Ex Cried as I Wed a Tycoon novel Chapter 164

The men—

Did Isabel really think these were the people she’d arranged to “take care of” Effie?

She stood frozen, her mind blank with shock.

A wave of sour sweat stung her nose, making her stomach churn.

Every instinct screamed at her to get out—right now.

But as Isabel tried to slip away, one of the men stepped forward, blocking her path.

“Where do you think you’re going, sweetheart?”

Isabel’s breath caught in her throat. She forced herself to sound braver than she felt. “Get out of my way! Do you have any idea who I am?”

The man grinned, revealing crooked, yellow teeth. His foul breath hit her like a slap. “Of course I know. Someone paid us to be here.”

“That’s right! I paid, I’m Isabel. I’m not Effie—you’ve got the wrong person!” Isabel blurted, desperate for them to understand.

Smack!

A hard slap cracked across her face.

“Shut it. If you’re smart, you’ll do as you’re told—unless you want to lose those pretty teeth,” the ringleader snarled.

A cold wave of dread washed through Isabel. Something was horribly wrong. “You’re making a mistake! I’m the one who hired you! Why are you doing this to me?” she pleaded.

What the hell was going on?

Couldn’t these idiots understand plain English?

The men exchanged glances, then burst out laughing.

Their leader grabbed Isabel’s chin in a rough grip, his reeking breath inches from her face. “We get paid to do a job. The client wants us to treat you real nice—and doubled the price. So quit wasting your breath and enjoy yourself.”

Isabel shook so hard she could barely speak. “You’ve got the wrong woman! I’m Isabel, not Effie!” Her voice broke with panic.

The man’s patience snapped. He yanked her head back by the hair and backhanded her again, even harder.