Chapter 1976
No.1
Isabella noticed the sudden intensity in Nathaniel’s gaze when she asked her question. It was as if he were wrestling with something dark and complicated. She rarely saw him look so conflicted. “What’s wrong? Is it that difficult to talk about?”
“No.” He snapped back to the present, his eyes locking onto hers with fierce protectiveness. “Isabella, I need you to promise me something.”
“Hmm?” She tilted her head, curious.
Nathaniel’s voice was low and serious. “There might be… complications ahead. Things that could test us. I need you to trust me completely. No matter what you see or hear—trust that I will handle it. Don’t let anyone plant doubt in your mind.”
His expression was so grave it made her chest tighten. Was this about the incident five years ago? Had he uncovered something disturbing? Something that might hurt her?
A soft smile touched her lips. “You don’t have to worry. When I choose someone, I don’t waver. If I did, it wouldn’t be love.”
His eyes darkened at her words. Love. Did she really love him? He hoped so. He needed to clean up the past—fast.
After he left to deal with some documents, Isabella watched him go, her mind racing. She quickly sent a message to Maxwell. [Ask the Uncles if they’ve found anything new about Nathaniel’s incident five years ago.]
Maxwell replied almost instantly. [Will do. But there’s something more urgent.] [Tiffany is secretly trying to sell her shares. They could be gone within two days. She also just showed up at the office. Looks like she’s pushing a big project.] [We scouted Uji Quin’s compound. The place is covered in infrared sensors. The terrain is a nightmare. Even my best men can’t guarantee we can extract Robert safely.]
No.2
Isabella’s expression tightened. So Tiffany was getting desperate.
If Maxwell’s team couldn’t handle it, the mission was borderline impossible. That meant she had to go herself.
It wasn’t that she was more skilled than they were. But her body was smaller, more flexible. At the training base, she’d always been the one who could slip past detectors without setting them off. It was her specialty.
After a moment’s thought, she typed back. [Keep monitoring Tiffany. Proceed with the plan. How is Robert? Is he hurt?]
[Not physically. But it’s complicated. Robert doesn’t realize he’s been kidnapped. Uji Quin has him convinced that fasting unlocks gaming potential. The idiot hasn’t eaten or drunk anything since he got there.]
Isabella almost laughed. Robert was so sharp in some ways, so painfully naive in others. If she didn’t act soon, he might actually starve.
She glanced toward the dining room where Oliver was. Then she replied. [Prepare the jet. I leave for Kansas at midnight.]
The flight from Westchester to Kansas would take two hours. If she moved quickly, she could be back before dawn.
Tiffany didn’t return home after leaving Whitmore Plaza. She went straight to Jordan Group and demanded an emergency board meeting.
No.3
Victoria Kensington stood before the boardroom, presenting the nationwide Garden Properties initiative. She announced the requirement for a hundred-billion-dollar loan to fund the ambitious venture.
The room erupted in immediate dissent. "Ms. Kensington, have you lost your mind? A hundred billion is impossible!"
"Are you ignoring our current crisis? Montgomery shares have plummeted, causing a hundred and fifty billion in losses already. Now you want to borrow another hundred billion?"
"This project will bankrupt Montgomery Group if it fails!"
Even Penelope Sinclair voiced her concern. "Victoria, this is far too dangerous. We must be cautious."
Victoria remained seated in the director's chair, her expression unwavering. "Setting aside the financial aspect, is this not an exceptional project?"
The board members exchanged uneasy glances. Silence fell across the room. They couldn't deny the project's potential brilliance.
Their nation was advancing sixth-generation garden properties, granting even modest homes the luxury of beautiful gardens. Major developers were testing similar projects in limited regions. If Montgomery Group launched this nationwide, they would dominate the industry within two years.
But the risk was astronomical. One hundred billion dollars. Even utilizing all available Montgomery funds would leave them fifty billion in debt. Failure meant utter destruction.
No.4
"I recognize your apprehensions," Victoria addressed the tense atmosphere. "However, remember that I now hold the Director position. Any consequences will fall upon me. I accept full responsibility for this venture."
"If I'm willing to risk everything, why shouldn't you support me? Trust my judgment. I want what's best for this company. This risk promises the most substantial returns."
"I will personally secure the loan. It won't take long."
The board gradually yielded to Victoria's determined conviction. She spoke truth—she controlled the majority shares and would bear the ultimate burden. Her fearlessness became their reassurance.
Success meant enormous dividends. Crucially, with Montgomery Group hemorrhaging money, securing bank loans would signal financial confidence to investors. The new project could reshape their perception entirely.
The proposal passed with full board endorsement.
Victoria proceeded directly to the bank negotiations, carrying the Montgomery Group's official seal. Alone in her car, pure malice glittered in her eyes. Her scheme was falling into place perfectly.
She would leave Isabella Montgomery a devastating farewell gift.
The Montgomery family learned the news that same evening. Victoria was conspicuously absent from dinner.
No.5
Eleanor Kensington pressed her father. "You still haven't explained why you transferred all your shares to Victoria. Is she truly capable of handling such responsibility?"
"I find her too young and impulsive. If that fifty-billion loan gets approved, Montgomery Group faces tremendous danger for the next two years," worried Penelope added.
Gregory Kensington sighed heavily. "I would oppose it, but I have no voice anymore. Not a single share remains with me."
"Don't worry. The bank likely won't approve such an enormous loan," Richard Montgomery attempted to reassure them.
Theodore Montgomery listened silently, deep in thought. Why would Victoria take such a colossal gamble? This decision would either save or destroy the company!
She had already kidnapped Benjamin. What wouldn't she do?
Victoria sought to prove her capability. She wanted to restore her reputation. As the Montgomery heiress, the group's bankruptcy served no benefit to her.
Just as Theodore prepared to speak, the dining room door swung open.
Click!
No.6
All eyes turned toward the entrance. Victoria stood framed in the doorway.
Victoria had returned to the mansion earlier but lingered outside the dining room upon hearing their heated discussion. She knew they all despised her, yet hearing their words still turned her stomach.
The Montgomerys were never her true family. They even doubted her ability to lead the Montgomery Group. The thought of her carefully laid plans and her imminent departure from this wretched family brought a dark satisfaction. These people would soon face utter ruin and destitution! Ha! That was the price for crossing her! Her next move was to ensure every detail fell perfectly into place. She smoothed her features into a mask of placid determination and stepped into the room with a faint, practiced smile. “Grandfather, Father, Mother, Aunt Penelope, Uncle Gregory. The loan negotiation is successful. The funds will be transferred within two days.”
“Is that true?” Eleanor’s eyes widened in disbelief. Victoria secured a 50-billion loan? What bank would agree to such a massive amount? Of course, Victoria would never reveal she had mortgaged every single asset of the Montgomery Group, including the corporate headquarters. She replied with feigned calm, “Mhm. I presented our entire project proposal and offered them the highest possible interest rate. They’re willing to take the calculated risk on the Montgomery Group. I understand the concerns regarding this venture, but please trust my resolve and my capabilities. No one wants this project to succeed more than I do. I aim to prove my worth and compensate the company for any past… setbacks. In two years, our profits will soar, and our market valuation will increase by at least fifty percent.” Her ambitious declaration made Penelope and Gregory look at her with newfound interest. A fifty percent increase? Their shares would be worth a fortune! Penelope beamed with sudden approval. “Oh, Victoria, please disregard my earlier comments—I was merely anxious. If the bank has approved the loan, we have faith in your project’s success. We can simply tighten our belts for these next two years.” “Do not worry. You are my closest family. I would never hold it against you.” Victoria smiled sweetly, maintaining her impeccable facade. Though most still harbored resentment, her performance offered a sliver of reassurance. Eleanor, now calmer, recalled her earlier harshness and felt a pang of guilt. If she had wanted to meet Alexander instead of Harrison, it wasn't Victoria's fault, yet she had scorned her. Eleanor sighed inwardly; Victoria was such a diligent and forgiving daughter… She fetched a clean set of cutlery for her. “Sit, Victoria. You look thinner. You should rest at home these next few days and focus on your health.” “Thank you, Mother. Keeping busy is the only thing that makes me feel better. Actually, there is one more matter. I… Never mind. Let’s eat.” Victoria pretended to hesitate, then picked up her spoon. As anticipated, this only piqued their curiosity further.
Eleanor pressed, “What is it? You can tell us. We will help you.” “I… well, actually…” Victoria feigned reluctance, drawing out the pause. “I know my past actions were… disappointing. But many circumstances were beyond my control. Things would not have escalated so badly if someone hadn’t deliberately worked to sabotage my public image. I wasn’t sure if this person was targeting me specifically or the entire Montgomery family, so I launched a private investigation. We managed to interrogate an assistant, and she… She claimed…” Victoria trailed off, her expression growing troubled, as if she couldn’t bear to continue.
Penelope, ever the meddler, urged her on. “Victoria, who was it? Just tell us! We’ll deal with them!” “Yes. To be fair, this person is clearly malicious, constantly leaking those damaging clips. Just say the name,” Eleanor encouraged, her tone supportive. Victoria bit her lip, appearing genuinely conflicted and anxious before slowly uttering the name, her voice laced with feigned uncertainty…
“The assistant swore…it was Isabella…”
Isabella Montgomery? The atmosphere instantly chilled. Theodore Montgomery’s eyes narrowed, his displeasure directed at Victoria. “Victoria, you know how I despise liars. I will not tolerate baseless accusations within this family!”
“I understand your skepticism, Grandfather. I, too, was reluctant to believe it initially. But her assistant was adamant. If we analyze the pattern, the first photo leak coincided with the Chanel show, where Isabella ultimately replaced me. The second incident occurred during her wedding to Alexander Whitmore. She never intended to marry him; her heart belongs to another. The third leak happened at my wedding. She clearly opposed my union with Alexander.”
No.7
“Victoria, do you possess any concrete evidence regarding Isabella’s involvement with another man?” Eleanor Kensington inquired.
Victoria nodded. “Yes, I’ve witnessed it myself. Alexander Whitmore and Seraphina Delacroix are also aware. His identity remains a mystery to us. You are welcome to verify this independently.” She dared not mention Nathaniel Blackwood; the consequences of involving him would be catastrophic.
The room fell into a heavy silence, Theodore’s expression particularly grim.
Isabella’s refusal to return to the family estate… Was that indicative of another relationship?
Adam Montgomery interjected, a thought striking him. “If she had no desire to marry Alexander, why sabotage your wedding? She was the one who encouraged it…”
They had monitored Isabella closely. She had always comported herself with maturity regarding the past, showing no lingering attachment to Alexander. While her demeanor toward Victoria was cold, orchestrating such a public ruin seemed out of character.
Victoria lowered her head, feigning profound guilt. “There is something I have concealed for five years… The burden has weighed heavily on me. Now, I must confess.”
She bit her lip. “The truth is… I was present when Isabella fell down the stairs five years ago.”
What? She was there?