Chapter 502

Margaret Laurent, driven by Isabella Sinclair's taunts and a belly full of liquid courage, stormed toward Skyrim under the cover of darkness.

Alexander Kingsley was home that evening, with Olivia Bennett administering his medications while Sophia Reynolds monitored his blood pressure.

These past few days, Isabella had managed to send Alexander's blood pressure skyrocketing. Yet even as the formidable Chairman of the Vanderbilt Group, he couldn't locate his elusive daughter.

Days slipped by, and his initial fury had mellowed into mere concern for his daughter's safety, his emotions gradually stabilizing.

He relentlessly questioned Sebastian Lockwood and others for any news about Isabella, but they maintained an ironclad silence. After all, Sebastian and Nathaniel Hawthorne knew Alexander's outbursts stemmed from deep paternal love. They reasoned that as long as Alexander remained preoccupied with worry for her, his bitterness toward Dominic Vanderbilt might lessen.

"Alexander, I'm not trying to alarm you," Sophia said as she packed away the blood pressure monitor, her brow furrowed with concern. "You keep joking about being half in the grave, but I know you better than that. You want to live long enough to see your children happy and grandchildren playing at your feet. But if you keep neglecting your health like this, I fear that day may never come."

Alexander pressed his lips together, looking every bit the chastened schoolboy.

Olivia chuckled helplessly from the sidelines.

Sophia was the only person whose words could truly reach Alexander. Perhaps it was her commanding presence.

"I feel weaker by the day, and it's all because of that damn girl Isabella! One of these days, she'll be the death of me. Then she can spend every day wrapped around that scoundrel Dominic, popping out a whole litter of—"

His tirade cut off abruptly as his heart clenched, the words dying on his lips.

The quiet study filled with a somber atmosphere.

"Alexander, never speak such words in front of Isabella," Sophia's voice turned stern. "You may be a lion in the boardroom, but don't you dare bring that disrespect into this family. Otherwise, you're nothing but a cantankerous old man who's lost all sense of decency."

Alexander's lips thinned into a tight line, his face etched with defiance.

"Isabella's already suffering enough."

Sophia's eyes reddened as she took a steadying breath. "As her family, we should be supporting her. Not venting our frustrations without considering her feelings, stabbing her in the heart. Alexander, I've been with you from the beginning. I've watched Isabella grow into the strong, remarkable woman she is today. She's never asked you for anything, has she?"

Alexander paled, the tension in his lips betraying his inner turmoil.

"She's never asked you for anything, and now all she wants is Dominic. Why can't you grant her that?" Sophia's voice broke with emotion as she spoke, her own heart aching.

"She's throwing her life away for that boy! If I stand by and watch her ruin herself, what kind of father does that make me?" Alexander's heart softened even as his stubbornness held firm.

"But Isabella has never truly been happy until now."

Sophia's voice trembled. "It's only when she's with Dominic that I can see genuine happiness radiating from her."

"But—"

"Alexander, do you remember what Eleanor told you on her deathbed?"

A shiver ran down Alexander's spine at the memory.

Of course he remembered.

Even if he lost his sight and speech, even if his mind failed him, he would never forget her face, her laughter. On his own deathbed, memories of their time together would bring a youthful smile to his aged face.

"I've never lived a moment for myself."

"I hope our children, especially Isabella, can live freely. Not like me, but with the power to chase their own happiness."

Their own happiness.

He thought, "Eleanor, but is the happiness our daughter chose truly right for her? What should I do? If you're watching over us, send me a sign."

At that moment, a sharp knock at the study door interrupted his thoughts.

Before Alexander could respond, Vanessa Wright burst in, her voice ringing clear. "Alexander, Sophia! That wildcat from the Sterling family is here making a scene, demanding to see you and Natalie! I didn't let her in. She's out front causing a ruckus, reeking of alcohol like some drunken harlot!"

"Victoria Sterling? What does she want?" Alexander exhaled in frustration.

"What kind of upbringing is that? A young woman showing up unannounced at our door at night, treating the Sinclair estate like some public square? Where are their manners?"

Vanessa crossed her arms in annoyance. "I asked her what she wanted, but she's so drunk she can't string two words together. Keeps babbling about how it's not her fault, but who knows what she's on about."

"Not her fault? The audacity!" Sophia's eyes narrowed as she rose swiftly, the air chilling around her. "Does she think Natalie is some soft-hearted pushover she can manipulate? That she can just pretend nothing happened?"

Alexander looked startled. "Sophia, what exactly is going on?"

"At the gala the other night, Seraphina was nearly compromised by Nathaniel's scheme, and Miss Sterling played no small part in it."

Sophia's eyes blazed with a fury that could have ignited the very air. "Sebastian tried to rush in to get Seraphina, but that witch Victoria and her cronies blocked the door and beat him senseless! His shoulder wound became infected, and he nearly lost sight in his left eye!"

"Lost his sight?" Alexander and Vanessa gaped in shock.

They'd seen Sebastian with his eye bandaged recently but never imagined his injuries were so severe.

"And yet, even then, he didn't think of himself. He and his friends, including Gabrielle, risked everything to pull Seraphina from the lion's den. No sooner had Nathaniel whisked Seraphina away than Victoria appeared to block Sebastian. If that's not tipping off her brother, then what is? She's complicit in all of Nathaniel's dirty deeds. An accomplice to tyranny!"

"That conniving witch! She's not worth the dirt beneath our shoes!" Vanessa's fists clenched so hard her knuckles cracked, itching to call Preston again. "This is absolutely despicable!"

Alexander raged, his forehead throbbing with anger as he grabbed an antique vase and hurled it against the wall. "The Sterling brood is nothing but rotten to the core—full of malice!"

"How dare that shameless hussy bully my godson? I'll give her a piece of my mind!"

Before he could storm off, the two women restrained him.

"Alexander, she's not worth your time. You're a man of stature; no need to stoop to her level. She doesn't even deserve your attention." Sophia's gaze darkened as she turned to Vanessa. "Vanessa, have the butler throw her out. We can't let that filth upset Natalie and Seraphina, nor taint the air of Silveke Harbor."

In the yard, Victoria was relentless, tugging at the butler like a fishwife, insisting on seeing Alexander and Natalie.

The butler initially treated her with courtesy but eventually lost patience. A firm shove sent her sprawling!

"Ah!"

Already unsteady, Victoria's legs gave out, landing her on her backside with her skirt flipped up in a most undignified display.

The butler quickly averted his eyes, not wanting to be cursed with the sight.

Just then—

A bucket of yellowish, foul-smelling liquid descended from above, drenching Victoria from head to toe, sending a chill to her bones.

The sour stench hit her nostrils, and she nearly vomited up her last meal.

"What is that smell?"

Sour and putrid enough to make her gag.

"Who? Who did this? WHO?" Victoria howled like an enraged banshee.

"Well, who told you to come here making a scene?" Vanessa emerged from the front door, chin held high, stride confident. "Looks like heaven itself can't stand you, giving you a splash of water to sober up, shut your trap, and scurry back where you came from."

"It was you! YOU did this!" Victoria shivered as the cold wind bit at her soaked skin.

"And what makes you think it was me? Rain falls from the sky; why can't a shower of sewage? Some people reap what they sow. Wouldn't surprise me if one day they're struck by lightning just crossing the street."

Vanessa hadn't lost her taste for the sharp tang of sauerkraut, which she fermented in her cellar.

And there it was—last year's batch of sauerkraut brine, coming in handy.

She'd considered using actual manure but thought better of sullying her own doorstep over this trash. So she'd held back.

"Sewage? Oh." Victoria turned as white as a sheet, retching uncontrollably.

"You know what you've done. We could've taken you to task, but you should've stayed quietly in your hole instead of making a scene at our doorstep. Mr. Sinclair doesn't even deign to see your father anymore, let alone you. Scram before you embarrass yourself further." Vanessa pinched her nose, eyes filled with disgust.

Realizing she'd humiliated herself and gained nothing, Victoria spat on the ground in fury.

With no choice but to leave the Sinclair estate in a smelly, defeated state, she trudged away.

"I see."

As Sophia finished her story, Alexander connected the dots. "I was wondering why the Sterlings were suddenly in the clear, only for the finger to point at Jeffrey. So it was Dominic's doing?"

"Indeed, Mr. Vanderbilt orchestrated it. He did it to avenge Seraphina, to show the Sterlings that none of our children can be trifled with."

Alexander's expression softened as he pondered.

Sophia watched him closely, sensing a subtle shift in his attitude toward Dominic.

This had been Isabella's assignment two days prior when she'd called. Her task: find an opportunity to inform Alexander about the Sterlings' downfall and Reginald's arrest, crediting all to Dominic to salvage his reputation.

Initially, Sophia had worried how to broach the subject.

But Victoria's uninvited appearance tonight provided the perfect segue.

"Hmm. Wait a minute."

Alexander's brow furrowed again. "That doesn't add up. Harrison was the one who made the arrest. If Dominic was behind it all, why would Harrison act? I'd believe it if you said Isabella arranged it. Besides, this style of letting someone live in misery doesn't seem like Dominic. It's more Isabella's approach."

Sophia's eyes flickered uncertainly as she slipped her arm through Alexander's. "Alexander, it's late. You should rest."

These days, Isabella had been avoiding Alexander's visits to her Elmsworth home, refusing to stay in a hotel, instead living with Dominic at Preston and Natalie's love nest.

Natalie was thrilled. She adored her sister-in-law and had missed her terribly during their separation. Now with the chance, she stuck to Isabella like glue, becoming her shadow.

This left Dominic with only the nights to spend alone with his beloved.

Every night, he'd wrap himself around her in bed, relentless until she was utterly exhausted, pleading for mercy beneath him. As if determined to reclaim every moment of intimacy lost during the day.

Isabella was at her wit's end.

She'd seen nitpickers, but never one who counted every touch and caress in the bedroom.

Her first attempt at baking a cake was thwarted by Nathaniel's unexpected visit. Tonight was rare—everyone home. Natalie, donning a pink apron, eager to show off, planned to bake a grand cake for her sister-in-law and older brother.

Isabella had gone to bed early, flipping through channels, waiting.

But as night deepened and her stomach rumbled, there was still no activity from Natalie's end.

Unable to resist curiosity, Isabella descended to investigate.

Just as she reached the living room, before even making it to the kitchen, she froze at the sight—

Preston had Natalie pinned against the countertop, her delicate wrists gripped above her head as he devoured her lush lips with near-animalistic kisses, tangled deep and passionate.

Natalie surrendered to his advances, soft moans escaping her throat.

And at that moment, as Preston lost himself completely, he lifted the girl's slender left leg.

Isabella thought, "Oh my! The little bunny's about to be devoured by the big bad wolf!"

Her mouth fell open in shock, cheeks flushing, heart racing!

As she stood frozen, unsure what to do, strong arms embraced her from behind, masculine scent enveloping her.

"Don't be so startled, Isabella. This happens here daily," Dominic whispered near her reddened ear, eyes soft. "Let them be, let them move at their own rhythm. We shouldn't disturb them. Alright?"

"But, but— Ah!"

Isabella melted helplessly into his embrace, torn between laughter and tears. "Oh well, my little girl's all grown up, becoming a real woman. That rascal Preston's in for quite the night! Lucky him, hmph!"

Dominic's body tensed suddenly, breath deepening as he scooped her up. "Isabella, we too must make every second count."

She clung to his neck, heart fluttering, cheeks deepening to crimson. "Wh-what are you doing?"

He brushed his lips against her forehead repeatedly, voice a deep growl.

"You know it."