Alarm shot through me. You said you wouldn’t hurt Sable!
“Of course I won’t actually harm her. I’m talking about using,’ not ‘harming. Smart people can always find ways to achieve their goals without breaking their promises.”
Anyway, this world won’t need Caelan Blackwood’s existence much longer.”
“You mean… kill him completely?” I said in a low voice.
“Do you have a better solution? As long as he’s alive, you’ll never win Sable’s heart. As long as he’s alive, you’ll always be nothing but a fucking failure.”
“By the way, Darrell. After tonight, don’t try contacting anyone else for help. Now, only I can help you get what you want. Remember that.”
The dial tone buzzed in my ear.
Soon, everything will be different.
I smiled.
Sable’s POV
I stretched my arms above my head, feeling the satisfying crack of my spine after hours of hunching over patient files. The clock on my desk showed 5:47 PM. Almost time to leave.
A smile tugged at my lips. “Today is the dinner,’ I murmured to myself.
This wasn’t just any dinner. Caelan had organized something special-a gathering of both our families at his private estate. The goal was clear: to heal the rift between our parents after that awful confrontation in the hospital room. When Katherine had lashed out at me for Caelan’s injuries and Dad had defended me, it had left everyone on edge.
My fingers traced the edge of a medical chart absently. The past few days had been blissfully quiet. No more harassment from Darrell, Caelan’s security team confirmed he d packed up and left his apartment. Finally, some peace
I’d even started leaving the house without bodyguards again, despite Caelan’s explicit instructions. Having someone shadow my every move felt suffocating. The danger seemed to have passed-surely I could handle normal activities on my own now.
Caelan arrived to pick me up.
“Ready for tonight?”
I gathered my purse and walked toward him. “A little nervous, actually.”
His arm slipped around my waist as we headed for the elevator. “Everything will work out. Trust me.”
Victoria and Daisy waited at the entrance of Caelan’s sprawling estate. The Georgian mansion looked even more impressive in the golden hour light, with its perfectly manicured gardens extending in every direction.
The moment our car pulled into the circular drive, Daisy broke away from Victoria and sprinted toward us with her arms with
“Sabelate!” She launched herself at me before I’d even fully stepped out of the car.
I caught her in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground. “My little princess! I missed you so much.”
She buried her face in my shoulder. “I missed you more! You’ve been so busy with work and your boyfriend that you forgot want me!”
Her accusatory tone was offset by the grin she couldn’t quite hide. I set her down and crouched to her eye level.
“That’s impossible. You know you’re the most important person in my life.”
Caelan cleared his throat dramatically behind us. “Ahem.”
Daisy spun around with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Oh yeah! You’re here too!”
She pointed at Caelan with exaggerated seriousness. “I’m more important than you. Sable just said so.”
Caelan’s mouth dropped open in mock outrage. “But I’m her fianc?! That has to count for something.”
“Nope!” Daisy crossed her arms. “Sisters come first. That’s the rule.”
“Since when is that a rule?”
“Since forever, obviously.” Daisy looked at him like he was being particularly dense. “Don’t you know anything?”
I laughed, watching them bicker like children. “Caelan, you’re seriously going to argue with a ten-year-old?”
He held up his hands in surrender. Fine, Daisy wins this round.”
Daisy beamed triumphantly, then suprised us both by grabbing Caelan’s hand and pulling him down to her level. She planted a quick kiss on his cheek.
There. Now we’re friends again. But remember I’m still number one!
She bounded back to me and whispered loudly, He’s not so bad. You can keep him.”
Victoria approached with a warm smile. “Sable, you look beautiful. That dress is perfect for tonight”
“Thank you. I smiled back. “You look lovely too.”
Since the incident with Daisy’s kidnapping, Victoria and I had found an unexpected common ground. She’d stopped seeing me as a threat to her position in the family and started treating me like the daughter she’d never had.
Dad emerged from his car, straightening his tie as he walked toward us. His eyes crinkled with genuine happiness as he watched our interactions.
“She’s been talking about seeing you all week, Victoria said. “You’d think it had been months instead of a few days.”
Dad chuckled. “Well, we certainly can’t disappoint the princess.”
We made our way through the estate’s formal gardens toward an elegant outdoor dining area that had been set up on the terrace. The Blackwood family was already seated at a round table draped in white linen.
Katherine and Marcus rose from their chairs as we approached, Katherine’s smile seemed forced, but she made an effort to appear welcoming
“Good evening,” Katherine said, her tone polite but distant.
Marcus stepped forward to shake Dad’s hand warmly. “Rodrigo, good to see you again.”
Katherine’s eyes barely met mine before she turned her attention to Daisy, who was bouncing excitedly beside Victoria.
Carlan’s hand found mine, his fingers intertwining with mine in a reassuring squeeze. When I glanced at him, his eyes conveyed everything he couldn’t say aloud: I’m here. We’ll get through this together.
His thumb stroked across my knuckles, sending warmth up my arm and steadying my racing heart.
The table had been arranged strategically, with our families sitting across from each other rather than intermixed. I could see Carlan had put thought into the seating.
As we took our seats, a staff member began serving the first course. The sound of silverware against china filled the silence that stretched latween our two families
Katherine focused intently on cutting her salmon, while Dad occasionally glanced in her direction as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the right words:
The quiet grew oppressive. Even the gentle evening breeze seemed too loud.
Daisy looked around the table with wide, curious eyes. “Why is everyone so quiet? This is supposed to be a party, right?”
Victoria reached over to smooth Daisy’s hair. “We’re all just enjoying our dinner, sweetheart.”
“But people talk at parties, Daisy insisted. “At home, we always tell stories during dinner.”
The adults exchanged uncomfortable glances. Katherine’s fork paused halfway to her mouth.
Marcus cleared his throat. “You’re absolutely right, Daisy. We should be more social.
But despite his words, the conversation didn’t flow. Each attempt at small talk felt forced and quickly faded back into awkward silence.
Then Caelan stood up.
He raised his wine glass, his posture commanding attention from everyone at the table. “Rodrigo, I’d like to make a toast.”
Dad lifted his glass slowly, his expression cautious but respectful.
The crystal glasses met with a soft clink that seemed to echo in the evening air.
Caelan took a measured sip, then set his glass down with deliberate precision. His dark eyes held Dad’s gaze steadily.
“I want to ask for your formal blessing to marry your daughter.”
Katherine’s fork clattered against her plate.
“In fact,” Caelan continued, his voice growing stronger, “I think we should skip the engagement altogether. I want to marry Sable immediately and hold the marking ceremony at the same time.”
My breath caught in my throat. He was proposing marriage-real marriage-right here, right now, in front of both our families.
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