Chapter 615
No.1
He discarded her completely.
Not one hospital visit since her admission.
Suddenly proposing to her rival!
Back at the Celestial Gala, Alexander remained kneeling.
His handsome features radiate confident expectation.
Isabella's eyes glazed with dull realization.
Must she accept him?
Was surrender her only option?
Accepting publicly meant binding herself to him permanently.
Isabella would never!
No.2
A strange glint flickered in Isabella's eyes. She stood before him and asked, "Are you certain you want to marry me? Have you truly understood your mistakes?"
"Yes." His reply was immediate and firm.
Isabella's lips curved into a smile. "Very well. I have three conditions. If you meet them, we can be married tonight," her voice rang clear and elegant.
Alexander's brows furrowed. An uneasy feeling settled in his chest. Three conditions? What could she possibly demand?
Meanwhile, at Ravencliff...
Roland Graves had expected Isabella's swift arrival. He didn't anticipate the luxury car that screeched to a halt, kicking up clouds of dust. "That must be her!" one of his men shouted. "Get into position!"
Everyone stood alert, their gazes sharp and wary. The car door swung open. Polished leather shoes touched the ground first, followed by long, refined legs.
Even without seeing his face, his commanding presence was undeniable. The man emerged fully and shut the door with a sharp motion.
When they recognized that stern, dark face, their limbs went weak. A collective shudder ran through the group.
It was Nathaniel Blackwood!
No.3
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.
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.
No.4
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!”
“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.
No.5
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!”
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!”
No.6
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.
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!”
No.7
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.