Chapter 1971

No.1

Isabella hailed a taxi with Oliver and headed downtown to Whitmore Plaza. The mall, owned by Whitmore Enterprises, was a bustling hub of restaurants and entertainment—a shopper’s paradise.

Remembering her plan, she bent down to Oliver’s level. “Momo, you need to be extra good today, okay? It will be very crowded. Do not wander off. Wait for my instructions.”

“Don’t worry, Mommy. I’ll be good,” Oliver promised, his eyes wide with excitement. His father rarely took him to crowded places, usually arranging for private shopping. This was a thrilling first for him.

Seeing his anticipation, Isabella took him straight to the fifth floor. It was the mall’s main entertainment level, packed with arcade games, children’s play areas, dart boards, and bowling alleys.

The main attraction, however, was the long rows of gleaming claw machines. They were filled with an array of adorable plush toys—Hello Kitty, Mickey Mouse, and various other cute animals.

Isabella scanned the area. The person she expected to see wasn’t there yet. Her eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed they would have to wait a little longer.

Oliver's eyes sparkled at the sight of the arcade machines.

That spark vanished just as quickly.

He noticed a figure in the distance and immediately tugged Isabella's arm.

"Let's go," he whispered urgently.

No.2

Isabella looked down at him. "What's wrong, Christopher?"

"I saw Amelia," he mumbled, his voice low. "Uncle Gregory's daughter. She'll make fun of me if she sees me here. And Daddy... Daddy always said these machines are a waste of time. He never lets me play."

Isabella's expression tightened. Uncle Gregory? She recalled Nathaniel had a younger brother, Gregory Blackwood. Gregory constantly battled Nathaniel for control of the family empire, always losing. To his credit, Gregory was a shrewd businessman. He'd married Sophia Delacroix, an acclaimed actress from an old-money dynasty. The press adored them as the perfect power couple.

Naturally, since Gregory and Nathaniel were rivals, his daughter Amelia would despire Oliver. The entire Blackwood clan, it seemed, looked down on the boy.

Isabella squeezed his small hand and smoothed his hair. "Christopher, look at you today. Your disguise is perfect. She won't recognize you. And remember, I'm right here. No one gets to bully you. Not on my watch. Now, tell me the truth: do you want to play that claw machine? Do you want to show Amelia Blackwood what you can do?"

He nodded instantly, his earlier fear replaced by determination. "Yes! I really do!"

"Then let's go." She led him firmly toward the arcade.

Inside, Amelia Blackwood was furiously jabbing at a claw machine controls. She'd already wasted a stack of tokens with nothing to show for it. She stamped her foot in frustration.

Just then, a woman and a child entered her line of sight. The woman wore a simple white dress that radiated a quiet grace. The boy... he was dressed like a tiny rockstar, but that wasn't what caught Amelia's eye. He was clutching a gigantic lollipop, bigger than his own head! He happily licked at it as he walked, a picture of pure joy. A whole necklace of other colorful lollipops hung around his neck.

Amelia's mouth watered. Despite her privileged life, her parents enforced strict, perfectionist rules. Sugary treats like this were completely forbidden. The temptation was overwhelming.

No.3

"Hey, you!" she called out, her tone imperious. "I want one of those! Give it to me!"

Oliver flinched instinctively. Her voice brought back memories of her constant taunts, her cruel words about his mother, her sheer disdain. But this time felt different. He felt the steady, reassuring warmth of Isabella's hand in his. He looked up, meeting Amelia's gaze with newfound courage.

"No," he stated clearly. "Get your own mommy to buy you one." He then took an exaggerated, satisfying bite of his giant candy, his eyes never leaving hers.

His defiance only infuriated her more. Amelia planted her hands on her hips. "Do you even know who I am? Do you know who my parents are? I'm a princess! You have so many, you have to give me one!"

"Well, I'm my mommy's prince!" Oliver shot back. "And I won't! Come on, Mommy, let's play!" He pulled Isabella toward an empty machine.

On their way to buy the candy, Oliver had confided in Isabella. He told her how Amelia had mocked him since they could barely walk, how she'd turned other children against him, and the time she'd pushed him into the garden pond.

A cold fire ignited in Isabella's eyes as she stared at the spoiled girl. So you're the one who's been tormenting my son. Your little reign of terror ends today.

Isabella turned away from the pouting girl. She led Oliver to a brightly lit claw machine.

Her fingers moved with practiced precision. The metal claw descended with perfect timing.

It grasped the coveted cat plushie Oliver had been eyeing. With a smooth motion, the prize dropped into the retrieval chute.

No.4

The oversized plush was nearly as tall as Oliver himself. He hugged the soft toy with visible delight.

"Mommy's incredible! You're the best mommy ever!" His joyful exclamation echoed through the arcade.

Amelia watched from a distance, her expression souring. She had wasted countless tokens trying to win that exact toy.

This woman achieved it on her first attempt! Pure luck, nothing more.

Isabetha smiled down at her beaming son. "What else would you like, sweetheart? Point to anything."

Oliver's eyes scanned the glass cases. "That bunny! The fluffy white one with pink ears!"

She tousled his hair affectionately. "Consider it yours."

Amelia rolled her eyes dramatically. Surely this woman couldn't replicate that fluke.

Her jaw dropped when the machine whirred to life again. Another prize tumbled out effortlessly.

Oliver applauded with unrestrained glee. "You did it again! Thank you, Mommy!"

No.5

"Wait here, darling." Isabella settled him onto a nearby velvet bench.

He obediently nodded, giant lollipop in hand. An assortment of won toys surrounded him like a colorful fortress.

Isabetha continued her winning streak. Prize after prize joined the growing collection.

Other children paused their games to watch in awe. Their envious glances focused on Oliver's mountain of plush toys.

Amelia's bottom lip began to tremble. She had nothing to show for her efforts.

Tears welled in her eyes as another toy joined the pile.

A loud, hiccupping sob escaped her. "It's not fair! You have so many!" She glared accusingly at Isabella. "Why won't you share? I want one!"

Isabella regarded her with cool detachment. "Whose child is this? Such poor manners." She turned back to Oliver. "Let's find something else to play, my love."

Oliver gathered his treasures with difficulty. His happiness radiated from his beaming face.

Amelia's wails intensified into full-blown tantrum. "Meanies! Horrible, nasty people!"

No.6

A well-dressed couple approached through the crowd. The man carried himself with understated elegance in his tailored suit.

The woman moved with theatrical grace, her floral dress swaying. This was Sophia Delacroix, scion of a renowned acting dynasty.

Trained in classical theater from childhood, she had become a celebrated prodigy. Her film performances earned critical acclaim and numerous awards.

She secured the Best Actress trophy by twenty. Marriage into the Blackwood family cemented her status among the elite.

Her reputation as devoted wife and mother remained impeccable within high society circles.

Isabella dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Oliver. Her voice was laced with worry. "What's wrong, sweetheart? Your father and I only stepped away for a minute. Did someone upset you?"

He burst into fresh sobs. "It was a lady and her boy! They looked shabby. They saw my nice clothes and laughed at me! They flaunted all the prizes they won right in my face!"

Oliver pointed a trembling finger. "Over there! It's them!"

Isabella followed his gaze and saw the retreating figures of Isabella Montgomery and her son. Her brow furrowed in distaste. These common people dared to bully her child?

She looked at her husband, Gregory. "Darling, you must handle this. Our son deserves justice!"

No.7

"Don't fret," Gregory assured her calmly. He appeared gentle, but his eyes held a steely resolve. "I'll contact Alexander immediately. I'll ensure he personally escorts them from the premises and adds them to the plaza's permanent ban list."

He moved aside to make the call. Isabella Montgomery walked away with her son, their arms overflowing with stuffed toys. The spectacle drew curious stares from other shoppers.

Remembering her next objective, Isabella stored all the prizes in a locker.

Just then, a stern-faced manager approached her. "Madam, you've been placed on our restricted list. You and the child must leave the premises immediately."

A blacklist? Isabella's eyes narrowed. This was unexpected. Whitmore Plaza didn't arbitrarily ban patrons. Her sharp gaze scanned the area and landed on a couple watching from a distance.

Gregory Blackwood stood holding their daughter, Amelia. His wife, Sophia, stood beside him. Both observed the scene with cold satisfaction. Amelia wore a smug, triumphant smirk that clearly said she had won.