Chapter 26

THE UNEXPECTED GUEST

The wedding had been lovely, private, and joyful—everything Xander and Isabella had imagined. Under the gentle warmth of the sunset sun, they celebrated with their closest friends by their sides. After all the storms of the past, they had finally found some peace, as evidenced by the laughter and love that permeated the air.

However, that peace did not last long.

Guests gathered around the cosy firepit as the night became darker and gentle music played in the background. The brilliant glow of automobile headlights at the end of the long driveway emerged just as everyone was beginning to unwind. Watching the automobile come closer, Xander's gaze narrowed. Nobody else was anticipated, particularly at this hour.

Isabella came over after noticing the abrupt change in his attitude. She looked worriedly towards the car and said, "Who could it be?"

"I don't know," Xander said in a cool but cautious tone. "Remain near me."

The driver's door creaked open as the vehicle came to a stop. A tall, shadow-covered man emerged. Xander's eyes widened in shock as the figure approached. He never imagined seeing the face that appeared again.

It was Xander's father, Alexander Blackwood, who had a troubled history and a cold heart.

A FATHER'S DEMAND

As the elderly man confidently went towards Xander and Isabella, the guests exchanged bewildered looks. His angular face and greying hair suggested a life filled with power and secrets. But everyone felt uneasy because of the coolness in his presence.

Xander took a step forward, his face a mixture of surprise and rage. He shouted, "What are you doing here?"

The icy, well-practiced smile of Alexander Blackwood. "On your wedding day, is that really how you greet your father?"

With a forceful and emotionally charged voice, Xander declared, "You're not welcome here." "That right was taken away from you a long time ago."

Alexander's eyes strayed to Isabella, studying her with penetrating eyes. With a flawless smile that stopped short of his eyes, he extended his hand and remarked, "So, this is the lovely bride." "I have heard a lot about you."

After hesitating, Isabella chose not to accept his hand. He had a very disturbing quality about him, and she felt compelled to retreat automatically.

Xander's instinct for protection flared, and he hurried between them. “Alexander, what do you want?”

The older man's steely look took the place of his smile. "Son," he replied, "I need something from you." "Something I can only get from you."

With a look of astonishment on his face, Xander shook his head. "After all this time, do you really believe you can just show up and demand something? following all that you did?

Alexander's eyes became stony. "Xander, this isn't a request. I'm here to collect what you owe me.

A DARK FAMILY SECRET

Xander and Isabella sat by the fireplace later that evening after the last of the visitors had left. Despite the silence, there was tension in the room. As though to keep himself together, Xander's hands tightened hard around the chair's arms.

"Xander, who is he really?" Isabella enquired in a kind but worried tone. "What is it that he wants from you?"

Xander's jaw tightened as he gazed into the fading flames. He started gently by saying, "He's not just my father." "I become who I am now because of him. He was ruthless, cunning, and only ever concerned about power. When I was younger, he exploited me to grow his empire, but I left it all when I refused to follow his lead.

As Isabella heard his story, her heart ached. She could see the scars of a betrayed past, the pain etched in his face.

She said, "What does he want now?"

Xander's resolve darkened his gaze. "He desires authority. He is coming to reclaim my life and my business, which he believes are his. He will use whatever means necessary to obtain what he desires, including blackmail and manipulation. However, I won't let him to.

Isabella grasped his hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "We'll confront whatever it is together. If we don't back down, he can't win.

However, Xander understood in his heart that his father wasn't prone to making baseless threats. No matter what, Alexander Blackwood had a plan. And Xander was afraid that this time would be more perilous than anything he had ever encountered.

A WEB OF LIES

A feeling of anxiety dominated their lives in the days that followed. Alexander started to take action, contacting business associates, circulating rumours, and sowing distrust in Xander's organisation. His long-term strategy was evident, and it was all intended to exert pressure on Xander.

Isabella then discovered a parcel on their doorstep one evening. It was just a basic brown envelope with no name or return address. There were business records, old contracts, and a faded picture of a young Xander with an unfamiliar woman in it.

She delivered the papers to Xander, bewildered. He went white as soon as he saw the picture.

"That's my mother," he said, hardly believing what he was seeing.

Isabella responded, perplexed, "But you told me she died when you were young."

"She did," Xander said, continuing to gaze in disbelief at the picture. "That's what my father told me, anyway."

Isabella felt her heart beat faster. "Xander, what are you saying?"

In an attempt to make sense of everything, he shook his head. "I never gave it any thought. She passed away in an automobile accident, according to my father. However, I'm not sure what to believe anymore.

A more sinister image of a complex network of secrets that Alexander had concealed for years started to surface as they combed through the records. It became evident that he had manipulated every element of Xander’s existence. They now had to deal with the potential that Xander's mother was still alive.

A RACE AGAINST TIME

Determined to find the truth, Xander and Isabella set out on a quest that led them to long-forgotten locations, former Alexander employees, and old mansions. Every clue increased their risk while also bringing them closer to the truth.

They came to understand the extent of Alexander's effect with each step. He had connections to criminal organisations, and it was obvious that he would do whatever it took to keep his secrets safe. They were running out of time, and they might lose everything, including one another, if they didn't discover the answers quickly.

But Xander and Isabella were determined together. They had encountered numerous difficulties previously, but this time, more than just their lives were on the line. The truth had the power to either liberate or destroy them.