Chapter 245: Rebellious to the Bone
Having said his piece, Alaric Blackwood didn’t say another word. He turned and left with Preston Chase.
’He was gambling!’
He was betting that Bianca Kane, faced with an unseen enemy like Conor Sullivan lurking in the shadows, wouldn’t dare make any more enemies. Once she understood the stakes, she would be forced to avoid a direct confrontation with him.
He was a hundred percent certain he could win a lawsuit, but two of them—one for Joseph Shaw and Bianca Kane’s divorce, and one to protect the rights of the Nine Stone Series—would drag on for a very long time.
He was afraid Sophie Shaw wouldn’t be able to hold on that long. His only option was to bring up Conor Sullivan to put pressure on Bianca Kane.
Joseph Shaw glanced helplessly at the mother and son on the sofa, then strode after Alaric Blackwood, leaving the presidential suite.
That same day, Alaric Blackwood boarded a flight back to Kingsport.
The moment they left the airport, he and Joseph Shaw got into a car and rushed to the hospital.
It was already dark by the time they arrived.
Lawson had brought dinner, and Mandy Halloway and Mrs. Ford were in the hospital room, eating with Sophie Shaw.
When she saw him and Joseph Shaw walk in one after the other, a flash of pleasant surprise appeared in Sophie’s eyes. "I thought you weren’t coming back today."
"Of course I’m back. How could I not come back?"
He walked to the hospital bed and ruffled Sophie’s hair. "Miss me after just a few hours?"
Sophie’s cheeks flushed slightly. In front of the elders, she didn’t answer his cheesy question. Instead, she glanced at Joseph Shaw behind him and asked, "Have you two eaten?"
"Not yet. We came straight here after getting off the plane."
"Then eat with us."
Joseph Shaw was overcome with emotion.
He had thought Sophie would tell him to leave the moment she saw him.
After a nudge from Alaric Blackwood, he joined the others around the hospital bed and ate the most comforting meal he’d had in days.
That night, after washing up, Sophie lay in bed and had a video call with Anne for a while.
Anne had already gotten used to her new work environment and was hitting her stride. She had also found a legal team and sent a lawyer’s letter to Wynn Jade Jewelry, a subsidiary of the Kane Group.
Anne must have been stressed and exhausted, because as she was chatting, she leaned back on her sofa and fell asleep.
A thunderous snore came from the phone, loud enough to make Alaric Blackwood peer at her screen.
"Your best friend snores louder than a bull."
Sophie couldn’t help but laugh. She ended the video call and rolled over, snuggling into Alaric Blackwood’s arms. "Mr. Blackwood, can I go home and take a shower tomorrow?"
She had been in the hospital for several days and felt like she was starting to stink.
"I want to be discharged."
Alaric Blackwood didn’t answer her question, asking one of his own instead. "How come you haven’t asked about what happened after I met with your stepmother and brother?"
"I can pretty much guess."
From the day she moved into the Kane Family’s home with Joseph Shaw, she knew she wasn’t welcome or wanted. The fact that Alaric Blackwood had returned without Joel proved that Bianca Kane’s answer was no.
"Maybe we can just wait for a donor."
Alaric Blackwood took a deep breath and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Bianca Kane will contact me on her own."
’She will.’
The next day, after consulting with the doctor, Alaric Blackwood processed Sophie Shaw’s discharge paperwork.
The doctor prescribed medication for Sophie. Until she could undergo the hematopoietic stem cell transplant, she could only rely on medicine to slow the progression of her illness as much as possible.
Back at Maplewood Estate, the first thing she did was run upstairs and jump into the bathroom for a long, comfortable hot shower.
She couldn’t stand being idle. After resting at home for just one day, she went back to the office first thing the next morning.
Alaric Blackwood couldn’t talk her out of it, so he had no choice but to drive her there himself.
Once they arrived at Heart of the Ocean, the man stuck to her like a little tail, following her wherever she went.
"Mr. Blackwood, you’re being a little over the top."
Alaric Blackwood just smiled at this. He said nothing, but his actions didn’t change. He became her guardian angel, following her everywhere except the restroom.
When Anne came out of a meeting, she was surprised and delighted to see Sophie had come in.
Her title was Vice President, and her office was right next to Sophie’s, separated by a glass wall. Normally, they could see each other from their respective offices.
"Not bad, Vice President Austin. You look quite the part when you’re working," Sophie said with a smile.
Anne went in for a bear hug. Despite her small frame, she had immense strength. She wrapped her arms around Sophie’s waist, and with a little effort, lifted her clean off the ground and spun her around once.
"You seem to have lost weight."
Sophie’s feet touched the ground. "I have?" she asked, puzzled.
"You really have. You feel lighter."
Anne then turned to Alaric Blackwood. "Mr. Blackwood, you need to feed my Sophie better. She’s lost weight."
"Her diet has been rather plain recently. I’ll get her some better food in a few days."
Anne nodded, then pulled Sophie toward her office.
Alaric Blackwood followed behind them, but as he reached the door—SLAM!—it was shut.
He was shut out.
Just as he grabbed the handle, about to push the door open, he heard a CLICK. The door had been locked from the inside.
Alaric Blackwood: "..."
’Are they about to share some best-friend secrets that I’m not allowed to hear?’
He turned, went into Sophie’s office, and stared at the two women next door through the glass wall.
Noticing him sitting on the sofa—arm draped over the armrest, one hand propping up his chin as he stared at Sophie—Anne gave a helpless smile. She gestured toward Alaric Blackwood next door. "Your Mr. Blackwood really can’t be away from you for a second."
Sophie turned her head and saw Alaric Blackwood looking at her.
His eyes met hers, and the corners of his lips curved into a slight, charming smile. She hesitated for a moment, then raised a hand—not to return his smile, but to pull down the blinds with a RATTLE.
"..."
’Once his wife enters work mode, she simultaneously switches to ’heart of stone’ mode.’ Alaric Blackwood was already used to this.
With nothing to do, he pulled out his phone. He was about to ’hit up’ the largest shareholder and chairman of the Blackwood Group’s rival company, but then he saw that Quentin Blackwood was holding a press conference, with Lydia Wynn by his side.
The press conference was being broadcast live. In it, Quentin Blackwood admitted that Lydia Wynn was his long-lost daughter and announced that she would be taking over the Blackwood Group as its Executive President.
Alaric Blackwood leaned lazily against the sofa, watching the press conference, when he simultaneously received WhatsApp messages from Mandy Halloway and Nina Halloway.
Mandy Halloway: "That old bastard, your father! He actually went public with his illegitimate daughter and is even letting her take over the company."
Nina Halloway: "Your dad’s holding a press conference. He’s acknowledged his illegitimate daughter."
He didn’t reply to the messages right away. He finished watching the press conference, then unhurriedly dialed Quentin Blackwood’s number.
The person on the other end answered quickly, as if he had been expecting the call.
"Panicking now that you’ve seen your old man hold a press conference?"
Alaric Blackwood replied calmly, "What’s there to panic about? I’m just calling to congratulate you. Your marriage is officially over."
’Acknowledging an illegitimate daughter before the divorce was even final, and holding a huge press conference to boot—he really wasn’t leaving himself any way out.’
’Quentin Blackwood sure is gutsy!’
"Director Blackwood, you couldn’t possibly think this little stunt would provoke me, could you? Did you think I’d come crying back to you, begging for forgiveness?"
"Isn’t that how it should be?"
"This rebellious streak of your son’s isn’t just for show."
Quentin Blackwood chuckled. "Alaric, if you apologize now and help me persuade your mother, it’s not too late. Even though I’ve acknowledged Lydia Wynn, it won’t affect my relationship with you and your mother."