Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 1/14 After lunch , Mabel pulled her usual trick - sending Caroline and Eloise off under some pretense , leaving Alistair behind . Caroline glanced helplessly at Alistair before sighing , " Grandma … " " Oh , relax , " Mabel said with a wave of her hand . " I just want a word with Alistair . I'm not going to bite him . Right , Alistair ? " " I'll be fine , " Alistair said gently , offering Caroline a reassuring smile . But the moment she walked out , the confidence left him . He sat awkwardly on the edge of the couch , back ramrod straight like a student kept after class for unfinished homework . Mabel chuckled , clearly amused , " Loosen up , dear . I promise , I don't bite . " That broke the ice . Alistair let out a shy laugh , embarrassed by how tense he was . It wasn't like he was being interrogated by a firing squad . Mabel had a kind face , and Caroline had always been protective of him . So what exactly am I afraid of ? Just because I'm not " ideal " on paper ? That's not really a crime , is it ? Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction " I've heard a bit about your situation , " Mabel said , her voice softening . Alistair felt his shoulders ease . He smiled sheepishly , " I'm not really someone who deserves Caroline . " 2/14 Mabel frowned , " Don't sell yourself short . That kind of talk doesn't sit well with me . Caroline chose you , and that's all I need to know . " " Thank you , " he said quietly . " We're family now , " Mabel said kindly . " And family doesn't need to toss around words like ' thank you ' all the time . " But then her expression shifted . Her voice , while still calm , carried more weight now . " But let's get one thing clear . Caroline is a good girl - no , she's an exceptional one . I won't lie , she's the pride of this family . Since she chose you , you'd better understand what that means . You don't get to hurt her . Not . ever . If you do , I swear I won't go easy on you . ". Alistair sat up straighter , his hand instinctively raising in a solemn gesture . " I promise I'll treat her well for the rest of my life . If I ever hurt her , may I- " " Alright , alright , " Mabel interrupted quickly , waving her hand . " That's enough . No need to tempt fate . " Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 3/14 There was a certain reverence in her tone , the kind that came from someone who didn't take fate lightly . She sighed , muttering under her breath , " Caroline's a good kid , but she's too headstrong sometimes . Didn't even warn us before dragging you home - caught me completely unprepared . " Even as she grumbled , she reached into a drawer and slid a small notebook across the table toward him . " We didn't have time to plan this properly , so I couldn't prepare a proper gift . But here's something from me , if you're willing to accept it . " He glanced down . It was a property deed - for a villa in SoHo . He froze . " This … this is too much . I can't possibly accept it . " Mabel's expression darkened . " What's so ' much ' about it ? It's just a villa . Don't tell me you're turning it down because you . think my gift is cheap or rushed . " " No , not at all , " Alistair said quickly , flustered . " It's just … I didn't bring you anything in return … " Mabel laughed , warm and wide , the lines around her eyes deepening , " Just take care of Caroline and Eloise . That's the only gift I care about . And it's a lifelong one - far more valuable than a villa . " Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction He couldn't find the words to answer . 4/14 People with wealth … maybe that's why they don't cling to material things . They know what really matters . They know sincerity when they see it . Suddenly , Mabel's gaze sharpened again . " Now tell me the truth . Is this marriage between you and Caroline just a transaction ? " His mind went blank . Cold prickled down his spine . Of course she'd ask . Caroline warned me - her grandma sees through everything . He was ready for this . At least , he thought he was . No matter how rattled he felt inside , his face remained steady . " Please trust us . We would never treat something as serious as marriage like a joke . " And even as the words left his mouth , guilt followed right after . A lie . But a kind one . Mabel stared him down for a long moment . Then , she threw her head back and laughed , " Oh , I'm just messing with you . Look at you - completely frozen ! " He tried to smile , but it was more relief than amusement . " You'll go sign the transfer this afternoon . Alban will take you , " she said , her tone leaving no room for argument . Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction Alban Fairfax was Ashbourne Manor's long - time butler . 5/14 At this point , if Alistair insisted on declining , it wouldn't just be impolite - it would be outright ungrateful . So he accepted it with a quiet nod . Better to go along with it now . He could always return the villa to Caroline later if it came to that . He'd never been the kind to covet what wasn't his . Never mind the fact that Caroline was already paying him a million dollars a month . Just then , Alban approached from the hallway . He was in his fifties , silver - haired , lean , and dressed in a sharply tailored black suit . He looked more like a tenured professor than a servant . " You're just in time , " Mabel told him . " Take Alistair to finalize the paperwork this afternoon . " " Yes , Madam Ashbourne , " Alban replied . Then , with a slight bow , he added , " Agnes has packed her things . She wishes to see you before leaving . " Mabel's smile faded . " She's leaving . No need for goodbyes . " But after a pause , she relented . " She's been with us long enough . Let her in . " Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 6/14 Agnes walked in with her head slightly bowed , guilt written all over her face . But the moment her eyes met Alistair's , something twisted in his gut . That familiar uncase crept back in . At this moment , the voice of the Life Choice System rang out again in his mind . " You sense that the Ashbourne family may be in danger . What will you do ? " Option one : stay out of it . You're not really part of this family . This is just a temporary arrangement , and sooner or later , you'll be gone . Their problems aren't yours . " The reward for it is 100 system credits . " Option two : help them . You may not be truly married to Caroline , but she's treated you with nothing but kindness . Mabel just welcomed you into the family . You may not belong here- but that doesn't mean you get to stand aside . " The reward for it is 200 system credits . " Alistair didn't need to think long . He'd grown used to the system handing him dilemmas like this , always dangling a reward behind some moral test . But truthfully , even if it hadn't said a word , he already knew . what he'd choose . Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 7/14 With or without a reward , he wasn't about to stand by and do nothing . The problem was , all he had right now was a feeling - a strong , unshakable feeling that something was off. And every part of him was telling him Agnes was at the center of it . But without proof , what could he say ? He couldn't just march up to her , grab her by the collar , and demand to know what she was plotting . That would be insane . Last time , he'd caught her off guard - her panic had given her away . This time ? She looked calm , composed , and prepared . If he acted now , all he'd do was scare her into hiding whatever it was she was planning . And that would only make things worse . The moment the idea hit him , Alistair pulled up the System Store on instinct . He scrolled quickly , hoping - no , needing - to find something useful . Then he saw it , and his heart nearly leapt into his throat . " Inner Voice skill acquired . Lock onto one target and hear his thoughts for one hour . It costs 200 system credits . " He didn't hesitate for a second to buy it . The credits were a gift from the system anyway , a reward for making the right choice earlier . If he could stop the Ashbourne Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 8/14 family from walking into a disaster because of it , then the price was more than worth it . " Target locked - Agnes Crowley . " As the system's calm voice echoed in his mind , a new one . followed - cold , sharp , and filled with bitterness . " I've worked for the Ashbourne family for years . Even if I haven't earned their praise , I should have earned their damn respect , shouldn't I ? Nobody's perfect . So I made some mistakes -does that mean I don't deserve a second chance ? Just like that , I'm out ? Fired without so much as a thank - you ? Heartless . " Alistair picked up his coffee cup without flinching , hiding his rising tension behind a calm facade . Wow . She's really bitter . Not only did Agnes not regret her actions , but she was actively resenting the family for holding her accountable . There was no remorse - only spite . " Fine . They want to play rough ? I'll play dirtier . Let's see how high and mighty they are when it all comes crashing down . " So she really is planning something . Alistair couldn't understand it - was this woman insane ? The Ashbournes weren't just wealthy . They held real power . If anything went wrong , if even a sliver of this was exposed , she Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 9/14 wouldn't just be in trouble - she'd be destroyed . This was the kind of plan that hurt both sides . There was nothing to gain from it , not for her . Not unless she had a death wish . But Alistair didn't believe she was that kind of person . She wasn't stupid . The more he heard , the more uneasy he became . She was clearly planning something - but what exactly ? That part still eluded him . He had no choice but to keep listening , forcing himself to stay patient , hoping she'd eventually give herself away . " Madam Ashbourne , thank you for everything these past years , " Agnes said aloud , her voice trembling with fake sentiment . " I'll be going now . " Mabel nodded without looking at her . She wasn't going to drag out the departure with bitterness . Agnes had served her family long enough . A little dignity , even undeserved , cost nothing . " Mr. Vaughn promised me a cushy job once this is done . No. stress , good pay . All I need is for this plan to work . Please , God , let it work . " My sister hasn't found work since Caroline fired her . Word got around . Someone made sure of it . Probably her . I came today just to see the old hag one last time . Hopefully she'll take pity on me and not blacklist me for good . Otherwise , not even Mr. Vaughn can save me . " Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction Wait - Mr . Vaughn ? Preston Vaughn ? That name hit like ice water to the face . 10/14 Of course . Caroline's so - called admirer . So this whole thing is tied to him ? And Agnes ' sister …. Alistair's mind raced , and suddenly the pieces fell into place . Caroline had once fired a woman who looked eerily similar to Agnes . They were sisters . That explained everything . No wonder this feels personal . The scheme was deeper than he'd thought . He leaned back slightly , heart pounding now , trying not to miss a word . Thankfully , the voice in his mind wasn't bound by volume or noise . Agnes ' thoughts came through with stunning clarity . She turned away with a respectful nod , her demeanor impeccable , and began walking off . On the surface , Alistair remained calm , unreadable - but inside , frustration gnawed at him . Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 11/14 What the hell are you planning ? Come on , just say it already . Agnes ' eyes flicked back in his direction , seemingly by chance . She smiled , sweet and practiced . " I'm truly sorry , Mr. Harlow . I didn't mean anything by it … I made a mistake , and I hope you can forgive me . " If Alistair hadn't been listening in on her internal monologue , he might've actually believed her . Instead , he returned her fake sincerity with a matching smile . " It's all in the past . " Agnes ' inner thoughts emerged in his mind again . " As if . He really thinks he belongs here ? What a joke . Even if Madam Ashbourne approves of him , he'll never get past Mr. Ashbourne . " Mr. Ashbourne … that must be Caroline's father . Alistair wasn't particularly concerned with the man's approval . But what came next nearly made his blood freeze . " Once Madam Ashbourn falls into the lake and Vaughn swoops in to save her , Caroline will have no choice but to be grateful . She won't be able to refuse him after that . " What ! That's the plan ? They're going to … stage an accident ? Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 12/14 Apparently , there had once been a pond on the manor , but it had been filled in when Eloise arrived . Caroline had been worried about her falling in while playing , so they turned it into a kids ' play area . Which meant … the lake must be outside the property grounds . " And when Madam Ashbourn ends up in that water , everyone will look at this lucky bastard - this walking curse who showed up just in time for things to go wrong . Let's see how well that sits with the family . " Agnes finally left the room , and Alistair sat there , calculating . So it's an outside lake . Makes sense . But what nagged at him was how confident Agnes had sounded . How does she know Mabel will go there today ? She's not the type to just wander lakeside on a whim … is she ? It wasn't impossible . If that was the case , then keeping Mabel away from the water should be simple enough - as long as he had a good reason to do it . From what he'd heard in her thoughts , Preston hadn't given up . He was still trying to stage some grand gesture , some setup to get closer to Caroline . He probably didn't intend to hurt Mabel - not really . But if Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 13/14 something went wrong , if the rescue didn't happen fast enough , who knew how bad it could get ? Alistair pulled out his phone and ran a quick search . Sure enough , there was a lake less than half a mile from the house . Just then , Mabel called out cheerfully , " Eloise , come on , let's go feed the fish ! " Alistair snapped to attention . " Feed the fish ? " he echoed , trying to sound casual . Caroline nodded , completely unaware of his rising alarm . " Yeah , Eloise asked Grandma to take her . They made plans last time . That lake's full of fish . " That's it . That's how they knew . Agnes must've overheard the plan and fed the info straight to Preston . He , in turn , spun it into an opportunity to win Caroline over - an " accidental " fall , a heroic save , and a forced debt of gratitude . The skies were clear , and the sun was bright - it was a perfect day for an outing . And that was exactly what made it so dangerous . Eloise's face lit up with excitement , practically bouncing in place . Alistair couldn't find it in himself to stop her . " I haven't been feeding anything in ages , " he said , feigning enthusiasm . Chapter 36 A Proper Introduction 14/14 Eloise turned to him , eyes wide with hope . " Then come with us , Daddy ! Please ? "