Chapter 408

No.1

Of course, she hid her true thoughts, maintaining a meek and gentle demeanor. “I want to be with you forever too, but I… I also want to see you happy. I want to help you reclaim what you deserve.”

“Don’t worry. The plan is solid, but I have another idea. I’ll find someone to take your place that day,” Alexander reassured her, his voice husky and resolute.

“Alexander…”

Victoria looked up at him, her eyes filled with feigned emotion as if she might burst into tears again.

Her gaze made him feel like he was her entire world, greatly inflating his ego.

He wrapped his arm around her neck and pressed his lips to hers. Alexander wanted to take her again, but all he could see was Isabella Montgomery’s face.

Stunning Isabella, with those endless legs…

He closed his eyes and imagined the woman on his lap was Isabella.

Being as observant as she was, Victoria sensed Alexander’s distraction. She knew exactly what he was thinking.

Even as they embraced and kissed, his mind was on Isabella. Was he using her as a stand-in for Isabella?

No.2

Since when had she, Victoria Kensington, fallen so low?

She wanted Isabella dead… immediately!

Only with Isabella gone could Victoria return to her former life.

Isabella sat in the car as Dominic Sterling drove her to the Blackwood Estate. Hearing her sneeze, Dominic asked, “Is the air conditioning too cold?”

“No, it’s fine,” she replied calmly.

Isabella was certain that witch Victoria was scheming behind her back. She needed to stay vigilant and guarded at all times.

Just then, Maxwell Carter called her with an urgent report. “Boss Montgomery, you can’t return to the Blackwood Estate right now. Vivienne Delacroix got her hands on a Special Warfare 919 spy camera to surveil the estate. We haven’t pinpointed its exact location yet, but we know the general area.”

Special Warfare? How did Vivienne get access to Special Warfare equipment?

The Special Warfare 919 Spy Camera was a technological marvel no larger than a mosquito's wing.

Its integrated power source allowed it to remain concealed in strategic locations for extended surveillance.

No.3

Only elite international intelligence operatives typically had access to this level of sophisticated equipment.

Yet Vivienne Delacroix had somehow acquired one.

Her relentless determination was becoming increasingly alarming.

The camera's microscopic size made detection nearly impossible.

This discovery confirmed Isabella's decision to avoid the Blackwood Estate entirely.

She had no alternative but to redirect her driver. "Dominic, take me to Rosewood Manor instead."

"Right away, Madam Montgomery," Dominic responded, immediately changing their route.

After ending her call with Maxwell, she quickly dialed her son.

Oliver's cheerful voice filled the line. "Mommy! Are you coming home now?"

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Isabella softened her tone. "Mommy can't come home for a few days. There are some important matters I need to handle. You'll be good for Daddy, won't you?"

No.4

Suddenly, Oliver's voice trembled with emotion. "You don't love me anymore? Did I do something wrong?"

The mental image of her distressed son tightened Isabella's chest.

She quickly reassured him. "You've done absolutely nothing wrong, my love. Mommy needs to deal with that unpleasant Aunt Vivienne first. You know how tricky she can be. I need time to prepare properly."

"Oh!" Oliver's mood instantly brightened as if the tears had never fallen. "You should have said that earlier!"

His tone then shifted to surprising maturity. "You must take excellent care of yourself, Mommy. Remember to call Daddy immediately if you need assistance."

Isabella marveled at her son's dramatic shift in demeanor.

The child possessed natural acting talent that shouldn't be wasted.

She maintained her serious tone. "I will, darling. You must behave properly too. Mommy will video call you every day. Don't make me worry, alright?"

"Okay! Kiss goodbye! Mwah!"

Oliver's enthusiastic kissing sound conveyed his sincere affection.

No.5

Isabetha hesitated briefly before playing along. "Mwah! Mwah!"

"Yay! Thank you, Mommy!" His joyful excitement was palpable through the phone.

Then suddenly, "Daddy's home! Daddy, it's Mommy! She wants to talk to you!"

Isabella's breath caught in her throat.

She hadn't—

Nathaniel's deep, resonant voice came through. "Yes?"

Even through the telephone, his commanding presence felt overwhelming.

Flustered, Isabella quickly explained. "Vivienne planted a Special Warfare 919 in your home. You should be aware."

"You already know?" Nathaniel sounded genuinely surprised.

He had discovered this information merely thirty seconds earlier.

No.6

Yet Isabella had apparently known before him.

She cleared her throat. "Vivienne has been monitoring you closely. With your father's birthday celebration approaching, I won't be returning for several days."

"Understood."

His single-word response carried significant weight.

Isabella expected him to say more, but he remained silent.

The pause stretched uncomfortably between them.

"I'll end the call then, unless there's something else...?"

"Wait." Nathaniel's voice stopped her. After a deliberate pause, he asked, "Did Ms. Montgomery forget something?"

"What do you mean?" Confusion colored her response.

Nathaniel's tone remained even. "What were the last words you spoke to Oliver?"

No.7

Isabella remembered her words to Oliver and replied to Nathaniel, “I told Christopher to take care of himself, to not make me worry. Why? Is something wrong?”

“The part after that,” Nathaniel insisted.

Isabella frowned. The part after that? What had she said next? All she did was kiss Oliver through the phone… What could it be?

Unless…