Chapter 129

The Blackwood family lingered backstage, eager to catch the latest scandalous details before leaving. Nathan Blackwood had presented Claudia Bennett with divorce papers, officially ending their marriage. The shock had sent Claudia straight to the hospital, which explained her absence tonight. But seriously, Nathan? Your wife is lying in a hospital bed, and here you are, proposing to another woman? You always acted so righteous—who knew you could be this unhinged?

The Blackwoods: This is beyond outrageous!

What a mess. Apparently, Seraphina Delacroix had mustered the courage to explain the situation to Claudia yesterday. Though Claudia had seemed skeptical at first, a seed of doubt had been planted. But then she returned home to find the divorce papers waiting—along with a few choice words—and suddenly, innocent Seraphina was dragged back into the chaos. Nathan, for Seraphina to have crossed paths with you, she must have committed some grave sins in her past life.

A smirk tugged at Evelyn Sinclair’s lips.

Meanwhile, the Blackwood family stood speechless. This wasn’t a marriage proposal—it was a declaration of war.

Oh, and the reason for the sudden proposal? Nathan had been provoked by something his wife said…

The Blackwoods: What did she say?

Ha! Turns out, Claudia had noticed that Seraphina didn’t love Nathan at all. But Nathan refused to believe it. He was convinced he held a special place in her heart, citing the way she looked at him during their scenes together. Delusional much?

Julian Blackwood scoffed. "She’s an actress, Nathan. If she acted like she was in love with you on set, that’s just her job."

Nathan genuinely believed that Seraphina—a woman in her twenties—admired him, a refined, cultured man in his forties who took great care of himself. She often sought his advice on acting, her eyes filled with what he mistook for admiration. Unlike the polite indifference she showed other men, her attention toward him felt real. But here’s the thing—Seraphina approached all seasoned actors with the same sincerity when she needed guidance. Maybe Nathan just mistook professionalism for affection because he wanted to believe it.

Richard Blackwood sighed. "So you’ve been living in a fantasy this whole time? Just because a junior colleague asks for your advice, you think she’s in love with you? If that were true, I’d have had a harem before I retired!"

The truth? Nathan was obsessed with Seraphina’s beauty but refused to admit it. He insisted he hadn’t fallen out of love with Claudia—no, the love had faded long ago. The lack of intimacy in their marriage was proof, he claimed, because Claudia no longer stirred any desire in him.

Margaret Blackwood arched a brow. "That’s the greatest insult to a long-married couple. Or maybe the problem isn’t Claudia—maybe it’s you?"

Nathan swore Seraphina had revived his heart, making him feel alive again. For her, he was willing to face society’s scorn, to give her everything she desired.

Sophia Blackwood rolled her eyes. "Did you even ask Seraphina what she wants?"

No wonder Claudia was furious. But no matter how angry she was, she shouldn’t have directed her rage at Seraphina. She should have aimed it at her husband.

The Blackwoods nodded in agreement. Wrong target, Claudia.

This was a vicious cycle—the more Claudia insulted Seraphina, the harder Nathan defended her, escalating the conflict. Claudia’s hatred for Seraphina only grew, and Nathan’s delusions deepened. Could they please stop dragging others into their twisted mess?

The Blackwoods exchanged uneasy glances.

Something about Nathan’s words felt… off. Wait a minute—wasn’t that a line from a scene they’d cut during rehearsals? The one where the male lead, convinced he was saving the courtesan, spouted self-righteous nonsense about changing her fate? In reality, he was just feeding his own ego, basking in the illusion of being her savior.

Julian and Genevieve Blackwood remembered that scene well. In the end, the man had been drawn to the girl’s beauty and the adoration in her eyes—until he grew bored and began despising her past.

Their expressions darkened.

Isabelle Laurent frowned at Evelyn. "What’s wrong? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. You’re about to go on stage—don’t mess this up!"

Evelyn hesitated. Should she warn Isabelle about the proposal?

After a moment, she shrugged. "Just curious. Claudia didn’t show. Do you think they’ve actually divorced? If so… is Nathan really going to propose to Seraphina? What happens to our contract with her?"

Isabelle waved a hand. "Relax. Seraphina won’t say yes. As long as he doesn’t propose right now, it doesn’t matter."

Evelyn blinked. "Right now?"

Isabelle smirked. "Exactly. If he proposes now, it’ll look like he’s pressuring her—using this performance as leverage. This is her big moment. If she doesn’t sign with us, tonight could make or break her career."

Evelyn and the Blackwoods froze.

Oh. Shit.