Chapter 236

The blow struck Daniel like a physical force, his blood boiling with rage.

It's over.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered—how much must Amelia despise him to do something so cruel?

Or perhaps he had never truly grasped just how vile she could be.

Victor Reed had barely recovered from the shock of his illegitimate son’s exposure. Now, as the reality of the situation sank in, fury nearly sent him crashing to the floor. If not for the butler’s steadying grip, he might have collapsed entirely.

Gritting his teeth, Victor rasped, "Go—find them—"

The butler hesitated, unsure where to even begin. He had to first guide Victor to a chair before rushing to the surveillance room to investigate.

The other guests quickly caught on, their expressions shifting from confusion to scandalized intrigue. Eyes darted around the room, searching for the deceitful couple in hiding. The air buzzed with whispers—no one wanted to miss the moment the schemers were caught red-handed.

After all, when it came to exposing cheaters, participation was half the fun.

Meanwhile, Mason and Amelia remained blissfully unaware. The elegant manor was filled with soft music, even in the secluded restroom where they stood. Their conversation, picked up by the overly sensitive microphone, echoed through the main hall—but the distance muffled the sound for them. They assumed the indistinct murmurs were just the emcee’s voice.

Amelia’s tears fell freely as she clutched Mason’s arm. "How can you be so heartless? Even if you don’t want me, you can’t just abandon our child!"

Mason scoffed. "Why the rush? There’ll be more. And if Daniel’s too busy playing cop to notice, we’ll make sure he raises mine. Every child he thinks is his—will be mine. Even if that old man doesn’t leave the Reed fortune to me, my blood will inherit it all."

Evelyn Sinclair smirked. Do all villains have this compulsive need to gloat? Their downfall always came from their own arrogance. Now, it was truly over. Even if Mason later realized the truth, even if he wept and begged and played the victim—no one would dare defend him.

Nathan Blackwood watched the Reed family’s expressions twist in disgust. Blood ties or not, Mason’s words had sealed his fate. No amount of remorse could undo this.

And honestly—who would want to work with a man like that?

The Reeds would be fools to keep him. And the other families? They’d never risk their reputations by association.

After all, no one wanted to collaborate with a snake.

Game over, Mason.

The revelation that Mason Wright had orchestrated the downfall of his own half-brother sent shockwaves through the room. Even if it had been a minor business dispute, the sheer betrayal would have given anyone pause. The fear of being stabbed in the back with no recourse was palpable.

When Nathan Blackwood heard Mason’s scheme, he was once again confronted with the depths of human depravity. Unlike Daniel Wright, who had nearly been tricked into raising another man’s child, Nathan had been utterly deceived by a woman. He had been oblivious—had he known, he would have put a stop to it immediately.

But the mastermind behind it all was his own half-brother.

The mere thought of what could have happened—had he remained ignorant and stayed with Amelia Bennett—twisted his stomach with nausea.

Sophia Reed, standing nearby, took an unsteady step back. The repulsive man before her was the same one she had once fallen for. The realization that she had been in a relationship with him for months made bile rise in her throat.

The others were equally stunned.

Damn, this bastard is ruthless. He’ll exploit any opening he can find.

To an outsider, it might have seemed like Daniel had committed some unforgivable crime to warrant such cruelty.

The scandal was so explosive that it would make the Reed family the laughingstock of high society.

"So… this was your plan all along," Amelia choked out. "No, I won’t agree to it. If you reject me now, I’ll be a faithful wife to Daniel. I swear I’ll never betray him again."

She struggled to speak, her voice trembling.

The room fell into stunned silence. There was a flicker of something resembling morality in her words—but not enough to be convincing. It was clear she was using it as leverage against Mason.

Evelyn Sinclair smirked inwardly. Oh, how noble of you! Playing the devoted wife to Daniel now? Should he be weeping with gratitude for your sudden change of heart?

Nathan glanced at Daniel, whose fists were clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned white.

The tension in the room was suffocating.