Chapter 285: Confrontations

Scarlett's POV

My phone buzzed again before I could fully process what had just happened. Gabriel's name flashed on the screen, and I could practically feel his fury radiating through the device.

Gabriel: [Are you divorcing me to marry Everett Carter?]

I frowned. Had this man been blinded by jealousy?

Me: [My decision to divorce you had nothing to do with Everett.]

The response came immediately.

Gabriel: [You're not allowed to marry him.]

I almost laughed at the audacity. Even divorced, he still thought he could control my life.

Me: [Don't come to the Langley family banquet. Dad specifically doesn't like you.]

Gabriel: [What about the children?]

My chest tightened. Liam and Luna. I hadn't seen them in a long time; I missed them dearly.

Me: [The children can come, but you can't.]

I turned off my phone and slipped it back into my clutch, but I could feel Gabriel's presence even from miles away—like a storm brewing on the horizon.

---

At the Rothschild estate's side wing, Gabriel stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, his jaw clenched as he stared out at the Manhattan skyline. Adam had confirmed what he'd suspected: Benjamin Langley himself had instructed that no invitation be sent to the Rothschild family. It wasn't Scarlett's doing.

"She's protecting me from her father's disapproval," he murmured, running a hand through his dark hair. The irony wasn't lost on him—the woman he'd married in anger was now shielding him from further humiliation.

But the thought of her marrying someone else, especially Everett Carter, made his blood burn. He agreed to the divorce to set her free and give her the opportunity to make her own choices, but he would never allow any man to get close to her, let alone take her away!

He needed to win her back properly this time. No more arrogance, no more assumptions. He had to court her the way she deserved.

Gabriel glanced at Michael and Brian standing guard by the door. Their loyalty was absolute, but today, he needed more than protection.

"Prepare the car," he said quietly. "We're going to see my father-in-law."

---

The Langley estate had prepared an entire suite for my father's return, complete with medical equipment and round-the-clock nursing staff.

"So," Dad sat in his wheelchair near the windows, turning to Everett with curiosity, "tell me why your grandfather chose to turn me into Paul Morgan instead of just letting the doctors save Benjamin Langley."

Everett settled into the chair across from him, his posture respectful but relaxed. "The situation was more complicated than simple medical treatment, sir. When Grandfather found you at Storm Cape, you were barely alive. You needed immediate surgery, but the people hunting you had already tracked you to two different hospitals."

I perched on the edge of the sofa, listening intently as the pieces of my father's mysterious past finally clicked into place.

"Grandfather happened to be at that particular medical facility when another patient—a wealthy businessman named Paul Morgan—died during emergency surgery," Everett continued. "The man had no family, no close associates. His death provided an opportunity."

Dad's fingers drummed against his wheelchair armrest. "So your grandfather made a split-second decision to swap our identities."

"He saved your life by erasing it," Everett confirmed. "The facial reconstruction wasn't just medical necessity—it was deliberate disguise. Grandfather knew that as long as Benjamin Langley existed, the Dark Organization would never stop hunting you."

The weight of what the Carter family had done for my father settled heavily in the room. They hadn't just saved his life; they'd given him an entirely new one.

"I owe your family more than I can ever repay," Dad said, his voice thick with emotion. His hand gripped the wheelchair armrest so tightly his knuckles turned white.

Everett leaned forward, his expression earnest. "As your future son-in-law, sir, I consider it an honor to share in whatever risks come with your return."

I stood abruptly, moving to the window with my back to both men. The evening air felt suddenly suffocating. "Maybe we should call off the engagement," I said quietly. "I won't be responsible for putting the Carter family in danger."

"Absolutely not," Everett's voice was firm behind me. "I won't hear of it."

Dad's voice took on a darker tone. "You don't understand the scope of what we're dealing with, Everett. The Dark Organization isn't just after me—they're an international syndicate with resources that dwarf most government agencies."

I turned back to face them, seeing the grim determination in Everett's eyes. "Scarlett," he said, looking directly at me, "I'm not walking away now because of some terrorist organization."

I didn't understand. Everett had only met me once, so why was he so deeply infatuated with me? Was it really as simple as love at first sight? I carefully observed his expression, but all I saw in his eyes was determination.

"But the danger—" I started.

"Is exactly why you need someone who can protect you," Everett interrupted. "Someone who understands the stakes and chooses to stand by you anyway."

A sharp knock at the door interrupted our conversation. Dad called for whoever it was to enter, and Zoey appeared in the doorway, her face flushed with excitement and panic.

"Benjamin," she said breathlessly, "all the family members are gathered in the main hall. They're desperate to see you. Word has spread throughout the estate that you've returned."

Dad nodded slowly, reaching for the specially designed mask that would maintain his Paul Morgan appearance in public. "I suppose it's time to face the music."

"There's something else," Zoey added, her voice dropping to a more cautious tone. "Gabriel Rothschild is here. He arrived about ten minutes ago with two children—Luna and Liam. He's in the main hall with the rest of the family."

My blood ran cold. That bastard. I'd specifically told him not to come, and he'd shown up anyway, using Liam and Luna as his ticket inside.

Dad's expression darkened considerably. The mask in his hands trembled slightly as his grip tightened. "Gabriel Rothschild," he repeated, his voice carrying a weight of authority that made everyone in the room straighten. "The man who divorced my daughter and broke her heart."

"Dad, it's not that simple—" I began.

"The children can stay," Dad interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. "But that Rothschild bastard needs to be thrown out of my house immediately."

Zoey nodded quickly. "I'll go handle the situation."

"No," Dad said, adjusting his mask with precise movements. "I'll handle Mr. Rothschild myself. It's time he learned exactly what happens when someone hurts a member of my family."

As we prepared to leave the suite, I couldn't shake the feeling that this confrontation was going to change everything. Gabriel had pushed too far this time, and my father—the man who'd survived assassination attempts and built a fortune from nothing—wasn't the forgiving type.

The battle lines were being drawn, and I was caught directly in the middle.