Chapter 110

Nathan's aristocratic features tightened as his dark brows drew together. His chiseled jawline could have been carved from marble, so cold was his expression.

The simmering anger he'd felt earlier paled in comparison to the volcanic rage coursing through him now.

Nathan had barely stepped through the doors of Cliffside Manor and changed into fresh clothes when Leonard summoned him to the study.

"Daddy! You have to make this right!" Cassandra's wails filled the opulent room. "I've been humiliated beyond endurance!"

Tears streamed down Cassandra's face, soaking Leonard's custom-tailored shirt. Angry red scratches marred her porcelain skin from her earlier altercation, and her bottom lip bore a noticeable split.

Leonard sat rigidly on the leather sofa. His daughter, who normally carried herself with impeccable grace, now resembled a disheveled mess. His fingers twitched toward her, smoothing back her tangled blonde locks.

"Your brother will handle this when he arrives."

Penelope wrung her hands, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "This scandal is spreading like wildfire. I've fielded six calls today alone about Cassandra's behavior. What will Crestview's elite think of us now?"

"Leonard, our daughter's reputation is being dragged through the mud!" Penelope's voice cracked. "How can she show her face in society after this?"

"Penelope, calm yourself. I won't let our daughter suffer this injustice."

Leonard's thunderous expression darkened further as the study doors swung open. Nathan entered with measured steps, his face an unreadable mask.

"Nathan! Why wasn't that damning footage contained immediately?" Leonard barked, tightening his grip around Cassandra's shoulders. "As CEO of Blackwood Industries, do you consider this acceptable?"

"Blackwood Industries maintains both PR and legal departments. Each with competent directors."

Nathan's voice remained steady, though his glacial gaze betrayed his irritation. "While I oversee operations, I'm not a babysitter. Certain matters fall outside my purview."

"How can you say that?" Penelope's hand flew to her chest dramatically. "Cassandra is your flesh and blood! Will you stand by while some commoner destroys your sister's good name?"

"Penelope, your constitution is delicate. Don't overexert yourself."

Leonard sprang to his feet, wrapping a protective arm around his wife's slender frame. The tender concern in his eyes made Nathan's stomach churn.

Twenty years. Two decades of enduring these sickening displays of affection while his own mother's memory gathered dust.

Not once had Leonard visited Deborah's grave. Not a single mention of the woman who had loved him unconditionally. The deliberate erasure cut deeper than hatred ever could.

"I'm fine, darling." Penelope leaned into Leonard's embrace with practiced fragility, punctuating her words with delicate coughs. "I spoke out of turn. Nathan has corporate matters weighing on him. I shouldn't burden him further." Her voice dropped to a wounded whisper. "Though I can't help but wonder... if he resents me for not being his real mother..."

Nathan observed the performance with detached amusement. How Leonard failed to see through this decades-long charade baffled him.

"Don't entertain such thoughts." Leonard's face flushed with indignation. "You're my wife, and that makes you his mother whether he acknowledges it or not!"

Having successfully baited her husband, Penelope watched with satisfaction as Leonard rounded on Nathan.

"I want every trace of this scandal erased by dawn!" Leonard jabbed an accusatory finger. "Or you'll answer to me!"

"The solution was proposed hours ago." Nathan's icy gaze dropped to his sister. "Cassandra knows precisely what needs to be done."

"Father!" Cassandra jerked upright, her tear-streaked face twisting in outrage. "Nathan's solution is outrageous! He expects me to grovel before some insignificant maid!" Her manicured nails dug into the sofa cushions. "And that vile Evelyn actually struck me today in front of half of Crestview's elite!"

Penelope gasped. "Evelyn laid hands on you?"

"Look at my face! The evidence speaks for itself!" Cassandra pointed to the faint red mark still visible on her cheek.

"The audacity!" Penelope's carefully cultivated poise shattered. "We'll press charges immediately! She can't assault a Blackwood and walk away unscathed!"

"Cassandra initiated the physical altercation." Nathan's voice cut through the hysteria. "Evelyn acted in self-defense."

Leonard's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Are you telling me that woman actually struck my daughter?"

Nathan's silence confirmed the truth.

"Contact that wretched girl at once!" Leonard's command echoed off the mahogany walls. "I want a public apology delivered to Cassandra by nightfall! And why hasn't your divorce been finalized yet? First thing tomorrow, you're marching down to City Hall to end this farce!" His fist slammed against the desk. "I forbid any further association with that woman!"

Nathan's jaw clenched.

The divorce was inevitable. Yet hearing it demanded so bluntly sent an unexpected ripple of discomfort through him.

"No."

The word left his lips before he could stop it.