Chapter 11
Her words hit a nerve.
Jack's kidnapping was his failure—a glaring one. And now, the kid's rejection felt like a silent accusation against him as a father.
Jacob's jaw tightened, his gaze turning predatory as it locked onto Elizabeth, like he wanted to tear her apart limb from limb.
That's when Charles, who'd been hovering in the background like a scared rabbit, saw the tension reaching a breaking point. Jacob's expression was growing darker by the second, and Charles feared the Windsor Family would get caught in the crossfire. Mustering what little courage he had, he shuffled forward, plastering an ingratiating smile across his face.
"Mr. Smith! Please, calm down. The boy's been through hell—of course, he's skittish! Elizabeth meant well. Look, he's safe and sound now, isn't he? Why don't we let him rest here at the Windsor estate for a bit? Just to settle his nerves. We'll take excellent care of him—absolutely no negligence. Once he's calmed down, you can send someone to pick him up, or we'll personally deliver him back. How does that sound?"
As he spoke, he shot desperate looks at Elizabeth, willing her to grab this lifeline.
Before Elizabeth could respond, Jacob's icy stare cut to Charles. The sheer weight of that look silenced him instantly, cold sweat breaking out across his forehead.
Jacob's attention shifted back to his son, still clinging to Elizabeth like she was his only anchor. Jack had his face buried deep, showing nothing but the back of his head, his small shoulders still trembling with quiet sobs.
Elizabeth felt each of those sobs like a knife twisting in her chest. She kept rubbing soothing circles on his back, then addressed Jacob in a gentle tone. "Mr. Smith, look at Jack's condition right now. Perhaps it's best if he stays here today. Once he's settled, can you send someone to collect him tomorrow?"
It was a flimsy excuse, but it gave Jacob an out.
His irritation only intensified, yet he knew forcing the kid to leave would backfire spectacularly.
He drew in a deep breath, wrestling down the fury churning in his gut. When his gaze locked onto Elizabeth again, his voice dropped to a lethal whisper. "Elizabeth. I don't know what game you're playing. Jack can stay with you for now. But if one hair on his head is harmed, if he suffers even the slightest discomfort..."
He paused, letting each word drip with blood-soaked warning. "I'll make you and the entire Windsor Family pay a price beyond your imagination."
The man was born for power. Standing by the car, he radiated that godfather-level authority that brooked no argument.
Jacob's gaze swept across Elizabeth's face, then over to Charles and Sophie, both trembling like leaves.
Charles's legs nearly gave out. He almost dropped to his knees right there. "We wouldn't dare! Mr. Smith, rest assured! We'll take the best care of him! He won't come to any harm whatsoever!"
Jacob snorted coldly, saying nothing more.
One last time, his eyes lingered on his son, still buried in Elizabeth's neck. The look in his eyes was impossible to read—complex, conflicted.
If the kid wasn't so resistant, how could he tolerate Elizabeth's disrespect just now?
He turned sharply on his heel. A bodyguard immediately opened the rear door.
"We're leaving."
At his command, the convoy roared to life. Twelve vehicles reversed direction, engines growling in succession, departing with the same menacing presence they'd arrived with—except this time, without Jack.
Only after the convoy disappeared around the corner did Charles finally exhale, practically deflating. His back was drenched with cold sweat.
He turned toward Elizabeth, still holding the child, his eyes filled with a mix of fear and resentment. "Elizabeth! You're going to be the death of us! That's Jacob's son! How could you just bring him home? Thank God nothing went wrong today, or we'd all be dead because of you!"
Elizabeth couldn't be bothered with his complaints. She simply kept patting Jack, whose crying had gradually subsided, and turned to head inside the mansion.
"Stop!" Charles called after her, his tone stern. "I'm warning you—while Jack is under our roof, you better take damn good care of him. Not a single mistake. You hear me?"
"I know." Elizabeth didn't even look back, her voice flat.
Vivian, who'd been watching the whole scene with cold eyes, stared at Elizabeth's retreating figure—carrying that precious, high-status child upstairs—and something vicious sparked in her gaze.
Why? Why did Elizabeth have such good luck?
She randomly picked up a kid, and he turned out to be Jacob's son?
Now, because of Jack, Jacob himself showed up at their door.
Sure, it was an ugly confrontation, but it was still special attention!
A man as terrifying as Jacob—normally, Elizabeth marrying him would mean a fate worse than death. But now this bitch had gotten ahead of the game, building a relationship with Jack. With the kid protecting her, how could Jacob torture Elizabeth?
And Charles was actually telling her to take good care of that child?
A malicious thought took root in her mind.
What if something happened to him while in Elizabeth's care?
Like accidentally eating something he shouldn't, or taking a tumble down the stairs...
Jacob would be furious. Elizabeth wouldn't be able to talk her way out of it, even with ten mouths.
Jacob would absolutely make her wish she were dead.
At the thought, Vivian could barely suppress the wicked smile tugging at her lips.
But the moment that expression flickered across her face, Charles—ever perceptive when it came to survival—caught it.
Charles knew his daughter too well. Vicious mind, short-sighted vision.
He seized her arm with crushing force, making her cry out in pain.
"Dad! What are you doing?"
Charles dragged her to a secluded corner, staring her down with eyes like steel, voice low and laced with warning. "Vivian. I'm warning you right now. Whatever sick ideas are brewing in that head of yours—kill them. Jack is both our lifeline and our death sentence. If he stays safe, we might actually improve our relationship with Jacob. But if anything—anything—happens to him, we're all going down with Elizabeth. Do you understand me?"
Vivian was genuinely frightened by the ruthlessness in his eyes, but she still tried to deflect. "I... what kind of ideas would I have? Dad, you're being paranoid."
Charles released her arm with a shove, his tone glacial. "I don't care what you claim. Remember this—from now on, stay the hell away from Jack. Don't even think about tampering with his food or anything else. If I catch you pulling any stunts, Jacob won't need to lift a finger. I'll break your legs myself. Now get to your room."