Chapter 95
Ethan lowered his head, his voice barely above a whisper. “I understand.”
He knew Eleanor Blackwood’s temperament all too well. When her illness flared up, she became a hurricane of rage and irritation. For now, he had no choice but to leave with Sophia, his mind racing to secure the medication.
Sophia gazed at him, her eyes brimming with feigned concern. “Ethan, Eleanor must be in unbearable pain right now. Why don’t we go to Isabella’s place to get the medicine? This is life or death. We can’t afford to delay.”
Beneath her innocent facade, a darker desire simmered. She secretly wished Eleanor would suffer just a little longer—but in front of Ethan, she had to maintain her mask of worry.
Ethan exhaled sharply. “You’re right. We have no other choice. Whether she likes it or not, Isabella will hand over that medicine. If necessary, I’ll compensate her tenfold later.”
They stepped into the elevator, and within minutes, they arrived at the Montgomery estate.
Meanwhile, Isabella was preparing to leave for the Kingsley mansion, the medication already tucked safely in her bag. She glanced up as the two unwelcome visitors approached, their intentions written plainly on their faces.
Her expression turned glacial. “What do you want?”
Ethan, still reeling from the scolding he’d endured earlier, felt his nerves fraying. But with the medication in Isabella’s possession, he knew he had to swallow his pride and appeal to her emotions.
“Isabella, I know I’ve made mistakes, but my mother treated you like family. Don’t you remember all the gifts she gave you? The designer bags, the clothes? After the divorce, she even wanted to give you her favorite bracelet—”
Isabella cut him off with a sharp, mocking laugh. “Gifts? Please. Those were nothing but displays of wealth. She mocked me for my simple style, and that bracelet? A cheap ploy to manipulate me. Did you really think I’d fall for that again?”
Ethan’s jaw tightened. He’d struck a nerve, but not the one he intended.
Seeing his emotional plea fail, Sophia stepped forward, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “Isabella, how can you be so heartless? You have the medicine, yet you refuse to help. Are you really going to let Eleanor suffer? This is practically murder. Karma will come for you.”
Isabella had had enough. It was clear they were trying to guilt-trip her into submission.
She smirked, waving the small packet of medicine tauntingly. “Oh, I have it alright. But why should I give it to her? Why not save someone who actually deserves it? Saving a good person carries far more merit than saving a viper.”
Ethan’s eyes locked onto the medicine, desperation flashing in his gaze. He knew Isabella was toying with them, but without it…
Noticing the storm brewing in Ethan’s expression, Isabella arched a brow, her tone laced with sarcasm. “What, are you planning to take it from me right here, in front of the Montgomery estate? Security is tight. And tell me, Mr. Blackwood, how’s that injured finger of yours? Healed yet?”
Ethan froze. She was threatening him. He’d only just been discharged from the hospital that morning, and his finger still throbbed with pain. Her mockery made him clench his fist instinctively, sending fresh waves of agony through his hand.
Besides, this was Montgomery territory. Any act of force here wouldn’t just provoke them—it would escalate tensions between the Blackwood and Montgomery families, something Ethan couldn’t afford, especially after their joint venture had already collapsed.
He let out a cold, humorless laugh. “I’m not as reckless as you think.”
Isabella made a dismissive gesture. “You should focus more on your dealings with the Sterling Group, Mr. Blackwood. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to.”
She still had someone to save, and she wasn’t about to waste another second on them. Without another word, she turned and slid into her car, speeding off in a cloud of dust.
Sophia, watching the scene unfold, feigned distress. “Ethan, what do we do? There’s only one dose left, and Isabella has it.”
Internally, she reveled in the situation, hoping Eleanor’s suffering would drag on. But she couldn’t admit that aloud. Failing to retrieve the medicine would only worsen Eleanor’s treatment of her, especially after the passive-aggressive jabs since the Perfumery Contest.
“Eleanor made it clear—we must get that medicine at any cost,” Sophia murmured, subtly nudging Ethan toward more extreme measures. “If she doesn’t get relief soon, things could turn dire. We can always apologize to Isabella later.”
Eleanor had made it clear that no method was off the table, and the Blackwood family had people skilled in handling such… dirty work.
Sophia allowed herself a small, knowing smile. She was well aware of how ruthless those individuals could be.
“If Eleanor finds out we failed, she’ll be furious,” she added, watching Ethan’s face darken with conflict.
He hesitated, then exhaled sharply. “It seems we have no choice.”
He knew once those people got involved, things would spiral out of control. But Isabella had left him no options.
After a tense pause, he pulled out his phone and sent the license plate number of Isabella’s car to his subordinates.
“Follow that car,” he ordered, his voice low and grim. “Corner her in an alley if you have to. But avoid violence unless absolutely necessary. Just get the medicine.”
