Chapter 227

The truth was, Daniel and Amelia's marriage wasn't legally binding yet—they hadn’t even signed the marriage certificate. Perhaps Amelia was holding onto some lingering hope, which explained why she kept delaying the paperwork and insisted on holding the wedding ceremony first.

That made stopping this wedding all the more crucial.

Curious, Evelyn asked Nathan whether she should relay the recent conversation between Victor and Mason to Daniel.

Nathan advised her to wait for concrete evidence.

Deep down, Evelyn hoped Nathan would uncover something damning about Amelia. If it was just the issue of an illegitimate child, bringing it up on someone’s wedding day would be in poor taste. It was a conversation better suited for after the ceremony. Besides, even if mentioned beforehand, it wouldn’t necessarily derail the wedding.

Nathan shared the same sentiment. He knew that merely revealing the existence of an illegitimate child would only disgust Daniel, not deter him.

Not to mention, the bond between Daniel and Amelia had been forged over years. A few offhand remarks from Nathan wouldn’t be enough to shake his resolve. Solid proof was necessary.

Evelyn and Nathan returned to the ballroom, spotting Mason and Sophia among the crowd. They were politely greeting Victor and Serena, behaving like any well-mannered younger generation would.

Serena didn’t recognize them at all, yet she maintained flawless decorum.

Victor studied Sophia with a gaze brimming with approval.

No matter how Evelyn looked at it, the scene was sickening. Two men deceiving two unsuspecting women—it was nothing short of repulsive.

The scattered members of the Blackwood family had already regrouped, unable to resist discussing the scandalous gossip they’d overheard. Hearing Evelyn’s silent thoughts, they couldn’t help but shoot disdainful glances toward Victor and Mason.

Ugh, watching these two scoundrels communicate through subtle glances is infuriating. Do they really think everyone else is blind?

The Blackwoods had noticed it too—the calculating, meaningful looks exchanged between that father-son pair. It was enough to make one’s blood boil.

I’d heard that, compared to Serena, Victor was more accepting of Daniel marrying Amelia. At first, I couldn’t understand why—usually, patriarchs of influential families push for strategic marriages to secure alliances. But now it makes sense. He already has a backup plan. If Daniel insists on his career as a detective and refuses to inherit the family empire, Victor wouldn’t want his power falling into the hands of his nephews. Naturally, his own son would be the preferred successor. So, Daniel marrying Amelia isn’t a problem for him.

Originally, he planned to use his failing health to guilt-trip his wife’s family into legitimizing his illegitimate son. But now that Mason has found a wealthy girlfriend, he’s already scheming. If Mason really manages to win over Sophia Reed…

The thought alone was enough to make Evelyn’s stomach churn.

Nathan Blackwood intended to accelerate his plans and bring Mason Wright back into the fold.

In truth, the meteoric rise of the Reed family had been heavily supported by the military connections of Serena Collins' family.

Now, the fact that Victor Reed wanted to leave all his achievements to his illegitimate child with his mistress was utterly revolting.

Not to mention, Mason had also devised a cunning scheme that struck from multiple angles.

Margaret had considered informing Serena about the situation, but her family had stopped her. They believed an outsider exposing such a scandal might come across as offensive and unbelievable.

However, things would be different if the revelation came from someone like Nathan, who shared a brotherly bond with Daniel Wright.

After exchanging pleasantries with Victor and Serena alongside Sophia Reed, Mason excused himself to mingle elsewhere.

Margaret, ever soft-hearted, couldn’t help but worry about Sophia. Yet, they weren’t particularly close. How could she possibly interfere in someone else’s romantic affairs?

Evelyn Sinclair and Nathan strolled through the grand hall, their gazes involuntarily trailing after Sophia.

She’s stunning, but what a shame she’s blind when it comes to men.

Since meeting at an elite overseas university, Mason had pursued Sophia relentlessly. Due to her family’s circumstances, the Nox family adored her unconditionally. They never cared about matching social status or wealth—Sophia’s happiness was all that mattered. Thus, they remained indifferent to Mason’s background.

Ah, what a tragedy. Sophia’s first love was Mason. Given her nature, she likely wouldn’t leave him just because of his illegitimate child. The only thing that could shatter their relationship would be discovering his affair with Amelia Bennett.

At that moment, Nathan refused to let himself be distracted by Sophia’s predicament, merely casting a cold glance in Mason’s direction.

Soon, they spotted Daniel among his circle of friends.

The group was still laughing and chatting animatedly. When they noticed Nathan and Evelyn approaching, they teased them, asking if they’d sneaked off for a secret rendezvous.

Evelyn glanced at Nathan. His expression remained as unreadable as ever, so no one suspected a thing.

She admired his composure—she, on the other hand, was practically bursting at the seams. Knowing so many scandalous secrets, she was dying to spill them all.

Unable to resist, Evelyn subtly steered the conversation toward the bride.

"How’s Amelia doing? She looked rather pale earlier."

A flicker of confusion crossed Daniel’s face. "Probably nerves. She barely slept last night. Pregnancy is exhausting, after all."

Indeed, love blinds. When it came to Amelia, Daniel’s judgment was completely clouded.

A detective's sharp instincts were utterly powerless here.

"How far along is she?" Evelyn Sinclair inquired, her curiosity piqued.

with his drink, Daniel Wright chuckled. "Almost four months now. And let me tell you, this little troublemaker is already giving his mother hell. Just wait till he's born—I'll teach him some manners!"

Oh, Daniel. There were no words.

"Four months?" Nathan Blackwood suddenly interjected, his tone unreadable. "Weren't you away on business for half a year?"

Huh. Nathan had a point. A very good one.

The room fell into stunned silence.

This wasn’t like Nathan at all. He never involved himself in personal matters, let alone voiced something so blunt. The implication hung heavy in the air—was he suggesting Daniel had been played for a fool?

If Grayson Hart had said it, Daniel might have lunged at him. But Nathan’s expression was as indifferent as ever, his interest so rare that Daniel dismissed it as idle curiosity.

With a sheepish grin, Daniel shrugged. "Yeah, I was away when Amelia came to visit. Didn’t expect that to happen, but hey—life’s full of surprises, right?"

His voice softened as he recalled that night. Amelia had shown up unannounced at his doorstep, pale and trembling, clinging to him as if he were her lifeline. "I missed you," she had whispered between tears. His heart had melted instantly.

His friends erupted into teasing laughter.

Nathan remained impassive, but Evelyn’s pulse quickened.

Oh, Daniel. You have no idea, do you?

She traveled all that way just to trick you into claiming another man’s child. And the worst part? You’ve never even touched her. All this time, you’ve been providing for someone else’s lover.

The Blackwood family members, eavesdropping nearby, nearly gasped aloud.

What?!

Nathan stiffened imperceptibly.

Daniel was painfully naive. Years with Amelia, even living together, yet he’d never pushed further. He assumed her reluctance stemmed from past trauma—that incident in the warehouse years ago. So he waited, patient, believing she needed time.

Amelia hadn’t understood her own resistance either—until Ethan came along. After being with him, she developed a twisted sense of loyalty, making Daniel’s touch unbearable. When it came time to register the baby, she got him drunk and staged the whole thing.

And he never suspected a thing.

The Blackwood family stood frozen in shock, their expressions a mixture of disbelief and horror.

I'm genuinely beginning to think Daniel Wright has lost his mind to love's delusion. The man struts around like some conquering hero, convinced he got Amelia Bennett pregnant with such ease. Not once did he pause to question whether he even remembered that supposed night together.

Now that Amelia's carrying a child, she holds all the power. She could reject Daniel without hesitation. If they were to marry, he'd be signing up for a lifetime of raising another man's child and providing for another man's woman—all while his so-called friends continue mocking him with saccharine teasing.

Meanwhile, Nathan Blackwood's phone buzzed incessantly on the marble countertop, notifications flooding in one after another.