Chapter 496

Lucas's stomach dropped as he sprinted down the stairs toward the grand foyer.

With Alexander out of town and news that his defiant daughter had once again slipped away to see Nathaniel—even jumping out a window in the process—the family patriarch was furious, his anger burning like a wildfire. With Mr. Langley in tow, he had stormed toward Elmsworth.

But halfway there, their car was abruptly halted by Dominic and Sebastian. Dominic, determined to stop Alexander from tearing apart the young lovers, had gone as far as slashing the tires of the million-dollar Bentley.

Where the brothers had taken the old man and what was happening now remained a mystery.

Now, the house was left almost entirely to the women.

"Mom, you're not well. Please, take it easy."

Oliver gently guided the exhausted Mrs. Kingsley to the living room sofa, soothing her. "Now that we know Lucas has been with Isabella these past few days, there's no need to worry. Lucas is nearly thirty, and this is his first love. Of course, he's going to be head over heels. Part of raising a son is preparing for this—for when he chooses a wife. But I'm sure Lucas wouldn't abandon us. He's always been the most devoted of us three to you and Dad. Maybe it's best not to overreact. Your health is what matters most."

Though Oliver's words were meant to comfort, they carried a mocking edge that only stoked the flames.

As expected, Mrs. Kingsley's expression darkened further. She clutched her chest, coughing weakly. "I see your brother is determined to follow the path you've laid out for him! If I don't intervene now, will he even remember I'm his mother? Or care about the Kingsley name at all?"

"Mom, you're overthinking it. It's not that serious!" Oliver patted her back reassuringly.

"You're right. Lucas is just inexperienced with women. That's why he's so easily swayed by that girl and has changed so drastically!"

Mrs. Kingsley bit her lip in frustration. "If I don't step in now, he might be taken advantage of without even realizing it. Wouldn't I be failing as his mother?"

"Taken advantage of? I wonder who Mrs. Kingsley fears might deceive her precious son."

A cold, commanding voice suddenly filled the room, startling both Mrs. Kingsley and Oliver.

Seraphina and Arabella entered arm in arm, Seraphina exuding the effortless elegance of a woman born into privilege.

Mrs. Kingsley forced a polite smile. "Seraphina, how have you been?"

Of Alexander's three wives, Arabella and Victoria, with their less prestigious backgrounds, had always been beneath her notice. But Seraphina was someone she dared not disrespect.

"Mrs. Kingsley, I know you're deeply concerned for your son. But you raised a son, not a daughter. Isn't it inappropriate to coddle him like some fragile greenhouse flower?"

Ignoring her greeting, Seraphina scoffed. "You'll smother any strength out of him. Besides, you can control him now, but can you forever? It might be wiser to relax and enjoy your golden years with Mr. Kingsley. Otherwise, you risk losing even the bond between mother and son."

The words struck a nerve. Mrs. Kingsley shot up from the sofa, furious. "Seraphina, I know my own son better than anyone. I do this precisely to protect our bond! Lucas is young and naïve, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. He doesn't realize what kind of woman is truly right for him, and he might stray without even noticing!"

Arabella's eyes flashed with anger, her breath heavy with indignation.

This woman was insulting Isabella without even saying her name, and Arabella couldn't stand it.

Though she wasn't quick with words, Seraphina immediately became her voice, her gaze sharp and unyielding.

"Mrs. Kingsley, are you referring to Isabella? Choose your next words carefully."

Oliver, sensing the tension, quickly grabbed his mother's arm, eager to escalate the situation.

But Mrs. Kingsley, driven by maternal instinct and provoked by Seraphina, laughed bitterly. "Oh, Seraphina, don't misunderstand. My children know their place. They would never dare reach for the lofty branches of the Sinclair family. A noblewoman like Ms. Isabella is suited for someone of the Vanderbilt family's standing, not ours."

Arabella's face flushed with rage, her lips trembling.

Seraphina, too, was barely containing her fury, wishing she could shove dirt from the nearest flowerpot into the woman's mouth.

"Mom! What are you saying?"

Lucas stormed down the stairs, his eyes blazing with fury, his entire body radiating anger. "How can you say such things?"

Seeing her son with a bandaged eye and bruises on his face, Mrs. Kingsley burst into tears. "My boy, what happened to you? Who did this? I'll make them pay!"

As she reached out to touch his cheek with trembling hands, Lucas sharply pushed her away.

"If you ever want me to call you 'Mom' again, those words you just said—they better never leave your lips again!"

Lucas was seething, veins bulging, one eye bloodshot. "And one more thing—Isabella is my woman. I will marry no one else in this lifetime. Don't you dare associate her with the filth of the Vanderbilt Group ever again!"

"Lucas!"

Mrs. Kingsley, publicly humiliated by her own son in front of the Sinclairs, was mortified, speechless with rage.

"Lucas! What are you doing?"

Oliver rushed forward to steady his unsteady mother, his face full of brotherly concern. "Do you have any idea how much Mom has been worrying about you? You've been sued by the Vanderbilts!"

Seraphina and Arabella couldn't hide their shock.

Only Lucas, his handsome face composed, remained unfazed. His voice was ice. "So what? It's none of your business. I'll handle it myself."

"Handle it? With what? You're just making things worse!"

Frustrated, Oliver pointed at Lucas's face. "The Vanderbilts are pressing assault charges. Who knows what else they have planned? Fighting them is suicide. And these injuries—you know exactly how you got them!"

"Oliver! Shut up!"

Lucas lunged forward, grabbing Oliver by the collar and lifting him effortlessly. "If you really cared about Mom and Dad, you wouldn't have told them about this! Don't think I don't see what you're doing. If you have a problem, take it up with me! But if you dare mess with Isabella or her family, I swear I'll destroy you!"

Mrs. Kingsley finally understood—and shuddered. Her son had crossed one of the big four families, the Vanderbilts, and now they were out for blood.

What did it matter that the Kingsleys had supported the Sinclairs for years? To the K Group, they were disposable. Alexander and Jeff were close. If real trouble came, would they stand by her son?

And the reason Lucas was in this mess? All because of Isabella, that mistress's daughter!

Why did she have to bring disaster upon her son?

Overwhelmed, Mrs. Kingsley clutched her chest, her body drenched in sweat. She collapsed, weak and powerless, into Oliver's arms.

"Damn it! Mom's having a heart attack!"

Oliver quickly pulled nitroglycerin pills from his pocket and shoved them into her mouth, yelling at Lucas. "Call an ambulance, now!"

No matter how much Lucas wanted to stay with Isabella, he couldn't ignore his mother's crisis. He had no choice but to rush her to the hospital.

After the explosive confrontation, the grand living room was eerily silent, the air thick with tension.

Arabella clutched her blouse with one hand and Seraphina's arm with the other, unable to speak.

"Arabella, are you okay?" Seraphina gently rubbed her cold hand.

"I'm fine." Arabella's voice was hoarse and shaky.

"The Vanderbilts may be snakes, but this Kingsley family—no saints either!"

Seraphina shook her head in disgust. "After everything Alexander did for them, we thought they'd be grateful. Turns out, we've raised ungrateful dogs! Lucas is a good man, but his parents, his brother... I fear for Isabella. If she marries into that family, they'll eat her alive!"

"Seraphina, stop." Arabella closed her eyes, tears spilling as she shook her head in self-blame. "It's not Lucas's fault, or anyone's. Blame me for being weak, for not securing a better future for my daughter."

What they didn't know was—

From the shadows of the upstairs landing, Isabella had heard everything.

She heard the cruel words. She saw how Lucas had fiercely defended her.

And that was exactly why her heart felt like it was being torn apart.

Leaning against the wall, she staggered to a dark corner, crouching down with her knees to her chest, wishing she could disappear.

"Isabella? Isabella, are you there?"

Victoria, following the sound, found Isabella curled up like a wounded kitten, sobbing uncontrollably. Never having had children of her own, Victoria's maternal instincts surged. She pulled the girl into her arms.

"Sweetheart, why are you crying alone?"

Tearful and vulnerable, Isabella looked up pitifully. "Victoria, do Lucas and I really have no chance? Mrs. Kingsley hates me. Am I really that terrible?"

"Nonsense! Don't you dare put yourself down! That old hag can't see the treasure you are! Don't let her poison get to you!"

Isabella's tears soon turned to laughter at Victoria's fiery words.

"That's my girl. You're always most beautiful when you smile." Victoria wiped away her tears, though her own heart still burned with indignation.

After settling Isabella in her room, Victoria couldn't shake her anger. She grabbed her phone and dialed a number she hadn't called in years—

An old associate from her days at Celestial Media, a young man her father had mentored, named Preston. Once a nobody, he now held considerable influence.

"Is that my princess? I can't believe you're calling me in this lifetime. Am I dreaming?" Preston sounded near tears.

"No, you're not dreaming. Cut the flattery—I need you to rough someone up for me." Victoria, as always, wasted no time.

"Who? Just say the word."

"Oliver."

Preston didn't ask for details. "The usual way?"

"The usual way. Just make sure he doesn't die—but beat him within an inch of his life!"