CHAPTER 184: CHAPTER 184 FAMILY SHADOWS

Author’s POV

Serena glanced between grandmother and grandson, uncertain if she should attempt to mediate, but decided against inserting herself into their complex dynamic. She nodded and followed Ryan toward the door.

Once outside with the door firmly closed behind them, Serena couldn’t contain her questions.

"What happened in there? Did she give you a hard time?" she asked worriedly, her forehead creased with concern. She was anxious about a repeat of their last difficult encounter.

Ryan shook his head. "She didn’t say anything."

"Nothing at all?" Serena’s confusion was evident. "Then what was the point of..."

She trailed off, struggling to understand Evelyn’s motivation for summoning Ryan to her hospital bedside only to maintain a stony silence. Had she misread the situation entirely? Was Evelyn’s hospitalization genuinely just a physical response to the stress of the family scandal?

Ryan’s hand found hers, his grip firm and reassuring despite the conflict etched across his features.

"Serena," he said, his voice low and controlled despite the storm brewing beneath. "Kane is trying to weaponize my parents’ deaths. He’s reopening old wounds."

"The only reason he wasn’t imprisoned years ago was insufficient evidence. That’s why I engineered the accident that left him in that wheelchair." Ryan’s jaw tightened as he added, "Not finishing the job then was my mistake. I showed mercy."

Serena frowned, concern etching her features as she studied his face. "Ryan, are you okay?"

She knew losing parents in a car accident was a wound that never truly healed for anyone. Kane was truly despicable to rip open that scar and attempt to twist the narrative, smearing Ryan’s reputation with such blatant lies.

"I’m fine," Ryan replied, though his eyes told a different story—dark with barely contained rage. "But I won’t let this go. Not this time."

"What about Evelyn?" Serena glanced toward the hospital room they’d just left. The elderly matriarch’s decision to check herself into the hospital seemed calculated—her way of expressing disapproval without direct confrontation.

The old woman’s silence spoke volumes. It was the kind of invisible pressure that cut deeper than words ever could.

Though Ryan had always respected his grandmother, Serena could see this crossed a line he couldn’t ignore. There was only so much disappointment one heart could take before it stopped caring altogether.

"I already gave Kane opportunities out of respect for my grandmother," Ryan said, his voice hardening. "Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even made it back to the city."

Serena’s heart ached for him. The Blackwood family was a masterclass in dysfunction—maintaining appearances while harboring deep divisions.

She moved closer, reaching up to touch his angular face, her fingers gentle against his skin. "You’ve been through so much lately. You’ve lost weight, you’re under constant pressure, and now this..."

Her voice softened with genuine concern. "I wish I knew how to help you through this."

Ryan caught her hand and pressed it more firmly against his cheek, his eyes softening momentarily as they met hers. "Having you beside me is enough, Serena. That’s all I need."

---

The media frenzy continued to build despite the Blackwood PR team’s best efforts to contain it. Every news outlet in the country seemed fixated on the story.

In his perfectly orchestrated press conference, Kane Blackwood played his role masterfully—the injured uncle, frail in his wheelchair, a picture of suffering dignity.

Ryan watched the broadcast with cold fury as Kane delivered his performance.

"I always believed what happened was an accident," Kane said, his voice trembling with practiced emotion. "But then I discovered evidence that suggested otherwise. I never imagined..."

He paused dramatically, appearing overcome with emotion—a calculated move that sent reporters into a feeding frenzy.

"Mr. Blackwood, why didn’t you go to the police when you discovered this?" one reporter called out.

"Do you actually have evidence to support these claims?" asked another.

"Will you be filing legal charges against your nephew?" a third voice demanded.

Kane raised his hands in a placating gesture, the very picture of reluctant forbearance. "He’s family—my own nephew. Whatever happened, I believe he must carry some guilt for his actions."

His voice dropped to a tone of regretful resignation. "We both bear the Blackwood name. And now that he controls the company, I..."

The deliberate trailing off was masterful—implying fear of Ryan’s power and position without actually saying it. It was a calculated appeal for sympathy, positioning himself as the vulnerable victim afraid to challenge a powerful oppressor.

The press conference ended prematurely, with Kane being wheeled away by his assistant as reporters scrambled after him, shouting follow-up questions.

Kane responded only with silence—the final act in his carefully crafted drama.

Ryan switched off the screen, his expression unreadable. "He’s good," he remarked coldly. "Too bad I’m not interested in playing his game."

He turned to his assistant who had just entered the office. "What have you found about Lucian West?"

"Mr. Blackwood, we’ve confirmed that the Ansett’s missing son was placed in the same orphanage. All evidence suggests Lucian West is indeed the Ansett heir."

Ryan’s eyes flashed with grim satisfaction. The puzzle pieces were finally fitting together.

This explained everything—why Lucian had targeted him from the moment he returned to the country, why he’d made such efforts to get close to Serena, why he seemed to have a personal vendetta against Blackwood Enterprises.

But something still didn’t add up. Would his parents really have deliberately bankrupted another family? It went against everything he knew about them.

"Find any surviving members of the Ansett family or their former associates," Ryan instructed. "We need to uncover the full truth behind their bankruptcy."

"Yes, sir." The assistant nodded, then hesitated. "And regarding the current media situation with your uncle—how would you like to proceed?"

Ryan’s expression hardened. "Kane wouldn’t make such a bold move without a reason. Beyond damaging my reputation, he’s clearly angling for control of the company. Let him make his moves—we’ll be ready."

The assistant had barely left the office when Ryan’s secretary rushed in, her expression tense. "Mr. Blackwood, there’s news about a board meeting."

Ryan frowned. "I didn’t call any meeting."

"No, sir. It wasn’t called by you." Her voice faltered slightly. "It was called by... Mr. Kane Blackwood."

Understanding dawned in Ryan’s eyes. This was what Kane had been planning all along—using the media scandal as leverage to sway the board. "When?"

"Tomorrow morning, sir."

Ryan’s lips curved into a cold smile. Kane had finally shown his hand—and walked directly into Ryan’s trap.