CHAPTER 6: CAUGHT IN THE ACT

Dominic Alexander Blackwood remained silent as he listened to his son through the phone.

"It's about Arabella," Alexander repeated.

Dominic placed his pen on the desk.

"What did you do?"

Alexander sighed. "Father, it's not what you think."

"Then explain why my assistant told me she left this building crying."

"She found out about Vanessa."

Dominic's expression immediately darkened.

"Found out about what?"

Alexander hesitated.

"Vanessa and I have been seeing each other."

For several seconds, Dominic said nothing.

Then he spoke in a cold, controlled voice.

"How long?"

Alexander rubbed the back of his neck.

"Several months."

"Several months?" Dominic repeated. "And you allowed Arabella to believe you were faithful to her?"

"Father, I was going to tell her."

"When? After another year of lies?"

Alexander clenched his jaw.

"Please don't judge me. I still care about Bella."

Dominic stood and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.

"If you truly cared about her, you wouldn't have humiliated her."

He ended the call before Alexander could respond.

Meanwhile, Arabella sat inside her car, staring at the engagement ring Alexander had given her six months earlier.

She slowly removed it from her finger and placed it inside her handbag.

It was strange how something that once represented forever could suddenly feel meaningless.

Her phone rang again.

Alexander.

She rejected the call.

This time, she switched off her phone.

She wanted silence. No explanations, no apologies, and certainly no more lies.

An hour later, Dominic arrived at Alexander's private office.

His son was standing beside the window, while Vanessa sat comfortably on the sofa.

"Father," Alexander greeted him.

Dominic ignored the greeting and looked directly at Vanessa.

"Leave us."

Vanessa raised an eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

Alexander stepped forward.

"Father, Vanessa has nothing to do with this conversation."

Dominic turned toward him.

"She's the reason you're having this conversation."

Vanessa slowly stood, clearly offended.

"With all due respect, Mr. Blackwood, this is between Alexander and me."

"Then you should have considered that before becoming involved with a man who had a girlfriend."

Her expression changed.

Alexander immediately intervened.

"That's enough!"

Dominic looked at his son with disappointment.

"No, Alexander. It isn't enough. You have embarrassed this family and, more importantly, hurt a woman who trusted you."

Vanessa grabbed her handbag.

"Come on, Alex. I don't need to stay here and listen to this."

But Alexander didn't move.

She stared at him before walking out, slamming the door behind her.

Dominic watched her leave.

"You're making a mistake," he said.

Alexander scoffed.

"You don't understand my relationship."

"Perhaps not. But I understand betrayal."

That evening, Dominic received an unexpected visitor at his residence.

His housekeeper announced that Arabella was waiting in the reception room.

Dominic immediately stood.

"Show her in."

Arabella entered wearing a simple white blouse and black trousers. Her eyes were slightly swollen, and she looked exhausted.

"Good evening, Mr. Blackwood."

"Arabella."

He gestured toward the sofa.

"Please, sit down."

"Thank you."

Dominic noticed the small envelope in her hand.

"Is everything all right?"

She looked down.

"I came to return something."

She placed the engagement ring on the coffee table.

Dominic understood immediately.

"Alexander's?"

She nodded.

"I don't want to keep anything that reminds me of our relationship."

Dominic studied her expression.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me."

A faint, sad smile appeared on her lips.

"Thank you. I just thought you should know why I ended things with your son."

"Did he tell you what happened?"

"He told me enough. But I saw everything with my own eyes."

Her voice cracked.

"I saw them together, Mr. Blackwood. He wasn't even ashamed."

Dominic's jaw tightened.

"I'm sorry, Arabella."

She shook her head.

"You don't have to apologize for him."

"Perhaps I don't. But I am sorry that someone in my family caused you this pain."

For the first time that evening, Arabella felt that someone was actually listening to her.

She lowered her eyes, trying to control her emotions.

"I really believed he would marry me."

Dominic remained quiet.

He wanted to comfort her, but he knew she needed respect more than empty promises.

"You deserve someone who doesn't make you question your worth," he finally said.

Arabella looked at him.

"Thank you."

Later that night, Alexander arrived at the Blackwood residence.

He had received a message from the housekeeper informing him that Arabella had visited.

He immediately entered the reception room.

"Where is she?"

Dominic, who was reviewing documents, slowly raised his eyes.

"Who?"

"Don't pretend, Father. Arabella was here."

Dominic closed the folder.

"She has already left."

Alexander noticed the engagement ring on the table.

"She returned it?"

"Yes."

He picked it up, staring at it in disbelief.

"I need to talk to her."

"She doesn't want to talk to you."

"That's between us!"

Dominic stood.

"And you should respect her decision."

Alexander's expression hardened.

"Why are you suddenly so concerned about her?"

The question lingered between them.

Dominic looked directly into his son's eyes.

"Because she deserves better than what you gave her."

Alexander laughed bitterly.

"Don't tell me you have feelings for her."

Dominic's expression remained unreadable.

"Be careful with your accusations."

But Alexander had already noticed the change in his father's voice.

For the first time, an uncomfortable suspicion crossed his mind.

Across the city, Vanessa sat inside her apartment, scrolling through photographs on her phone.

One particular photograph caught her attention.

It showed Arabella arriving at the Blackwood residence earlier that evening.

Vanessa smiled as she zoomed in.

"Interesting."

She immediately sent the photograph to Alexander.

A few seconds later, his phone vibrated.

Vanessa: Your father seems very interested in your ex-girlfriend.

Alexander stared at the photograph.

His jaw tightened.

Then another message appeared.

Vanessa: Are you sure there's nothing going on between them?

Alexander slowly lowered his phone.

He remembered his father's unusual concern for Arabella.

And suddenly, he felt something he hadn't expected.

Jealousy.

But what he didn't know was that Vanessa was only beginning to play her game.

Because she had discovered something even more dangerous—something hidden in the Blackwood family records.

And she intended to use it against them all.