Chapter 120
No.1
When they recognized that stern, dark face, their limbs went weak. A collective shudder ran through the group.
It was Nathaniel Blackwood!
The man who held all of Westchester's power in his hands!
Two legends existed in Westchester. One was that Sebastian Blackwood killed and burned under cover of night. The other was that Nathaniel Blackwood burned cash in broad daylight.
These tales spoke volumes. Sebastian was the fearless king of the underworld, capable of any unspeakable act. Nathaniel didn't need to lift a finger. His wealth alone was overwhelming enough to warm himself with burning money.
Roland worked for Sebastian. His men were feared by many, but they never dared encroach on Nathaniel's territory. They knew to stay at least five hundred meters away from his domain.
Once, someone foolishly challenged Nathaniel's authority. That person harmed one of Nathaniel's men. The next day, the offender vanished without a trace.
Remembering this, Roland and his men felt cold dread. "Mr. Blackwood!" Roland stammered. "What brings you here?"
Anthony's gaze fixed on the figure behind them. Benjamin was tied to a tree branch. "Three seconds," Nathaniel commanded. "Release him."
Five words. Simple yet dripping with authority.
No.2
Roland and his men exchanged nervous glances. They wanted to comply, but they had risked everything for this kidnapping.
The client promised them five million. They hadn't had such a lucrative job in years. Letting him go now would waste all their effort.
Roland's eyes darted nervously. He hurried to the tree. "Mr. Blackwood, please understand our situation. We promise not to hurt him. We're just using him to lure a woman here. Once she arrives, we'll release him immediately!"
"It's not easy for us. We have families to feed too. If you force our hand, I'll have to end his life." He pulled out a dagger and pressed it against the rope.
One slice would send Benjamin plunging into the bottomless lake below.
Bound tightly, Benjamin couldn't move. Poison rendered his body useless. He watched Nathaniel with doubt and worry.
Who was this man? Was he here to save him? They had never met.
How could anyone save him under these circumstances?
Roland Graves and his men encircled Benjamin, suspended precariously above the water. Their eyes darted nervously toward Nathaniel Blackwood, filled with palpable dread.
Roland’s knife shook visibly in his unsteady grip. He swallowed hard, forcing out the words. “Boss Blackwood… I apologize for the disrespect. But you must see—we had no other option!”
No.3
“Time’s up.” Nathaniel’s mouth curved into a cold, faint smile.
Confusion flickered across the men’s faces—but it was too late. Nathaniel had already drawn a sleek, matte-black firearm from inside his tailored suit.
He raised it, aiming directly between Roland Graves’s eyes.
Roland’s gaze sharpened. He lifted the blade, ready to sever the rope. He was certain—Boss Blackwood would hesitate. He wouldn’t risk it.
Bang.
Nathaniel pulled the trigger.
Before the knife could even touch the rope, the bullet tore through Roland’s forehead. Blood sprayed.
Such impossible speed. It was over in less than a breath. He’d been stopped the instant he moved.
Roland’s body convulsed violently. The knife slipped from his fingers, vanishing into the dark lake below as he collapsed backward.
“Boss Graves!”
No.4
His remaining men scrambled to catch him. Thoughts of the promised five million vanished. Survival was all that mattered now. They dropped to their knees, begging.
“Forgive us, Boss Blackwood! We were wrong! This—this man is yours! Take him!”
They bowed low, dragging Roland’s body as they scrambled away, desperate to escape.
Nathaniel paid them no further mind. He tucked the weapon away and strode toward Benjamin. With a sharp tug, he loosened the knot securing the rope to the tree. Benjamin dropped heavily onto the grass.
Benjamin stared up, stunned. The man before him moved with lethal grace. Every gesture controlled, every action precise. Why would someone of his stature come to save him?
“Why did you help me?” Benjamin rasped, his voice weak.
Nathaniel looked down at him, a slight, almost imperceptible smile touching his lips. “I’m your brother-in-law.”
Five words. Delivered like a verdict. Quiet, yet burning with intensity.
Brother-in-law? Nathaniel Blackwood? His?
Benjamin ran through his sisters. Victoria—her reputation in ruins. Isabella—scandalized years ago. Sophia—still locked away, hidden from the world.
No.5
Which one could possibly be connected to Nathaniel Blackwood?
Just then, the door of the luxury car swung open. Oliver came running out on unsteady legs, his small voice urgent. “Daddy! Daddy, hurry! The bad man is proposing to Mommy!”
Proposing?
Nathaniel took the tablet from Oliver. On the screen, the glamour of the Celestial Gala unfolded. Alexander Whitmore was on one knee, holding out a massive bouquet of roses to Isabella.
Right on cue, her voice rang clear. “Alright. I have three conditions. Fulfill them, and we can be married tonight.”
Married. Tonight.
Was she actually considering it?
A man like Alexander would agree to anything—thirty conditions wouldn’t stop him.
Nathaniel’s fists clenched, his knuckles bleaching white. He was about to pull out his phone when Isabella began speaking again.
“First,” she stated, her tone icy and resolved. “You will testify publicly about every crime Victoria Kensington committed against me. You will personally ensure she is sent to prison.”
No.6
“First, kneel and apologize to me for everything you’ve done.”
“Second, tell everyone the truth about you and Victoria for the past fifteen years.”
“Third, transfer ninety-nine percent of your shares in Whitmore Enterprises to me.”
Her voice was steady, echoing through the grand hall.
Alexander’s expression froze instantly. Ninety-nine percent? She was demanding nearly everything. Did she intend to strip him of his entire company?
As for the first two conditions… He knew exactly what she meant. She wanted him to confess that Victoria was the real adopted daughter. That Victoria had paid a man to assault her all those years ago. If the truth came out, Victoria would be finished. The Montgomerys would cast her out. She would lose all claim to the family fortune and be sent directly to prison.
Even though Alexander hadn’t searched for Victoria and his feelings had cooled, they had still grown up together. She was his first love, the woman he had cherished most. How could he be the one to utterly destroy her?
Seeing his hesitation, a cold, mocking smile touched Isabella’s lips. “Alexander, you claim to have seen the error of your ways, yet you can’t even meet these basic demands. How can I possibly agree to marry you?”
Her words sparked murmurs through the crowd.
“What else did Victoria do to Isabella? Was it something criminal?”
No.7
“That’s not the point. The point is he’s clearly still protecting her. He’s still in love with Victoria!”
“Ugh. I wouldn’t want a husband like that. Isabella, think carefully!”
The court of public opinion had shifted.
Alexander’s face darkened further. “Isabella,” he warned, his voice low, “don’t push this too far. I promise I will cut all ties with her. Can’t we just let the past stay in the past? Regarding the shares, I can give you forty percent. Please, be reasonable. I don’t want us to part on bad terms.”