KEY TO THE CEO'S HEART

CHAPTER FOUR

The ivory paper of the letter glinted in the gentle light from the chandelier overhead as it sat between Thomas and Margaret Ashbourne. Despite being a lovely touch, the sophisticated gold embossing felt out of place and was almost mocking in its formality. The letter served as a lifeline and wasn't just another letter.

Margaret muttered, "Look at this," her voice a taut thread of stress. As her eyes scanned the words for what must have been the third time, she stroked her fingertips along the edge of the embossed paper, hardly noticing the movement. We might be saved by this. It might make things better.

Leaning forward, Thomas stared at the letter. The weight of the weeks that had gone by cast shadows across his weary eyelids. The stress of their daughter's behaviour has caused deep lines to appear on his face, causing him to age significantly over the last few months. Despite being unexpected, this marriage proposal appeared to be their only opportunity to mend the damage.

His eyebrows furrowed as he whispered, "Do you really think she'll accept?" He was still thinking about what had happened with Isabella. They were all on edge because of her careless actions.

Margaret's determination solidified as she squeezed her lips together. "She is powerless. This is the least she can do to make up for the harm she has caused us after everything she has done."

Her words had the consistency of ice, but underlying them was something worse. Isabella's disobedience wasn't the only thing that hurt their family's reputation and name.

Thomas took a while to reply. The quiet between them was thick with unspoken ideas. He finally nodded, although his sigh showed that he was nervous.

"I’ll bring her in," Margaret said decisively.

After a tense period, they heard the door creak softly, and Isabella was standing there, poised and distant, her face wearing a calm mask of indifference. She moved slowly and deliberately across the room, already tense. The tension in the room increased as her gaze swept across the room before falling on her parents.

"What’s this about?" Isabella's tone already conveyed her annoyance, and her voice was sharp. Her body language was locked off, and her arms were crossed.

Before she spoke, Margaret and Thomas exchanged glances. Isabella, have a seat. We need to talk about something serious.

Something flared in Isabella's eyes—suspicions? Are you annoyed? Her legs crossed elegantly as she lowered herself into the seat, creating the ideal image of poise. However, as she looked at her parents, there was a hint of restlessness in her eyes. "Go on," she asked, obviously not interested.

In an attempt to sound informal, Thomas cleared his throat. "An offer has been made to us. A suggestion. from the Blackwoods. Specifically, Alexander Blackwood."

For a brief moment, Isabella's demeanour wavered, but it was clear that her eyes were filled with surprise and bewilderment. She raised an eyebrow and laughed dryly. "You're not serious. Blackwood, Alexander? The wheelchair-bound man?"

At her daughter's remarks, Margaret tensed up. This was obviously going to be a difficult talk. "Despite being confined to a wheelchair, he is nonetheless the Blackwood fortune's heir. Isabella, the family's riches and power will more than suffice to ensure your future. You would be joining one of the nation's most influential families.

Isabella shook her head and scoffed, the sound harsh. "So, in order to improve your reputation, you want me to wed a cripple? You hear how ridiculous that sounds?

Margaret remained composed even as her jaw tightened. "Looks aren't important here. It has to do with accountability. The public has noticed what you've done lately. You would regain the respect you've lost and the stability you require if you married into the Blackwood family.

Isabella leant back in her chair as her eyes hardened. As she narrowed her eyes, the rebellious streak that had always been there sprang alive. "This is your penalty for me, then. To save face, you're offering me up. Am I correct?

Thomas's patience snapped and he stood up suddenly. "Enough, Isabella!" He spoke louder than he meant to, and Margaret and Isabella were surprised by the authority in his tone.

As she looked into his eyes, Isabella's lip curved into a scowl. "You believe I'll simply accept this? That your little game will be played by me? What will happen if I don't?

"You won't refuse, Isabella," Margaret said with a resolute, icy gaze. You can't just walk away now because you've already made your decisions."

Isabella's fists tightened beneath the table as the words hung in the air like a threat. As the anger inside her grew like a tempest about to explode, her nails drove into her palms.

Her voice trembled with repressed wrath as she snarled, "Is this my life, or is it just another game for you to control?" She could no longer conceal the feelings that were brewing beneath her skin.

Margaret's unwavering, piercing look matched her daughter's resistance. Isabella, this is your life. And it's going out of control right now. You must either wed Alexander Blackwood and restore the honour you have destroyed, or else you will be left to deal with the fallout on your own.

There was an overwhelming quiet in the room. Isabella's mind was racing with feelings of embarrassment, rage, and frustration. However, there was no way out of the trap her parents had set. She was left with no other option.

Isabella whispered, "Fine," her voice just above a whisper. "I’ll think about it."

She turned aside and stood with her back straight and her chin up. Her mind was already planning her next move, though, beneath the polished exterior.

Sarah heard bits of the intense discussion as she was leaving, standing outside the library. Even though her parents' voices were muffled, they could still be heard over the heavy doors. As she sought to interpret the words, she stopped in place, her hand resting on the doorframe.

Margaret's tone was piercing. "We can't continue to cover for her. We could be destroyed by this last scandal. Isabella has tried everything, but nothing has worked. Nothing is sufficient.

Thomas's voice came next, more subdued but resigned. "I understand. We're being forced into a corner by her. However, I have a remedy. A solution to the whole problem."

Emily's heart started pounding. With the unknown racing through her head, she asked herself, "What solution?"

The weight of the conversation hung in the air for a long moment. Thomas finally spoke, but he did so slowly and almost hesitantly. "We offer Emily in Isabella’s place."

Emily felt the words strike her like a blow. Her throat tightened with breath. Her pulse thumping in her ears, she stood motionless.

There was uncertainty in Margaret's tone. "You mean... send Emily to marry Alexander Blackwood?"

"Yes," Thomas said, his tone becoming more stern. "Isabella made it clear she won’t marry him. The Blackwoods don’t know Emily like they know Isabella. No one will know the difference. In public, both carry the Ashbourne name. We can keep the distinction hidden."

The words echoed in Emily’s mind, each one more suffocating than the last. Her life had become a pawn in a game she never agreed to play.

"Do you think the Blackwoods will accept her?" Margaret asked, her voice filled with doubt.

Thomas’s voice was softer but resolute. "Emily has always adapted. Unlike Isabella, she won’t bring scandal. She’s steady, humble... She’ll handle this. And with her as their daughter-in-law, we secure our future, our name."

Emily felt a wave of dizziness crash over her, her body still pressed against the doorframe as the realization settled in. She wasn’t a person to them anymore. She was a solution, a commodity to protect the family name. And there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Every word felt like a knife twisting in her chest as she stood in the cold, dark corridor, the weight of her fate pressing down on her.

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