letting outa sigh, Anna adjusted her position and said, “I get you, Isabella. | really do. It’s just... The world is complicated.

Sometimes, when you think what you’re doing is right, others may not necessarily agree with you. | know girls at your age like to dress up and make yourselves look 417 Its Not Love pretty. When | was at your age, | liked to wear mini skirts to reveal my legs. It wasn’t until one day when a man groped my butt and even touched my thighs without my consent that | gave up on the idea to wear mini skirts.”

“|... ‘m sorry to hear that, Anna. But it wasn’t your fault. Damn it! Why do the majority always ask women to protect themselves from being harassed by men while they seldom educate men that it’s wrong to harass women and that they need to respect women? This is so unfair!” Pouting, Isabella said in disappointment and anger.

“Calm down, Isabella. To be honest, you make a point. However, | have to tell you that we women still have to blend in to survive in the world. Still, I hope that after numerous generations, the society will become a more gender-equal one. And | believe that you will do your part to make it happen. As for now, just listen to me, okay?”

“Better safe than sorry,” Anna and Isabella said at the same time.

“Yeah, yeah, | know. I’ll wear less revealing clothes from now on. But as soon as | leave England, | won’t follow your dress code anymore. ‘Anyways, when | was in America dressing like this, Jasper never said anything about that to me,” she shrugged.

“That’s because he’s a man and it’s not really his place to talk to you about it. But why didn’t Lily talk to you about this?”

“She knew that | wouldn’t listen to her; that’s why. And | always feel that she isn’t as friendly as she seems to be when she is alone with me. It’s not like I’l steal her husband from her...” Saying that, Isabella lowered her voice.

“What?!” Anna asked in puzzlement.

“Nothing,” Isabella answered, turning her head and avoiding making eye contact with Anna. AIT Its Not Love Anna couldn’t help but seize Isabella up, thinking, /sabella, you have a good figure, delicate skin, and a pair of lovely legs.

Objectively speaking, ‘you’re absolutely stunning. | knew you thought that | didn’t hear the words you just blurted out. But I’ve heard it. Please don’t tell me that you have feelings for Jasper... Even though you two aren’t related by blood, he’s still your foster father!

Taking a deep breath, Anna asked, “Let me ask you a question.”

Isabella was washing tomatoes, so she didn’t realize the change in Anna’s expression. “What?”

“How do you like Wayne, my ex?”

“Well, | knew things didn’t turn out well between you two but | have to. say that he’s a successful and handsome man, for sure,”

Isabella answered.

“Then between Wayne and Jasper, who do you think is a better man?”

In a panic, she ducked her head and squeezed the tomato. “Why did you suddenly bring him up?” she asked.

“Don’t worry, I’m just talking about it,” Anna said tentatively. “What do you think of him?”

“There’s no way they can compare because Jasper is one of the few good men in the world. He’s polite and friendly. He has a successful career and does charity work. Although Wayne is quite successful as well, he can be quite cold and cruel sometimes,”

Isabella said hesitantly, “You see, Lily is crazy about him. She’d rather offend him and kick me out of the house. She’s doing it just because she wants me to stay away from him!”

She abruptly came to a halt, and the kitchen fell silent. Tammy was shouting while watching the football game on TV. Anna looked at Isabella, surprised and shocked. 417 It’s Not Love Isabella explained, “Oh, no! That’s not what | meant.” Anna didn’t say anything, but she could tell what was going on. She was taken aback and looked at Isabella in disbelief.

“Tell me what’s going on,” Anna sighed.

“How about we go somewhere else to talk about it? I’m afraid that Tammy will overhear our conversation.”

“Okay. Let’s go to the study then.”

After a while, Anna and Isabella sat on the couch of the study, closing the door behind them.

“You never take anything Lily says seriously, but why did you listen to her and move out this time?” Anna asked.

“Because she threatened me, showed me a video, and then kicked me out,’ Lily said, clutching the arm of the couch nervously.

“What video?”

“On Jasper’s birthday, Lily threw a birthday party for him at home. And | hugged and kissed Jasper in the backyard.”

Anna was so shocked that she could not even speak. Jasper was nearly twenty years older than Isabella, his foster daughter. As a result, Anna could not accept the fact that they had kissed.

“To be specific, | kissed him,” Isabella explained “What else did you do?” Anna forced herself to calm down.

“It was just a hug and a kiss. Well, actually, | just kissed him on the cheek,” Isabella said.

After a brief pause, Isabella continued, “Lily only showed me the video she shot secretly when Jasper and | were alone in the backyard. And she said | shouldn’t stay at her house any longer. If don’t leave, she’s going to take that video to court and sue Jasper for molesting his adopted 417 It’s Not Love daughter,” Isabella said nervously, but she still appeared stubborn.

Anna was stunned by what she was hearing. “It was just a misunderstanding,” she said, “Why would she want to take the video to court? Is she crazy?”

“What if Lily’s intuition is right?”

Anna said firmly, “That’s absolutely impossible! Jasper is not that kind of person, and he always treats you as his daughter.”

“But I’m not his daughter and | don’t want him to treat me as his daughter only! | like him, and I’ve liked him since | was a child. |

never thought of him as my father, and | couldn’t fall in love with any man but him,” Isabella explained.

Anna couldn’t believe it and asked, “What on earth are you talking about?!”

didn’t know how to confront him, and I couldn’t let him divorce Lily because of me. If he’s no longer my adoptive father, | won’t give him all this moral trouble anymore. That way, | wouldn’t have any worries.” Isabella was firm as if she wasn’t afraid of anything in the world.

Anna was so taken aback by this incident that she couldn’t calm down. She even assumed Isabella was acting rashly because she was a teenager.

“Let me think about it,” Anna said as she sat on the couch. Then shaking her head, she said to Isabella with a serious face, “Isabella, are you sure you’re in love with Jasper?”

“Yes! What about it?”

‘jhate to be blunt, but your feelings for him seem more like your ‘obsession with him to me. | know you’re going to retort by saying ‘You don’t get it’, ‘Who are you to tell me what | should do with my relationship’, and all that. But please, listen to me. From what you’ve told me, | could tell 417 It’s Not Love that Jasper still treated you as his daughter. Also, Lily’s pregnant, and their child will be born soon. Can you bear to see a supposedly happy family break apart because of your obsession with Jasper? Moreover, what if you find out that Jasper actually doesn’t have feelings for you after you confess your love to her? What are you going to do then?”

“Alas! Teenagers! Teenagers like you always tend to act on impulse. Sometimes, doing so will get you nowhere, while sometimes, it will cause disastrous consequences. You’re about to be an adult, Isabella. | hope that you should think twice before you do anything.”