Chapter 477

The crowd pressed in closer, their gazes locked onto Alexander Kingsley's enigmatic smile.

With a sly glint in his eye, Alexander turned his attention to Sebastian Lockwood. "Sebastian, come here."

Sebastian's chest tightened inexplicably. His brow furrowed as he glanced at the petite woman beside him, his grip on her hand unconsciously tightening—he couldn't bear the thought of letting her go.

"Go. I'll be right here watching you. I won't leave."

Isabella Sinclair met his gaze with tender eyes, gently pulling her hand free, now reddened from his firm hold.

Left with no choice, Sebastian made his way to Alexander under the scrutiny of the gathered guests.

Alexander greeted him with a rare paternal smile, clapping a hand on his broad shoulder before addressing the crowd with a booming laugh.

"Tonight, as we celebrate the new venture between Chairman Sinclair and Mr. Nathaniel Whitmore, I’d like to announce a joyous occasion for our family. My son Sebastian is engaged to Valentina Rossi, granddaughter of the esteemed Mr. Dominic Vanderbilt of the Vanderbilt Group. The engagement party will be held this month!"

The crowd gasped. Sebastian and Valentina—engaged?!

Some turned to look at Valentina, the soon-to-be Mrs. Kingsley, anointed by Alexander Kingsley himself.

Valentina trembled with excitement, her eyes shining with ecstasy, on the verge of tears.

She had waited for this moment for what felt like an eternity, her family pulling every string to secure Alexander’s favor, to finally triumph over Isabella and turn her into a laughingstock!

The slights she had endured would finally be avenged. Meanwhile, others stared at Isabella with stunned, pitying expressions.

Isabella’s face drained of color, her slender frame trembling as if plunged into an icy river of endless darkness. The warmth Sebastian had once given her now turned to ice.

The pain was unbearable, her mind a blank void.

Valentina watched her with a wild, triumphant smile. Oh, how lovely, Isabella. Seeing you stripped of your pride, so lost and pathetic—it’s a beautiful sight!

"The Kingsley Group and the Vanderbilt Group uniting? That’s monumental! But why wasn’t there any hint of this before? It feels so sudden!"

"Isn’t this just the Kingsley way? Remember when Isabella and Sebastian married? They kept it under wraps until the divorce. Their three-year marriage was a well-kept secret, and now it’s the same tactic with the Vanderbilts."

"Wait—if Sebastian is engaged to Valentina, what was all that deep affection for Isabella about?"

"Maybe they were in love, but Mr. Alexander Kingsley disapproved. I never believed in Sebastian and Isabella lasting. Elspeth was thrown under the bus because of Ms. Sinclair’s schemes—the Kingsley family secrets nearly got exposed! If I were Alexander, no matter how talented or beautiful the woman, I wouldn’t want her in my family."

The murmurs were like knives, each word stabbing at Isabella’s bleeding heart.

William Sinclair was thunderstruck, disbelief and fury churning within him.

His precious daughter had already been humiliated in the divorce, and now, with Sebastian and Isabella’s reconciliation known to the world, their affection had been on full display.

And now, Alexander had orchestrated an alliance with the Vanderbilts, an engagement between Sebastian and Valentina?! He couldn’t believe Alexander genuinely wanted this union—he was using Sebastian, Isabella’s most cherished person, to take revenge on her, on him!

Despicable, petty schemer!

Nathaniel Whitmore blinked in surprise. "Well, that’s certainly grand news! Congratulations, Mr. Alexander Kingsley, and to you, Mr. Sebastian Kingsley."

"Are you joking, Alexander?"

Sebastian’s fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, rage and panic crashing over him like a tidal wave. His eyes burned with defiance as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Everyone knows I love Isabella, and I will love her until death. Now you want me to marry Valentina? I don’t care what deal you’ve struck with the Vanderbilts—even if you threaten your own life, I will never marry her!"

The crowd was stunned into silence. Even Nathaniel and his son were dumbfounded by Sebastian’s bold defiance.

Daniel Carter, who had initially sneered at Sebastian, couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect. "Damn. That’s bold."

"Did Mr. Sebastian Kingsley just say that? That’s explosive!"

"This father-son showdown is about to blow up!"

"If I were Alexander, my blood pressure would skyrocket! Sebastian basically said, 'To hell with your life, nothing stops me from being with Isabella.' His father’s life means less to him than Ms. Sinclair!"

Isabella’s tear-filled eyes locked onto Sebastian as if he were the only person in the world who could move her soul.

The guests exchanged glances, their expressions shifting toward the Vanderbilts.

"What’s going on? It seems Sebastian had no idea about this arranged marriage—like Alexander just traded him off."

"Isn’t it wrong to force a marriage like this?"

"The Vanderbilts are even worse. Knowing Sebastian is devoted to Isabella, they push Valentina on him, making this awkward for everyone."

"If I were Valentina, I’d be mortified. Who’s she trying to fool?"

"Valentina probably doesn’t care—she’s over the moon at the chance to be Mrs. Kingsley!"

Valentina’s face flushed with humiliation at the whispers.

Dominic Vanderbilt wasn’t faring much better, his pride wounded. He knew this gamble was risky—even if Alexander agreed, Sebastian was a wild card.

But Dominic had assumed that with the engagement announced publicly, Sebastian would at least keep up appearances until the party ended.

Once the news spread, any rebellion would tarnish Sebastian’s reputation. With media manipulation, they could paint him as fickle, forcing the Kingsleys to comply.

But they had underestimated Sebastian’s love for Isabella. He stood firm, unyielding.

"Marriage isn’t a game. You don’t get to refuse!"

Alexander stepped forward, glaring up at his taller son. "This isn’t up for debate!" His voice was laced with barely contained fury. "Even if you don’t marry Valentina, Isabella will never be part of this family!"

"Then I’ll marry no one but Isabella."

Though their exchange was meant to be private, Sebastian’s declaration was heard by all.

A single tear slipped from Isabella’s red-rimmed eyes. She moved toward Sebastian, but William grabbed her wrist, pulling her back.

"Isabella, where do you think you’re going?" he demanded sternly.

"Dad, please trust him," she whispered, her voice hoarse. The usually sharp and composed woman was reduced to one thought—being by his side.

William’s heart ached. "I haven’t said I don’t trust him. But look at the situation. If he’s truly the man you believe him to be, let’s see how he handles this mess."

The tension was suffocating.

Sebastian’s outright rejection was a slap to the Vanderbilts’ faces.

Unable to contain his anger, Dominic stormed forward with his granddaughter, who played the victim perfectly.

"Mr. Sebastian Kingsley! Loving Ms. Sinclair is your choice. But leaving my granddaughter humiliated for over half a year? Are you treating her as less than human?!"

Valentina burst into theatrical sobs.

"What’s wrong with demanding responsibility? If you love Ms. Sinclair so much, why did you get entangled with my granddaughter in the first place?!"

Dominic’s words were sharp, calculated. "Are you this reckless because of your friendship with my grandson, or because you think my granddaughter—orphaned young, with no one to defend her—is an easy target?"

His words made the guests recall the scandal involving Sebastian and Valentina. Back then, the Vanderbilts had pressured the Kingsleys, but Sebastian remained indifferent, leaving Valentina to retreat in silence.

Sebastian’s cold gaze locked onto Valentina, making her flinch. His voice was icy, assertive.

"I have never touched your granddaughter, nor have I had any private dealings with her. The hotel incident was a setup, and I’ve been investigating it. Even if Ms. Rossi doesn’t care about her reputation, I won’t let my name be tarnished. I won’t betray the woman I love."

His final words left no doubt about his feelings for Isabella.

The guests murmured, their opinions of Valentina shifting. If Sebastian was telling the truth, had she orchestrated the scandal to trap him?

"Grandpa, I had nothing to do with that! I’m the victim here!" Valentina clung to Dominic’s arm, her makeup ruined by tears.

Dominic refused to believe his granddaughter capable of deceit, dismissing Sebastian’s words as excuses.

"Sebastian, it’s time to choose—and choose wisely." Alexander’s voice was low, threatening. "If you pick Valentina, I’ll name you my heir. I’ll transfer 10% of my Kingsley Group shares to you immediately, making you the largest shareholder. But if you insist on Isabella, you’ll lose everything—your inheritance, your position as CEO. By Monday, you’ll be out of the company for good."

Before Alexander could finish, Sebastian was already striding toward the woman standing a short distance away, waiting for him in silence.

His Isabella. The love of his life. Priceless.