Chapter 84
The past was buried deep, its secrets lost to time. Proving anything now would be like trying to grasp shadows—impossible, futile.
Ethan Blackwood had no concrete evidence, only his suspicions. And yet, it was undeniable—Isabella Sinclair had once saved the Blackwood family from ruin.
Back then, he had been adrift, powerless, a man drowning in desperation. When the contract finally arrived, it had felt like a lifeline thrown to him in the storm.
Still, Ethan remained unmoved, his voice as cold as steel.
“I won’t deny what you did for the Blackwood family,” he said, though the whispers of old rumors slithered through his mind.
The gossip from that time still lingered—how the Kingsley Group had turned Isabella away at first.
Alexander Kingsley himself had kept her waiting, tied up in meetings for hours before finally granting her an audience. Only his assistant, Sebastian Harrington, had been present for their conversation, leaving the rest of the world to speculate.
Rumors spread like wildfire. Some claimed Isabella had knelt for hours in Alexander’s office. Others whispered that she had secured the deal through less honorable means.
Ethan’s jaw tightened. “I haven’t forgotten your generosity. That’s why the divorce settlement was more than fair.”
Beside him, Sophia Kensington let out a dramatic sigh, her voice dripping with false sympathy.
“Isabella, you can’t keep holding the past over everyone’s head. No matter how much you sacrificed, you can’t use it as leverage. It’s beneath you.”
Her words were laced with poison, though she wore the mask of innocence.
“And let’s be honest—back then, you were just a housewife. You had no business experience. Did you even know how to read a financial report?” She smirked, her gaze sharp. “Business isn’t like mixing perfumes. Do you really expect us to believe you won Alexander Kingsley over with just a bottle of fragrance?”
Her words were knives, each one meant to cut deeper.
“Mistakes are mistakes, no matter the outcome. Just because things worked out doesn’t mean the way you did it was right.”
The implication was clear—she was accusing Isabella of something far darker.
Isabella’s eyes turned to ice, but before she could respond, Alexander’s expression darkened. His lips curled into a dangerous smile.
“Miss Kensington,” he said, his voice deceptively soft, “you have quite the imagination. If you value your tongue, I suggest you choose your next words carefully—unless you’d like to see how quickly I can make you disappear.”
Sophia paled, her body trembling under the weight of his gaze. Alexander watched her like a wolf eyeing its prey, his presence suffocating.
“Mr. Kingsley, I—I didn’t mean anything by it,” she stammered. “I would never spread baseless rumors.”
Alexander chuckled, the sound devoid of warmth.
“You seem to enjoy meddling in affairs that don’t concern you. Since you love attention so much, perhaps I should let all of Ontdale see the truth—how you slithered into a married man’s life while his wife was still in the picture.”
He tilted his head, his tone casual, as if discussing the weather.
“Or, if that’s not enough, I could share the more… intimate details of your past. Photos included, of course. I’m sure the world would be fascinated by such a scandal.”
Sophia’s breath hitched. She knew his power. With Alexander’s influence in the media, one word from him could destroy her completely.
She had no defense. Under his merciless gaze, she was powerless.
And worse—she knew he could ruin her on a global scale if he wished.
