Chapter 284

The penthouse suite smelled of expensive champagne and fresh roses. Evelyn Sinclair traced her fingers along the rim of her crystal glass, watching the golden liquid swirl. Across from her, Nathan Blackwood lounged on the velvet couch, his tailored suit accentuating every hard line of his body.

"You're staring," he murmured, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine.

Evelyn took a deliberate sip of her drink. "I was just wondering how many women have fallen for that look."

Nathan's lips curved into that infuriatingly confident smirk. "Enough to know it works."

The air between them crackled with unspoken tension. Outside, the city lights glittered like scattered diamonds against the night sky. The penthouse was too quiet, too intimate—dangerous territory for two people who shouldn't be alone together.

Evelyn set her glass down with a sharp click. "We should discuss the merger terms."

Nathan stretched his arms along the back of the couch, the movement pulling his shirt taut across his chest. "Business can wait."

Her pulse jumped. Damn him. Damn this attraction that refused to die no matter how many times she told herself to walk away.

A notification buzzed on her phone. Victoria Hayes's name flashed on the screen with a message that made Evelyn's stomach twist: I know where you are. Careful, Evelyn. You're playing with fire.

Nathan's gaze sharpened. "Problem?"

Evelyn locked her phone with forced calm. "Just work." She stood abruptly, needing distance. "I should go."

In one fluid motion, Nathan was on his feet, blocking her path. His hand caught her wrist, warm and unyielding. "Running away again?"

She could feel his breath against her lips. Every rational thought screamed at her to leave, but her body betrayed her, leaning infinitesimally closer.

Then the doorbell rang.

The spell shattered. Evelyn jerked back as Serena Whitmore's voice carried through the intercom: "Evelyn? We have an emergency with the Milan account."

Nathan's jaw tightened, but he stepped aside. "Duty calls."

Evelyn straightened her dress, her hands trembling slightly. This was why she couldn't let herself fall—there were too many players in this game, and someone always got burned.

As she reached the door, Nathan's voice stopped her: "This isn't over."

She didn't turn around. She couldn't. Because part of her feared he was right.

Outside, the elevator doors closed with a hushed whisper, leaving behind the scent of roses, champagne, and promises better left unspoken.

This time, Luna was genuinely terrified. "Mom, you—"

"Shut up! Don't say another word. Let's go—we're leaving this place now." Penelope's voice shook with urgency as she gripped Luna's arm, yanking her to her feet.

"Luna!"

Though reluctant, Luna found herself dragged forward by her mother's iron grip.

"Wait just a minute!" Lydia's sharp voice cut through the tension. "Who said you could walk away without explaining yourselves?"

"That is my son!" Penelope whirled around, her eyes blazing. "How I deal with him is my business, just like how you handle Caleb is none of ours!"

A bitter laugh escaped Lydia. "We are not the same. When Caleb made mistakes, I corrected him. But Lucas? What has he done to deserve this? And let’s not forget—your actions have dragged Ms. Holloway into this mess. Do you really think you can just walk away? Oliver already said you were behind this! My dear sister-in-law, what exactly are you trying to accomplish?"

The truth was, Lydia’s heart ached for Lucas. She couldn’t comprehend how a mother could torment her own child to this extent.

Whispers erupted through the crowd. Many knew of Penelope’s history with Lucas in the Bennett family—how the trauma of a difficult birth and her husband’s sudden death had twisted her mind. Her way of coping? Inflicting pain on her son, feeding off his suffering.

But this time, she had crossed a line.

Not only had she sought to ruin Lucas’s reputation, but she had also tried to destroy his future.

She was sick. She needed help—professional help.

Lucas, meanwhile, was still reeling from the silent rejection of the woman he secretly loved. As for his mother and sister’s latest scheme? He couldn’t bring himself to care. It was the same old story, and he had long since grown numb to it.

Penelope clearly had no intention of explaining herself. Her glare burned into Lydia. "You want to pursue this? Fine. I’m his mother, and she is his sister. If you have a problem, take it up with him."

The sheer audacity. She was guilt-tripping them again.

Legally, this was a nightmare. No crime had technically been committed yet, and it was a family matter. The police wouldn’t touch it.

"So you’re refusing to take responsibility," Lydia said coldly.

Just then, a voice sliced through the tension.

"Of course they’ll take responsibility—but it’s not as dire as you think."

A man strode into the grand hall, his presence commanding immediate attention.

Before Evelyn could ask, Nathan leaned in and murmured, "Victor Reed."

Fresh off an international business trip, Victor Reed had barely stepped foot back in the country when he received a frantic message from his daughter, Luna. She claimed they were being held against their will by the Bennett family. Without hesitation, he rushed to the scene, simultaneously ordering his people to dig into the details of the situation.

Victor was nothing if not cunning. "This seems to be a misunderstanding," he said smoothly.

"Misunderstanding?" scoffed a Bennett family member. "Are you suggesting the dozens of witnesses are all mistaken? Or are you simply unaware of what your daughter has done?"

Victor chuckled, unfazed. "Actually, Luna and Caleb have been in a relationship for some time now. Caleb, pressured by Penelope, didn’t dare refuse the engagement. My wife couldn’t bear to see the young lovers torn apart, so she orchestrated this little scheme. It was also meant to teach our son a lesson—he’s been rather rebellious lately. We never intended for things to escalate this far."

Unbelievable. The audacity of this man knew no bounds. Like father, like daughter—both masters of twisting the truth to suit their narrative.

Nathan Blackwood, however, narrowed his eyes. Something about Victor’s explanation didn’t sit right with him.

Sure enough, Victor continued, "They were wrong, and I’ll make sure they apologize. But here’s my proposal: Luna will never sever ties with Lucas. Why not strengthen that bond instead? Let’s put this ugliness behind us. Since Caleb and Luna are clearly in love, why not announce their engagement today? From now on, we’ll be one big, happy family. No conflict is too great to resolve."

The room fell into stunned silence. Though everyone had just witnessed the scandal unfold, Victor’s words had successfully shifted the narrative. Some members of the Bennett family even found themselves considering the idea.

The Reeds weren’t particularly influential—their recent rise in status was largely due to Lucas. Now, they were shamelessly angling to marry their daughter into the Bennett family. The sheer audacity of their scheme was almost impressive.

Luna and Beatrice were worlds apart. Under normal circumstances, such a match would have been unthinkable. Yet, Victor’s smooth-tongued explanation had somehow made it seem plausible.

If the two were already involved, then marriage would salvage their reputations. Over time, the scandal would fade, and the truth would be buried. Some of the Bennetts were even nodding in approval.

Good grief. Shamelessness truly had no limits. Victor’s plan was airtight. He knew his daughter’s reputation was already in tatters, and he didn’t even like Caleb. But if Luna married into the Bennett family and bore Caleb’s child, that child would be Penelope’s grandchild—a potential heir. And the Reeds, as the maternal grandparents, would rise in status accordingly.

Nathan’s jaw tightened. This man is playing the long game.

And if Luna married Caleb, the Reeds would immediately shift their focus to Lucas. They would come after him with even more ruthlessness than before.

Victor turned to Penelope, who still looked unconvinced. "My daughter is young," he said pointedly. "Caleb is her first love. I won’t stand by and let her be used or discarded like some plaything."

Was that a veiled threat? The mastermind behind this was supposedly Penelope, but was it really Caleb exploiting his mother’s influence instead?

The tension in the room was palpable. The air thickened as Sergio's ultimatum hung between them, sharp as a blade. His cunning plan was clear—if Lydia refused to comply, Oliver would bear the full brunt of the consequences.

Lydia's expression darkened, her fingers tightening around the edge of the table. She understood the game being played. Unless she severed all ties with Oliver, Ruby would worm her way into their lives, a viper in their midst. And worse—Nathan was already piecing together the same conclusion.

Sergio gave Ruby a subtle nod. She hesitated only a moment before lifting her chin. What did she have left to lose? Her reputation was already in tatters. Marrying Oliver might be her only way forward. She smirked inwardly. Lydia would never abandon Oliver, not truly. And once she was in, she and Damien could dismantle Lucas and Beatrice’s influence, piece by piece.

Oliver, however, was frozen in shock. His mind raced. Marriage? To Ruby? No. Absolutely not. He’d indulged in her company, yes, but that was as far as it went. He refused to let his life be dictated by Sergio’s threats. His jaw clenched—he wouldn’t stand for this.

But before he could voice his protest, a furious cry shattered the silence.

"No!"

The room stilled. All eyes snapped to Ava, who stood trembling with barely contained rage. Her voice was raw, desperate. "They cannot be together!"

The crowd exchanged bewildered glances. Ava’s reaction was too extreme, too personal. It was almost as if—

A slow realization crept in.

Wait…

No. It couldn’t be that cliché, could it?

But the pieces were there. And if they fit…

Then this was far more twisted than anyone had imagined.