Chapter 127

Their bodies were close.

But Ethan couldn't ignore the child growing inside Isabella's womb. He refused to let his offspring endure the same misery he had suffered in his own childhood. For the sake of that unborn life, he had to marry Isabella.

Isabella flinched under Ethan's sharp tone. "Then... I'll leave now," she stammered.

"Go rest. Don't return unless I summon you. I'll see you once I've settled matters here." His voice was ice. "As a mother, your priority is the child you carry."

"I know... I understand." A strange smile twisted her lips before she turned and walked away.

Nathan approached cautiously. "Mr. Blackwood, about what Miss Thornton said... is it true?"

He had meant to ask if Isabella's words could be trusted, but the question died on his tongue.

Ethan didn’t answer. His mind was elsewhere—was the child in Sophia’s belly really Vincent Holloway’s?

When silence stretched, Nathan pressed, "Sir, we should act as if the threat is real. Should I... eliminate Holloway?"

Ethan shook his head. "Not yet. We’ll deal with him after the funeral."

He wasn’t afraid of Vincent. In fact, he welcomed the confrontation. If the old man dared to come, Ethan would ensure he never left—and seize the remaining half of his empire in the process.

But Sophia...

At the thought of her, Ethan’s gaze darkened.

He pushed the thought aside. Right now, his only concern was laying his mother to rest.

Victoria was buried the next day.

Once the funeral was over, Ethan didn’t wallow in grief. He threw himself into work, burying emotions beneath ruthless efficiency.

On the way to the office, Nathan hesitated before speaking. "Sir, yesterday at the hospital... I saw her outside."

Ethan’s jaw tightened. "Who?"

"Sophia Montgomery."

"Make her disappear." The command was immediate, cold.

Nathan swallowed hard. He didn’t know how to respond. Ethan had tasked him with uncovering the father of Sophia’s child—only to discover it was Vincent, his sworn enemy.

What game was she playing?

Yet something in Nathan’s gut told him Sophia wasn’t the schemer Ethan believed her to be.

"Today is the third day of mourning," Nathan reminded gently. "Should we visit the grave?"

Ethan nodded. "Take me to my mother’s resting place."

The drive was quiet. A light drizzle began as they neared the cemetery. The grounds were vast, serene—Victoria’s plot was the grandest, surrounded by wreaths.

Two figures in black, umbrellas in hand, approached the newest tomb.

Neither expected to find someone already there.

Kneeling in the rain, a black umbrella shielding her, Sophia placed white and yellow chrysanthemums before the headstone.

Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I’m sorry, Aunt Victoria. I couldn’t attend your funeral. I know how lonely you were in life... but now you’re at peace, reunited with your family."

A sob escaped her. "You were my last connection... and now you’re gone too."

The footsteps behind her made her turn.

Ethan stood there, face unreadable. Nathan looked torn between pity and unease.

Sophia wiped her damp cheeks and stood. "Forgive me, Mr. Blackwood. I didn’t mean to intrude. I just... wanted to pay my respects."

She stepped back. "I’ll leave now."

She had loved Victoria, but Ethan was her son. This was his place, not hers.

After a few steps, she paused. "Since your mother has passed... perhaps we should finalize the divorce. The sooner, the better."

Her next words struck like a blade.

"And keep the money. I don’t want it."

Ethan’s breath caught. Nathan’s eyes widened.

Sophia’s expression was steel. "You never believed me. You thought I used your mother to get to you. Fine. Let’s say I did."

Her voice trembled only slightly. "I went to that banquet as a server because Victoria begged me to. She wanted to see the family that rejected her—even if just through photos."

She met his gaze. "Yes, I needed money. I was desperate. But caring for her... that was real."

A bitter smile. "You think I’m a gold-digging liar? Fine. But don’t tarnish what I felt for her."

Her chin lifted. "You could crush me like an ant. If you want my life, take it. At least then I’d see my mother and Victoria again."

Ethan was silent.

In all their time together, he’d only heard her speak this much twice—once when he’d shown her kindness, and now, as she walked away forever.