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After lunch, Mabel pulled her usual trick–sending Caroline and Eloise off under some pretense, leaving Alistair behind.
Caroline glanced helplessly at Alistair before sighing, “Grandma…”
“Oh, relax,” Mabel said with a wave of her hand. “I just want a word with Alistair. I’m not going to bite him. Right, Alistair?”
“I’ll be fine,” Alistair said gently, offering Caroline a reassuring
smile.
But the moment she walked out, the confidence left him. He sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch, back ramrod straight like a student kept after class for unfinished homework.
Mabel chuckled, clearly amused, “Loosen up, dear. I promise, I
don’t bite.”
That broke the ice. Alistair let out a shy laugh, embarrassed by how tense he was. It wasn’t like he was being interrogated by a firing squad. Mabel had a kind face, and Caroline had always been protective of him.
So what exactly am I afraid of?
Just because I’m not “ideal” on paper? That’s not really a crime,
is it?
Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction
“I’ve heard a bit about your situation,” Mabel said, her voice softening.
Alistair felt his shoulders ease.
He smiled sheepishly, “I’m not really someone who deserves Caroline.”
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Mabel frowned, “Don’t sell yourself short. That kind of talk doesn’t sit well with me. Caroline chose you, and that’s all I need
to know.”
“Thank you,” he said quietly.
“We’re family now,” Mabel said kindly. “And family doesn’t need to toss around words like ‘thank you‘ all the time.”
But then her expression shifted. Her voice, while still calm, carried more weight now. “But let’s get one thing clear. Caroline is a good girl–no, she’s an exceptional one. I won’t lie, she’s the pride of this family. Since she chose you, you’d better understand what that means. You don’t get to hurt her. Not. ever. If you do, I swear I won’t go easy on you.“.
Alistair sat up straighter, his hand instinctively raising in a solemn gesture. “I promise I’ll treat her well for the rest of my life. If I ever hurt her, may I-”
“Alright, alright,” Mabel interrupted quickly, waving her hand. “That’s enough. No need to tempt fate.”
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There was a certain reverence in her tone, the kind that came from someone who didn’t take fate lightly.
She sighed, muttering under her breath, “Caroline’s a good kid, but she’s too headstrong sometimes. Didn’t even warn us before dragging you home–caught me completely unprepared.”
Even as she grumbled, she reached into a drawer and slid a small notebook across the table toward him.
“We didn’t have time to plan this properly, so I couldn’t prepare a proper gift. But here’s something from me, if you’re willing to accept it.”
He glanced down. It was a property deed–for a villa in SoHo.
He froze.
“This… this is too much. I can’t possibly accept it.”
Mabel’s expression darkened. “What’s so ‘much‘ about it? It’s just a villa. Don’t tell me you’re turning it down because you. think my gift is cheap or rushed.”
“No, not at all,” Alistair said quickly, flustered. “It’s just… I didn’t bring you anything in return…”
Mabel laughed, warm and wide, the lines around her eyes deepening, “Just take care of Caroline and Eloise. That’s the only gift I care about. And it’s a lifelong one–far more valuable than a villa.”
Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction
He couldn’t find the words to answer.
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People with wealth… maybe that’s why they don’t cling to material things. They know what really matters. They know sincerity when they see it.
Suddenly, Mabel’s gaze sharpened again. “Now tell me the truth. Is this marriage between you and Caroline just a transaction?”
His mind went blank. Cold prickled down his spine.
Of course she’d ask. Caroline warned me–her grandma sees through everything.
He was ready for this. At least, he thought he was. No matter how rattled he felt inside, his face remained steady. “Please trust us. We would never treat something as serious as marriage like a joke.”
And even as the words left his mouth, guilt followed right after.
A lie. But a kind one.
Mabel stared him down for a long moment. Then, she threw her head back and laughed, “Oh, I’m just messing with you. Look at you–completely frozen!”
He tried to smile, but it was more relief than amusement.
“You’ll go sign the transfer this afternoon. Alban will take you,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction
Alban Fairfax was Ashbourne Manor’s long–time butler.
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At this point, if Alistair insisted on declining, it wouldn’t just be impolite–it would be outright ungrateful.
So he accepted it with a quiet nod.
Better to go along with it now. He could always return the villa to Caroline later if it came to that.
He’d never been the kind to covet what wasn’t his. Never mind the fact that Caroline was already paying him a million dollars a month.
Just then, Alban approached from the hallway.
He was in his fifties, silver–haired, lean, and dressed in a sharply
tailored black suit.
He looked more like a tenured professor than a servant.
“You’re just in time,” Mabel told him. “Take Alistair to finalize the paperwork this afternoon.”
“Yes, Madam Ashbourne,” Alban replied. Then, with a slight bow, he added, “Agnes has packed her things. She wishes to see you before leaving.”
Mabel’s smile faded. “She’s leaving. No need for goodbyes.”
But after a pause, she relented. “She’s been with us long enough.
Let her in.”
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Agnes walked in with her head slightly bowed, guilt written all over her face. But the moment her eyes met Alistair’s, something twisted in his gut. That familiar uncase crept back in.
At this moment, the voice of the Life Choice System rang out again in his mind.
“You sense that the Ashbourne family may be in danger. What will you do?
“Option one: stay out of it. You’re not really part of this family. This is just a temporary arrangement, and sooner or later, you’ll be gone. Their problems aren’t yours.
“The reward for it is 100 system credits.
“Option two: help them. You may not be truly married to Caroline, but she’s treated you with nothing but kindness. Mabel just welcomed you into the family. You may not belong here- but that doesn’t mean you get to stand aside.
“The reward for it is 200 system credits.”
Alistair didn’t need to think long.
He’d grown used to the system handing him dilemmas like this, always dangling a reward behind some moral test.
But truthfully, even if it hadn’t said a word, he already knew. what he’d choose.
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With or without a reward, he wasn’t about to stand by and do nothing.
The problem was, all he had right now was a feeling–a strong, unshakable feeling that something was off. And every part of him was telling him Agnes was at the center of it. But without proof, what could he say?
He couldn’t just march up to her, grab her by the collar, and demand to know what she was plotting.
That would be insane.
Last time, he’d caught her off guard—her panic had given her away. This time? She looked calm, composed, and prepared.
If he acted now, all he’d do was scare her into hiding whatever it was she was planning. And that would only make things worse.
The moment the idea hit him, Alistair pulled up the System Store on instinct. He scrolled quickly, hoping–no, needing–to find something useful.
Then he saw it, and his heart nearly leapt into his throat.
“Inner Voice skill acquired. Lock onto one target and hear his thoughts for one hour. It costs 200 system credits.”
He didn’t hesitate for a second to buy it.
The credits were a gift from the system anyway, a reward for making the right choice earlier. If he could stop the Ashbourne
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family from walking into a disaster because of it, then the price was more than worth it.
“Target locked–Agnes Crowley.”
As the system’s calm voice echoed in his mind, a new one. followed–cold, sharp, and filled with bitterness.
“I’ve worked for the Ashbourne family for years. Even if I haven’t earned their praise, I should have earned their damn respect, shouldn’t I? Nobody’s perfect. So I made some mistakes -does that mean I don’t deserve a second chance? Just like that, I’m out? Fired without so much as a thank–you? Heartless.”
Alistair picked up his coffee cup without flinching, hiding his rising tension behind a calm facade.
Wow. She’s really bitter.
Not only did Agnes not regret her actions, but she was actively resenting the family for holding her accountable. There was no remorse–only spite.
“Fine. They want to play rough? I’ll play dirtier. Let’s see how high and mighty they are when it all comes crashing down.”
So she really is planning something.
Alistair couldn’t understand it–was this woman insane?
The Ashbournes weren’t just wealthy. They held real power. If anything went wrong, if even a sliver of this was exposed, she
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wouldn’t just be in trouble–she’d be destroyed.
This was the kind of plan that hurt both sides. There was nothing to gain from it, not for her. Not unless she had a death
wish.
But Alistair didn’t believe she was that kind of person. She wasn’t stupid.
The more he heard, the more uneasy he became. She was clearly planning something–but what exactly? That part still eluded him. He had no choice but to keep listening, forcing himself to stay patient, hoping she’d eventually give herself away.
“Madam Ashbourne, thank you for everything these past years,” Agnes said aloud, her voice trembling with fake sentiment. “I’ll be going now.”
Mabel nodded without looking at her. She wasn’t going to drag out the departure with bitterness. Agnes had served her family long enough. A little dignity, even undeserved, cost nothing.
“Mr. Vaughn promised me a cushy job once this is done. No. stress, good pay. All I need is for this plan to work. Please, God, let it work.
“My sister hasn’t found work since Caroline fired her. Word got around. Someone made sure of it. Probably her. I came today just to see the old hag one last time. Hopefully she’ll take pity on me and not blacklist me for good. Otherwise, not even Mr. Vaughn can save me.”
Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction Wait–Mr. Vaughn? Preston Vaughn?
That name hit like ice water to the face.
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Of course. Caroline’s so–called admirer. So this whole thing is tied to him?
And Agnes‘ sister….
Alistair’s mind raced, and suddenly the pieces fell into place. Caroline had once fired a woman who looked eerily similar to Agnes.
They were sisters.
That explained everything.
No wonder this feels personal.
The scheme was deeper than he’d thought. He leaned back slightly, heart pounding now, trying not to miss a word.
Thankfully, the voice in his mind wasn’t bound by volume or
noise.
Agnes‘ thoughts came through with stunning clarity.
She turned away with a respectful nod, her demeanor impeccable, and began walking off. On the surface, Alistair remained calm, unreadable–but inside, frustration gnawed at
him.
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What the hell are you planning? Come on, just say it already.
Agnes‘ eyes flicked back in his direction, seemingly by chance. She smiled, sweet and practiced.
“I’m truly sorry, Mr. Harlow. I didn’t mean anything by it… I made a mistake, and I hope you can forgive me.”
If Alistair hadn’t been listening in on her internal monologue, he might’ve actually believed her.
Instead, he returned her fake sincerity with a matching smile.
“It’s all in the past.”
Agnes‘ inner thoughts emerged in his mind again. “As if.
He really thinks he belongs here? What a joke. Even if Madam Ashbourne approves of him, he’ll never get past Mr. Ashbourne.”
Mr. Ashbourne… that must be Caroline’s father.
Alistair wasn’t particularly concerned with the man’s approval.
But what came next nearly made his blood freeze.
“Once Madam Ashbourn falls into the lake and Vaughn swoops in to save her, Caroline will have no choice but to be grateful.
She won’t be able to refuse him after that.”
What! That’s the plan? They’re going to… stage an accident?
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Apparently, there had once been a pond on the manor, but it had been filled in when Eloise arrived. Caroline had been worried about her falling in while playing, so they turned it into a kids‘ play area.
Which meant… the lake must be outside the property grounds.
“And when Madam Ashbourn ends up in that water, everyone will look at this lucky bastard–this walking curse who showed up just in time for things to go wrong. Let’s see how well that sits with the family.”
Agnes finally left the room, and Alistair sat there, calculating.
So it’s an outside lake. Makes sense.
But what nagged at him was how confident Agnes had sounded.
How does she know Mabel will go there today? She’s not the type to just wander lakeside on a whim… is she?
It wasn’t impossible.
If that was the case, then keeping Mabel away from the water should be simple enough–as long as he had a good reason to do
- it.
From what he’d heard in her thoughts, Preston hadn’t given up. He was still trying to stage some grand gesture, some setup to get closer to Caroline.
He probably didn’t intend to hurt Mabel–not really. But if
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something went wrong, if the rescue didn’t happen fast enough, who knew how bad it could get?
Alistair pulled out his phone and ran a quick search. Sure enough, there was a lake less than half a mile from the house.
Just then, Mabel called out cheerfully, “Eloise, come on, let’s go feed the fish!”
Alistair snapped to attention. “Feed the fish?” he echoed, trying to sound casual.
Caroline nodded, completely unaware of his rising alarm. “Yeah, Eloise asked Grandma to take her. They made plans last time. That lake’s full of fish.”
That’s it. That’s how they knew.
Agnes must’ve overheard the plan and fed the info straight to Preston. He, in turn, spun it into an opportunity to win Caroline over–an “accidental” fall, a heroic save, and a forced debt of gratitude.
The skies were clear, and the sun was bright–it was a perfect day for an outing. And that was exactly what made it so dangerous.
Eloise’s face lit up with excitement, practically bouncing in place. Alistair couldn’t find it in himself to stop her.
“I haven’t been feeding anything in ages,” he said, feigning enthusiasm.
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Eloise turned to him, eyes wide with hope. “Then come with us, Daddy! Please?”
