Chapter 151

Claudia Bennett her speech with a dramatic pause, her fingers nervously twisting the pearls around her neck as she awaited a reaction from the Blackwood family. The silence that followed was deafening. Her confident smile faltered as she scanned the room, only to be met with carefully controlled expressions of disapproval.

Her gaze landed on Margaret Blackwood, her disappointment sharp. "What is this? You won’t even help me with such a simple request?" Claudia’s voice dripped with disbelief, as if Margaret had personally betrayed her.

Margaret blinked, caught off guard. "Have you been living under a rock? The last person who tried to blacklist someone in the industry ended up disowned by their own family," she shot back, her tone laced with incredulity.

Richard Blackwood, amused, added, "Not to mention, they once tried to pursue our daughter-in-law. The outcome was…" He trailed off, prompting quiet chuckles from the others as they glanced at Evelyn Sinclair, who feigned innocence with practiced ease.

Claudia scoffed. "How is that relevant? After all these years of friendship, shouldn’t the younger generation show some respect to their elders?"

The Blackwoods exchanged glances, unimpressed by her entitlement.

Evelyn couldn’t resist. "Respect? Have you ever given any of us so much as a birthday gift? Why should we owe you anything?"

The room froze at her bluntness, but the logic was undeniable.

Julian Blackwood smirked. "You demand respect without ever offering kindness. That’s not how this works."

Claudia’s irritation flared. "Margaret, do you really want me to tell your parents how little you value our friendship?" she threatened, her voice sharp.

The younger Blackwoods stiffened—none of them were used to elders resorting to parental tattling.

Margaret, however, remained composed. "Our family doesn’t abuse power to settle personal grudges. Besides, this affects Evelyn’s reputation in the industry. She’s built her career on fairness—no favoritism, no exceptions."

Evelyn cringed internally. Margaret’s been reading too many online think pieces. This is so awkward.

Still, Margaret stood firm, pride evident in her stance. The rest of the family barely suppressed their amusement.

Claudia recoiled. "You—!" She hadn’t expected resistance over what she considered a trivial favor. Recovering, she snapped, "I’m not here to intimidate anyone. I’m simply warning you—Vivienne Monroe has a questionable character. Your so-called ‘fair judge’ better scrutinize her thoroughly next round. We can’t let her manipulate my godson!"

The Blackwoods exchanged knowing looks. Claudia’s obsession with her godson, Gabriel Ramirez, was infamous.

Rumors swirled that her divorce had been fueled by her unnatural attachment to him. She had a daughter with her ex-husband, yet over time, it became painfully clear that Gabriel received all her affection while her own flesh and blood was neglected.

When her daughter developed severe psychological issues—directly linked to Claudia’s indifference—her ex-husband’s family demanded a divorce. They believed even a detached stepmother would treat the girl better.

Custody went to the father, and Claudia made no effort to reconnect. When questioned, she claimed her daughter was a "nemesis from a past life," destined to ruin her. Among the elite, eccentric beliefs weren’t uncommon—but this was extreme.

Now, here she was, begging Margaret—a woman she barely tolerated—for help, all for Gabriel’s sake.

The Blackwoods were morbidly fascinated. How had Gabriel become her godson?

Evelyn leaned in, intrigued.

Claudia, meanwhile, was still ranting, proposing aggressive tactics against Vivienne as if she were Gabriel’s real mother—a classic meddling mother-in-law sabotaging her son’s love life.

Ah, Evelyn realized. Claudia was in love with Gabriel’s father, Victor Grant.

The Blackwoods knew the gossip. Victor had been involved with Mrs. Harrison for years, and their military ties meant Claudia couldn’t pursue him openly. After his death, she’d inserted herself into Gabriel’s life, becoming his overbearing godmother.

Now, she was here, demanding they ruin Vivienne—all for the son of the man she’d never been able to have.

The revelation left the Blackwoods utterly speechless.

Yet Evelyn pressed on without hesitation.

Claudia's sudden visit reeked of petty vindictiveness—no wonder it had felt so abrupt and unwarranted.

The mention of a wager immediately captured their attention even more.

"I'm not one to indulge in gossip," Evelyn continued smoothly, "but it appears Mrs. Harrison, after spending time with Vivienne, found her quite agreeable. Yet here Claudia is, raising objections. Gabriel wants to reconcile, but Claudia is so vehemently opposed that she came to us, hoping we'd intervene. But let's be honest—Vivienne has no intention of returning to that toxic situation."

The Blackwoods exchanged surprised glances. They had expected Claire to be the stereotypical harsh mother-in-law, yet she had actually approved of Vivienne after meeting her—a stark contrast to the cold, judgmental persona often depicted in tabloids. Unfortunately, Claire remained oblivious to her son's true nature, while Vivienne had seen it all too clearly, rendering Claudia's satisfaction utterly meaningless.

Claudia, behaving more like an overbearing parent than a mere godmother, seemed determined to micromanage not just Gabriel's life but also his romantic entanglements.

But what exactly had Gabriel done? Neither Claudia nor Claire seemed aware of his transgressions. So what had Vivienne uncovered that had driven her to end things so decisively?

As Claudia finally concluded her lengthy tirade, she noticed the distracted expressions around her and snapped. "Were any of you even listening to me?" she demanded, her voice sharp with irritation.

The Blackwoods offered polite reassurances, though it was painfully obvious that if not for the impending engagement between Evelyn and Nathan, they would have had zero interest in entertaining such petty drama.

Claudia's frustration simmered beneath the surface as she reflected on the lengths she had gone to for Gabriel. If not for him, she would never have subjected herself to this humiliating ordeal.

In the past, Claire had been her ally in warding off unsuitable partners for Gabriel. Why hadn't she noticed sooner that something was off about Vivienne? Had it not been for her promise to Gabriel to keep the matter under wraps, she would have taken legal action against Vivienne from the very beginning.