Chapter 238
“Why are you so flustered, Eleanor?” Rex’s secretary smirked, stirring the tension in the room. “If the video can be restored, it’ll clear Ms. Sinclair’s name, won’t it?”
Eleanor swallowed her fury, her voice sharp. “The Blackwood family’s affairs are none of your concern!” The air between them crackled with hostility, tempers on the verge of explosion. William’s patience finally snapped.
“Enough!” His voice boomed. “Both of you, stop this nonsense! We need answers—today.”
Once the footage was restored, the truth would be undeniable. Eleanor’s legs trembled beneath her.
Alexander… She prayed silently that her face wouldn’t be recognizable in the video.
Before long, Sebastian returned to headquarters, the recovered evidence in hand. The tech team worked swiftly, restoring the original footage and sending it directly to Alexander.
“The video is ready,” Alexander announced, his tone measured.
Sensing Isabella’s reluctance to expose the full truth to the elder, Alexander offered a lifeline. “While the woman’s face is too blurred to identify, her height and build clearly don’t match Ms. Sinclair’s.”
Isabella’s lips pressed into a thin line. Eleanor had been careful—too meticulous to leave such an obvious trail. Yet, in a way, this was a blessing. The old man wouldn’t have to face the full extent of the betrayal today.
Turning to Ethan, Isabella’s voice turned icy. “Mr. Blackwood, I’m genuinely curious—who sent you this edited footage? And how could you be so gullible as to fall for it?”
Ethan’s face darkened, his jaw tightening. The restored video showed a masked woman, hidden behind oversized sunglasses, in a compromising position with Donovan. Her face was obscured, but her stature didn’t match Isabella’s.
Yet, the video had been sent to Ethan by Sophia.
Pale as a ghost, Sophia stammered, “Ethan, I—I don’t understand. The video came from Donovan himself. I had no idea it was altered!” Shock paralyzed her. The evidence she’d painstakingly gathered was fake, and the woman’s identity remained a mystery.
Relief flooded Eleanor as she watched the screen. Her gaze slid to Sophia, lips curling in disdain. “You foolish girl! Accusing Isabella without proof—are you begging for trouble?” Eleanor’s demeanor toward Sophia turned frigid. She regretted ever encouraging Ethan to divorce Isabella. At least Isabella had always been reliable, prioritizing the family’s interests. Sophia, on the other hand, seemed to thrive on chaos.
Steeling herself, Eleanor reached for Isabella’s hand. “Isabella, we were wrong. Ethan was just… misled. He has a good heart, just immature. Deep down, he still cares for you—”
Alexander’s low chuckle cut through the room. “So, Mr. Blackwood—who nearly destroyed Ms. Sinclair’s reputation—is just a boy with a temper? How… endearing.”
Eleanor flushed, humiliation burning her cheeks.
Isabella didn’t miss a beat, subtly stepping back to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Alexander. “I appreciate the apology, Eleanor, but we’re divorced. Let’s not complicate things. As for the slander, I suggest you address it at tomorrow’s press conference. Otherwise… well, if a lawyer’s letter or this video goes public, things will get much worse.”
Initially, Isabella had feared the footage might expose Eleanor’s involvement, knowing the truth would devastate William. But Eleanor had covered her tracks well. This mess? Entirely Sophia and Ethan’s doing.
Seeing Isabella align with Alexander made Ethan’s expression twist with fury. “Even if you weren’t with Donovan, Isabella, I won’t believe you’re innocent. I’ll find out who that woman is—and how she’s connected to you!”
Eleanor nearly screamed at her son’s stubbornness.
Just as she opened her mouth to berate him again, Rex’s secretary—who had been scrutinizing the video—suddenly pointed to the car seat in the corner.
“Pause it at 15 seconds,” she instructed. “When the door opens, look at the bracelet on the seat. Doesn’t it look familiar? Almost identical to the one Mrs. Blackwood is wearing now.”
The secretary wasn’t about to be sidelined. With a knowing glance at Rex, she added, “If I recall correctly, that agate bracelet was a wedding gift from you to Mrs. Blackwood. One-of-a-kind.”
The screen zoomed in.
There, gleaming in the paused frame, was the unmistakable agate bracelet—identical to the one wrapped around Eleanor’s wrist.
Ethan’s breath caught. “This… this can’t be. It’s impossible!”
