Chapter 431

Oliver guided Isabella to the dining table. He had spent the entire previous evening scrubbing every surface. He even washed all the dishes and mopped the floors. Isabella was touched by his effort, though her eyes still scanned the room. She spotted her phone resting on a nearby shelf. As she began to rise, Oliver suddenly spoke up. "Mommy, wait! I'll get it!" His small form darted across the room. He carefully retrieved the device and brought it to her. He handled it with extreme caution, as if it were fragile. His entire demeanor radiated a protective anxiety. Isabella reached out and gently tousled his soft hair. "My sweet boy, you're the child here. Let Mommy take care of you, alright?" Oliver shook his head, his expression serious. "But the baby inside you is smaller than me. A big brother protects his sister. Please, just sit. I will bring your breakfast." He hurried toward the kitchen before she could protest. Isabella watched him go, a mixture of surprise and warmth flooding her. She decided not to stop him, allowing him this gesture.

She unlocked her phone. The screen lit up with a flood of overnight notifications. Among them were several messages from Alexander. [Alexander: Good morning.] [Alexander: Sleep well.] [Alexander: Have you eaten?] She stared at them for a long moment, her finger hovering. She chose not to reply. Instead, she tapped on the messages from Maxwell. [Maxwell: Urgent news, Ms. Montgomery! Victoria has acquired Mr. Montgomery's shares! She's launched a massive PR campaign to rebuild her image!] [Maxwell: Ms. Montgomery, are you there? The situation is critical. Victoria now controls sixty percent of Montgomery Group! This is disastrous!] A deep frown etched itself onto Isabella's face. She quickly opened a social media app. The top trending topic was #ThePhoenixInitiative. She scrolled through the feed. There was no criticism. Not a single negative comment. Every post praised Victoria. They highlighted her support for various women's charities. They applauded her donations. They celebrated her work helping women regain their confidence. The most shocking development was her new alliance with city officials. Together, they were investigating major drug rings and criminal syndicates. Her destroyed reputation was not just repaired; it was being sanctified. Isabella's frown deepened. None of this would be possible without the Montgomery family's influence and connections. Those officials were Theodore Montgomery's longtime associates. Why would he ever willingly hand over sixty percent of his life's work? A cold dread settled in her stomach. She immediately dialed her grandfather.

"Grandfather, how are you feeling? Is your health stable?" "I'm managing. I've been better," Theodore Montgomery replied, his voice heavy with a weary sigh. Isabella pressed on, her tone soft but insistent. "Grandfather, something is wrong. I can hear it in your voice. Please, tell me what happened. Let me help you." Another long, drawn-out sigh traveled through the phone. "Ah, Isabella... So many people have called asking the same thing since yesterday. I had no other choice. Just... let it go. I don't want to burden you with this." His evasion only sharpened her concern.

Her voice firmed with resolve. "There is nothing I cannot handle. If you won't tell me, I will use every resource at my disposal to find out the truth myself." Hearing the steel in her words, Theodore finally relented. His voice dropped to a defeated whisper. "Victoria... she has Benjamin. She kidnapped him. He's her prisoner now..."

Everything clicked into place for Isabella. Of course. That explained everything. It was the only leverage powerful enough to force Theodore's hand. To make him surrender his shares and use his influence to rehabilitate Victoria's name. The woman had finally made her move against the family directly. Isabella had anticipated this escalation. "Don't worry, Grandfather. Looking at her current strategy, Benjamin is her only valuable asset. She won't risk harming him. I give you my word. I will get him back safely within three days."

"Truly? You're certain?" A fragile thread of hope wove itself into Theodore's weary tone.