Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Alaric Blackwood’s words left Vianne Kane stunned.

She was shocked to hear he’d been stripped of his inheritance. It wasn’t that she couldn’t support him—she certainly had the means. She was simply wondering if he was worth it.

She thought about how she had taken in Damian Morgan, who had nothing. That man hadn’t shown a shred of sincerity, constantly scheming against her behind her back. As her gaze fell on Alaric Blackwood’s handsome face again, she suddenly felt he wasn’t such a great catch anymore.

He was famous for flirting with women and frequenting bars and nightclubs. She had heard rumors that he had an illegitimate child abroad but had always been skeptical. Now, hearing it from Alaric Blackwood’s own mouth, she felt it was probably true.

’Why should I, the exalted Miss Kane, settle for second best? Why choose damaged goods with nothing to his name? I might even end up raising someone else’s child...’

Noticing that the warmth and anticipation had vanished from Vianne’s eyes, Alaric Blackwood curled his lip in a thoughtful smile. He said no more, simply sitting down on the edge of the hospital bed and turning his back to her.

BANG!

Vianne Kane slammed the door and left.

The hospital room fell silent once more.

Sophie Shaw looked at Alaric Blackwood in surprise. "Those things you just said..."

"To make her back off."

Alaric took her hand in his, his lips brushing against her fingertips as a faint smile played on his face. "Vianne Kane takes a hint well enough. She probably won’t pester me anymore."

"I wouldn’t be so sure."

Sophie laughed. "Damian Morgan’s circumstances were much worse than yours. If she could accept him, why would she care that you have nothing? It’s not like she can’t afford to support you."

"The key is that Damian Morgan’s kindness to her was all an act. He catered to her every whim, providing her with emotional validation. She was kept in the dark, thinking he was completely devoted to her, and she was satisfied with that. My reputation, on the other hand, isn’t great. I’m suspected of having an illegitimate child, and I told her outright to turn a blind eye. A person as proud and self-centered as her would never accept that."

People grow. Thanks to Damian, she learned her lesson the hard way. She won’t fall into the same trap twice.

"You really don’t care about your public reputation at all!" Sophie’s eyes widened slightly.

Alaric gave a wry laugh. "Too many people are making up stories about me. I can’t even keep up with the cease and desist letters."

「A few days later,」 Alaric Blackwood received some news. Damian Morgan had confessed to attempted murder. Meanwhile, Timothy Quinn revealed his true identity. He also confessed to drugging and raping Vianne Kane, and to being targeted in a revenge attack orchestrated by Bianca Kane afterward.

Bianca Kane was interrogated by the police around the clock and soon cracked under the pressure, confessing everything.

She admitted to gathering evidence to report the Sullivan Family and driving them to bankruptcy. But, she claimed, Conor Sullivan’s parents’ suicide was their own choice. Her main crimes were hiring men to break Conor Sullivan’s legs and attempting to have him killed.

Of course, she took all the blame herself, claiming Vianne Kane knew nothing about it.

The police had also gone to Vianne Kane’s hospital room for questioning, but she played dumb the entire time.

There was no evidence, and the mother-daughter duo had already aligned their stories. With Timothy Quinn now having confessed to his crime, the police finally stopped hounding Vianne Kane.

She remained in her hospital room, being pampered, while Joseph Shaw temporarily managed the company. She desperately wanted to kick Joseph out of the Kane Group, but he hadn’t divorced Bianca, and he was Joel Kane’s biological father. Kicking him out would be easier said than done.

She could only follow Bianca’s advice and let things take their course.

On the day of her discharge, she heard that Sophie Shaw was scheduled to undergo a hematopoietic stem cell transplant.

Joseph Shaw sent a car to pick her up, bringing Joel Kane, whose task was now complete, back home with her.

Once the ’family of three’ returned home, Vianne couldn’t help but ask, "How many years is Mom expected to be sentenced to?"

Joseph thought about what the lawyer had said and replied, "Three to five years."

"I thought you and Mom were getting a divorce?"

Joseph didn’t answer her question right away. He first coaxed Joel back to his room, and only then did he say, "I’ve already resubmitted the divorce application. The divorce is definitely happening. Once the proceedings are finalized, I’ll be leaving this place with Joel."

Vianne was taken aback. "You’re going to take Joel with you?"

"Yes."

Joseph had completely come to his senses. All he wanted was to take his son and start over. They both held shares in the Kane Group, and Sophie owned two apartments, one of which she would let him and Joel live in. For the rest of their lives, they would be well-provided for.

Joel was Bianca’s biological son and would one day receive the inheritance he was entitled to. As his father, Joseph didn’t need to worry about that.

Sophie’s illness had made him think a lot of things through. He was tired of all the fighting and just wanted to live a quiet life.

However, his conversation with Vianne was overheard by Joel, who was hiding by the staircase.

As soon as he heard that his parents were divorcing and that his father wanted to take him away, Joel grew frantic. He stomped down the stairs and said angrily, "I want to stay with Mom."

Joseph froze.

Joel grabbed Vianne’s arm with a fawning expression and looked up at her. "Sister, I’m your brother. I don’t want to go. Don’t let Dad take me away."

"I’ve always listened to you. Please let me stay, okay?"

Joel pleaded.

Seeing her brother on the verge of tears, Vianne was conflicted. She remembered Bianca’s instructions to take good care of her brother...

With the family in turmoil, her grandfather gone, and her mother facing several years in prison, Vianne felt insecure, terrified that she couldn’t support the family and the entire Kane Group on her own.

Even though she didn’t like Joel, he was her brother—her half-brother on their mother’s side. That blood tie couldn’t be changed.

She pulled Joel back to her room and called the lawyer. She learned that Bianca was determined to fight for custody of Joel and would absolutely not let Joseph take their son away.

She could only go along with Bianca’s wishes. She told Joel, "Don’t worry, I won’t let Mr. Shaw take you away."

The lawyer prepared a letter of intent that very day. Joel signed it, affirming his desire to stay with his mother, not his father.

Joseph didn’t know his son had signed the letter and assumed the boy would stand firm in choosing him. He continued to be a good father, taking Joel to and from school every day while also managing things at the company, keeping him extremely busy.

But on the day the divorce was finalized, he was dumbfounded. Joel had voluntarily chosen to stay with his mother, and Bianca was also demanding that he leave with nothing.

He had married into the Kane family, after all. Bianca let him keep his shares in the Kane Group, but only on the condition that he take those shares, pack his things, and leave with nothing else.

He had considered fighting it, but after thinking it over, he decided to let it go.

For ten years, he had devoted himself to caring for Joel, handling everything from his meals and clothing to his school runs and homework. He had poured all his care and attention into his son, but the boy’s ingratitude chilled him to the bone.

He couldn’t help but think of how he had neglected Sophie all these years...