Chapter 342

"Isabella? What's wrong?" Nathaniel could tell by the look on Isabella's face that something was off, his voice laced with concern.

"I just realized—I never blocked Alexander on my phone. So how is he on my blocked list?"

As she spoke, Isabella's sharp gaze slowly shifted to Nathaniel's innocent face.

"Isabella."

"Did you do this?"

Isabella asked bluntly, "Apart from you, I haven't met anyone privately tonight. Alexander told me he tried calling me all night but couldn’t get through because he was on my blocked list."

Nathaniel's hands clenched subtly, a cold glint flashing briefly behind his polished glasses.

"I’ve been thinking, and the only time I left my phone was when I went to the restroom at the restaurant. So, you blocked him then, didn’t you?" Isabella narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Isabella, are you accusing me?" Nathaniel's eyes remained as clear and guileless as ever.

"I’m not accusing. I’m stating facts."

Sympathy clearly wasn’t on the table.

A crushing weight of loss settled over Nathaniel, making it hard for him to breathe. "Isabella, I admit, I shouldn’t have touched your phone. But I didn’t want Alexander to ruin our date, and you have no idea how much I’ve looked forward to tonight. I was selfish, and no matter how I try to explain it, it’s my fault. I’m sorry."

"This is the first and last time. It won’t happen again."

Too much had happened tonight, and Isabella simply didn’t have the energy to argue. "Whatever is between Alexander and me is our business. I don’t want anyone interfering. When we divorced, I didn’t even block him then, and I don’t want to say goodbye in such a petty way. After all, we might still have to work together in the future. As long as he’s dead to me, that’s enough. Anything more would just prove I haven’t moved on."

Nathaniel, who had been tense, brightened at her words. "Isabella, have you really let him go?"

Isabella’s eyes were deep red. She nodded slowly.

"I’m so glad, Isabella."

A surge of excitement rushed through Nathaniel, his hands moving almost on their own. "Isabella, now that you’ve let go of Alexander, could you give me a chance? I want to be the man by your side, to protect you from the storm. I may not have been part of your past, but I want to be in your future."

"Nathaniel, I’m not ready for a relationship right now. I’ve told you this before."

Isabella was exhausted, physically and emotionally, her breath faint. "I’m too tired. I don’t want to fall in love again. I’m sorry."

"With me, you won’t have to do anything. Just let me love you."

Nathaniel’s gaze was intense as he leaned closer, his breath warm against her skin. "Isabella, why don’t we try? Give me a chance to treat you right, okay?"

Isabella pressed her lips together, at a loss. "A relationship isn’t like online shopping. There’s no trial period, Nathaniel."

"You don’t have to do anything. Just let me love you!"

Nathaniel’s uninjured arm braced against the car window, his body looming over hers. His slightly upturned eyes brimmed with affection, threatening to drown her. "I’ll always be here for you. If you ever think I’m worth it, I’ll be waiting, no matter when you look back."

"Nathaniel, thank you for saving me tonight. But please, don’t risk your life like that again."

Isabella frowned, a complicated emotion swirling inside her. "I’m not worth that kind of sacrifice. It’s not too late to walk away."

Walk away?

Nathaniel’s hand, pale against the cold window, clenched slowly. A faint redness tinged the corners of his eyes.

Those words cut deeper than any rejection.

"Everyone’s love is precious. I don’t want you to end up like me."

All love, in the end, was a mistake.

When Alexander returned to his car, the night was already deep.

Gordon had bought hot coffee from a 24-hour supermarket across the park. Handing it over, he noticed Alexander’s hands were frozen stiff, unable to even hold the cup.

His heart ached. He cranked the car’s heat to maximum, draped his coat over Alexander’s shivering frame, and pressed the warm coffee into his palm.

"Mr. Kingsley, there’s a hospital nearby. We should get your hands checked. They’re cracked from the cold."

"How did they do it?" Alexander stared at his phone, his voice mechanical.

Gordon blinked. "Mr. Kingsley?"

"The photos were on my phone. No one touched it. I didn’t delete them. So how were they erased?" Alexander bit out each word through gritted teeth.

"Could it be a virus? Or a hack?"

Gordon’s mind raced. "You sent me to study cybersecurity before. Advanced hackers only need your phone number and model to access your device and delete unencrypted files. You always delete sensitive messages or store them encrypted. Could someone have hacked you?"

Alexander exhaled sharply, his forehead damp with sweat.

Right. He’d learned about hacking in military school. How had he forgotten?

Text messages couldn’t be altered—but they could be deleted.

"Investigate this."

Alexander’s face was pale as marble, his voice thunderous. "Check the hotel where Evelyn was tonight. Pull the surveillance footage. Find that woman who looks exactly like Isabella."

"Exactly like her? That’s impossible!"

Gordon was stunned, thinking his boss had lost his mind. "Mrs. Kingsley is one-of-a-kind. No one could compare, let alone look identical."

"Just do as I say."

Alexander remembered the face in the photo—so eerily similar to Isabella’s. A chill ran down his spine. That woman couldn’t be Isabella.

But if she existed, with a face nearly identical to Isabella’s, she could be used to harm her.

His urgency to find her was no longer just about uncovering a conspiracy.

"As for the deleted messages, I’ll trace the source."

The rumors of Alexander’s secret rendezvous with Evelyn continued to spread online.

Both Kingsley Enterprises and Fairhaven Group dispatched PR teams, but the scandal had gone viral. Despite efforts to suppress it, the photos and videos kept circulating.

When Mrs. Fairhaven saw the trending topic, she gasped, dropping her phone and tumbling down the stairs. Thankfully, the fall was short, but she still twisted her ankle and hit her head.

Sebastian panicked, rushing her to the hospital.

In the hospital room, Mrs. Fairhaven lay in bed with an IV, clutching Sebastian’s hand, tears welling in her eyes.

"Sebastian, what do we do? Evelyn is only twenty-two. How will she face the world after this? How will I face your grandfather and father?" She burst into sobs.

"I’ll handle it, Mom," Sebastian said hoarsely.

"But how? There’s photo evidence! Evelyn isn’t even married yet. Who will want her now?"

"Evelyn is my sister. Anyone who dares gossip will regret it." Sebastian’s eyes burned with fury.

"Innocent words can destroy reputations. Do you think this is the old days when the Fairhavens could silence anyone? We live under the law now. Can you control this?"

Mrs. Fairhaven pounded the bed in frustration.

The Fairhavens had underworld roots. His grandfather, Reginald Fairhaven, had fought ruthlessly to build their empire. Over time, he’d legitimized the business, but traces of their past remained. His father had clashed with Reginald over their methods.

Sebastian always thought his father was too soft.

If he were in charge, the Fairhaven Group would’ve been unstoppable, and his scheming uncle wouldn’t dare challenge them.

"And what about your so-called best friend? He hasn’t said a word since this happened. Does he think he can just ignore it?" Mrs. Fairhaven cried harder.

"Mom, don’t talk about Alexander like that. He’s not that kind of man!"

"The evidence is everywhere. How can he deny it?"

"There’s an explanation. Alexander has never shown interest in Evelyn. He loves someone else! He would never touch her!" Sebastian’s voice cracked.

"Evelyn is your sister! She’s been violated, and you’re still defending him?"

"Mom!"

"There’s only one solution. Alexander has to take responsibility for Evelyn!"

Sebastian’s expression darkened. "Responsibility? What do you mean?"

"I’ll discharge myself soon, pick a date, and go to the Kingsleys to propose marriage!"

"You’re out of your mind! Even at gunpoint, Alexander won’t marry Evelyn!" Sebastian shot up from his seat, furious.

"That’s not his decision."

Mrs. Fairhaven’s eyes turned icy, a stark contrast to her usual gentleness. "If he’s a man, he’ll take responsibility. If he refuses, he’ll be opposing the entire Fairhaven Group. Even if I do nothing, do you think your grandfather will let his granddaughter be humiliated? Don’t think being Frederic Kingsley’s son makes him untouchable!"