Chapter 37

“Mr. Clyde, take a close look. With compounded interest, it’s already sixty million. If you don’t settle it in the next two days, it’ll balloon to ninety million.”

“What! That much!” Maxwell had assumed the interest would be lower. But his principal amount was huge, and some loopholes in the contract—being an outsider, he hadn’t seen them—had ensnared him. He’d fallen right into the trap.

“There are only two days left, Mr. Clyde. You’d better go back and start preparing the money. Otherwise, you know how Mr. Preston can be.”

Maxwell’s face drained of color. He had originally wanted to help his family, but now he’d ended up digging his own grave. What was he supposed to do now?

Hospital

Roy was still by Amelia’s side. When she found out her daughter had miscarried on her wedding night, she was beyond furious. Her precious girl had been subjected to such cruelty. She had initially hoped to build a good relationship with the Swanson family, but it seemed they were determined to bully the Clyde family. All her efforts to please them had been wasted. Now, the two families had completely fallen out. That’s why Rosy had contacted the media, inviting them to the hospital to expose the situation. She was going to drag the Swansons down with her.

“Madam, the reporters are here,” said the subordinate.

“Very well, my dear. Mom’s going out to fight for your justice,” Rosy reassured Amelia.

Amelia nodded weakly. She never imagined that after her wedding, instead of reaching the pinnacle of her life, she would be completely knocked down. Now, her baby was gone, and the Swansons had cast her aside. It had all happened in just one night!

Wearing sunglasses, Rosy stood before a group of reporters. Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke. “It was the Swanson family that insisted on this marriage. After Liam got my daughter pregnant, on their wedding night, he beat her up. Now, the child is gone.”

“How could there be such a monstrous act?” a reporter asked.

“And the Swansons?” Rosy continued, her voice trembling. “They turned their backs on my daughter and kicked her out of their family. This is outrageous! We, the Clyde family, won’t let this slide. We will take legal action against the Swansons!”

Rosy’s bold move set off a media frenzy. That day, the top trending topics were all about this rich family drama.

The public was having a field day online, with many sharing their opinions. The Swanson family was at a disadvantage, but they weren’t going to let themselves be pushed around. So, they fired back with accusations of the Clyde family tricking them into the marriage. On the wedding night, their son was also injured, and it wasn’t entirely his fault. It was a real case of “dogs biting dogs”—the drama was off the charts. Some even dug up old dirt about Amelia bullying a delivery man at a hotel, and the public response was divided. Some people said she deserved it; after all, she had been so arrogant back then! In the end, both the Swanson Group and the Clyde Group came out of this worse for wear, with neither family benefiting. The two families were still locked in bitter legal battles, each trying to tear the other apart.

Galvez Family

Some time had passed, and Blake was now able to walk on his own. When Isabel entered the room, she found him standing by the window, talking on the phone. She couldn’t quite hear what was being said. Now that he could walk again, Blake seemed to have gotten busier.

“Blake,” Isabel began.

“Isabel,” Blake smiled brightly, hanging up the phone. “How do you feel today?”

“I’m much better now. I’m almost back to normal. It’s been so long since I’ve been outside. How about we go for a walk?”

Isabel agreed. After his paralysis, Blake had been bedridden for years. Even after coming to the Galvez family, he had only stepped outside to get some fresh air in the garden. He hadn’t ventured out into the world on his own in years.

So, they walked on the path in the village. Blake couldn’t help but notice how charming the village was. Despite its poverty and dilapidated houses, it had a unique, old-world charm.

“This village is bigger than I thought,” Blake remarked. It had once been a place he despised, a place where his family had dumped him, leaving him to rot in obscurity. Now, after meeting Isabel, he saw it with new eyes.

“Yeah, who knows when they’ll start demolishing things. The authorities haven’t made any plans yet,” Isabel said, walking beside him along the village path.

“Isabel, out for a stroll?” Mrs. Lester’s voice suddenly called out. She was working in her vegetable patch. Isabel had been here for a while, and she was getting to know the villagers. Mrs. Lester’s family ran a vegetable business, selling produce in the city and supplying restaurants.

“Yes, Mrs. Lester. How’s business going?”

“Same old, you know. Not starving, but not getting rich either. Hey, this handsome guy with you is really something. Is he your fiancé?” Mrs. Lester asked, eyeing Blake curiously.

“Yes,” Blake answered before Isabel could.

Mrs. Lester’s eyes brightened, and her attention shifted entirely to Blake. “This boy is really handsome, and he’s recovered! I never expected it. You’re lucky, young man. If it weren’t for Isabel, you wouldn’t be standing here today. Once you’re successful, don’t forget Isabel or the Galvez family!” Mrs. Lester advised. She assumed Blake was from a wealthy family—maybe the heir to the Yates family—and that he would eventually go back to his rich life far away, far enough that he would no longer long for this poor place or people.

At that moment, Blake suddenly took Isabel’s hand. “Mrs. Lester, don’t worry. Isabel saved my life. I will love her for the rest of my life. I will never let her down,” Blake said, his dazzling smile charming.

Isabel froze for a moment when he took her hand. His hand was cool, and when he held hers, an unexpected warmth spread through her.

“What are you doing?” Isabel whispered.

“We have to put on a show in front of others, just play along,” Blake whispered back.

Seeing how affectionate they were, Mrs. Lester couldn’t stop grinning.

“Thank you, Mrs. Lester. We’ll be on our way,” Blake said cheerfully. He was truly a considerate young man.

Mrs. Lester nodded eagerly, urging them to be careful on their way.

“Why haven’t you let go of my hand yet?” Isabel asked once they had walked a little further. Was he really addicted to holding her hand?

“Relax. We’re engaged, after all. Holding hands isn’t a big deal,” Blake said with a grin. Isabel realized this guy had suddenly become thick-skinned. She remembered when she first met him—he had been angry and aloof, a totally different person. Now that he was healthy, he had completely changed.

Before long, they arrived at the house where Blake had once been bedridden. Blake, still holding Isabel’s hand, suddenly let go. Isabel looked at him, noticing his serious expression as he stared at the house. Perhaps the memories of his suffering here had resurfaced. When he had been here, he had felt like he was living a fate worse than death, even being mistreated by caregivers.

“Don’t look at it. It’s all in the past,” Isabel said softly.

But Blake, seizing the moment, pulled her into a tight embrace. “Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while.” She realized that now that Blake was recovered, he had become even bolder, pulling her into hand-holding and hugs. Did he do it on purpose?