Chapter 37 Drone Crisis 1/10 The sky was clear , the clouds sparse , and the water shimmered under the midday sun . By the lake , the open lawn buzzed with life . Children flew kites , dogs tugged at leashes , and couples strolled lazily along the winding paths . Willow branches drooped over the shore , tipped with new spring leaves , and trees Alistair couldn't name burst with white and blush - pink blossoms . The air smelled fresh and sweet- grass , petals , sunlight . Eloise bounced along the rustic wooden bridge , holding Mabel's hand and giggling with each step . Alistair followed Caroline at a measured pace , his expression relaxed , but every muscle in his body coiled tight . His senses . were sharpened to a point - ears tuned for disruption , eyes flicking over every shadow . It might've been spring , but the lake water was still freezing . If someone as sturdy as him fell in , he'd likely get sick . Mabel , elderly and fragile , would fare far worse . Preston , that smug little opportunist , he'd really risk her life just to play hero ? Chapter 37 Drone Crisis There were people scattered along the lake's edge - fishing , walking , chatting - but Alistair was certain Preston was somewhere nearby . If he wanted to swoop in at the perfect moment and save the day , he couldn't be far . 2/10 Alistair's gaze swept the scene . A man in a fisherman's hat sat nearby , watching his line . Another young couple laughed and flirted beneath a blossoming tree . None of them screamed " Preston Vaughn , " but that didn't matter . He'd never seen the man . Neither had Caroline - at least not well enough to recognize him . If I can't pick him out , I'll just keep watch . He won't get the chance . What Alistair couldn't figure out was how Preston planned . to pull it off . How could he push Mabel into the lake without raising suspicion ? It had to be subtle , deniable , a freak accident … An out - of - control dog ? A runaway kite ? A sudden shove disguised as chaos ? Beside him , Caroline caught his constant scanning and tilted her head . " Are you bored ? " He shook his head . " No. The view's actually … really beautiful . " She hesitated , clearly wanting to say more , and then let it go . Chapter 37 Drone Crisis If he wasn't ready to open up , she wasn't going to pry . 3/10 Still , she couldn't shake the feeling that something was weighing on him . It's going to take time . I knew that from the start . Then Alistair caught movement . The man in the fisherman's hat stood and began walking - straight toward them . Slowly and casually . That's him . It has to be . The timing's too perfect . Alistair's instincts flared . The area was calm . No loose dogs . No kites . Mabel was still within his line of sight , and aside from standing too close to the edge , she wasn't in any obvious danger . Yet . Then a girl - small , waifish - started weaving her way toward the bridge , her gait loose and a bit odd . At this point , anyone or anything - approaching the area was at potential threat in Alistair's eyes . Why assume Mabel would fall because of some accident or distraction ? What if it's not about a dog or a kite at all ? What if it's a person - someone unstable , unpredictable ? As long as it ended with Preston pulling Mabel out of the water and earning himself a debt of gratitude , it didn't matter how she fell in . Chapter 37 Drone Crisis Trailing behind the girl … was someone else . 4/10 Alistair's eyes narrowed just as a low buzzing filled the air - faint at first , and then rising fast , from somewhere overhead . He looked up , and it hit him all at once . A drone . It dropped from the sky in a sharp , sudden descent , heading straight for Mabel . Shit . That's it . That's how they'll do it . If it hit her , she'd fall into the lake . And right on cue , Preston would " miraculously " arrive to pull her out - earning himself a permanent seat at the Ashbourne table . The drone was nearly on her now . Mabel flinched , already stumbling back . Eloise squeaked , " Granny ! " Alistair moved . One second he was watching , and the next he was flying across the grass . He reached them in two strides and yanked both Mabel and Eloise back just as the drone smacked into the lake , sending up a geyser of water . They landed hard but safe . Crisis averted . And then , right on schedule , a man came tearing across the lawn Chapter 37 Drone Crisis like a sprinter at the Olympics . He was too late . 5/10 But if Alistair's instincts were right , he was Preston , the same man trailing behind the girl . Alistair looked over , and their eyes met . The man's face was a mess of panic and frustration . He didn't even have time to hide . it . Alistair had beaten him to the punch - and he knew it . " Granny ! Are you okay ? " Eloise was shaking , but her first thought was still Mabel . " I'm alright , sweetheart , " Mabel whispered , brushing back Eloise's curls . " Don't cry . " Caroline knelt beside them , pulling her daughter into her arms . " Are you hurt ? " " I'm fine , " Mabel said , stealing a glance at the lake . " Thanks to Alistair . Otherwise , I'd be out here giving the fish a bath - and at my age , I'm not sure I'd've made it back to dry land . " Caroline finally allowed herself to breathe . If Mabel still had the spirit to make jokes , she really was okay . " Are you alright , Madam Ashbourne ? " It was the young man - Preston , presumably - approaching now , his voice polite , but Mabel's expression turned cold the moment she saw him . " I'm fine . " he Crisis 6/10 The mood had shifted . The drone had ruined everything . Eloise was shaken , and none of them wanted to stay . Caroline lifted Eloise , but she was heavier than she looked . Alistair stepped forward , holding out his arms . " Let me take her . " Normally , Eloise clung to Caroline when upset . Sometimes , she even rejected Mabel . But today , she looked at Alistair and leaned toward him without hesitation . She wrapped her arms around his neck and nestled her chin on his shoulder , eyes closed , utterly calm . Mabel blinked in surprise . Well , I'll be damned . Maybe it really has to be Alistair . Not far off , Preston watched the scene , grinding his teeth . He'd spent so much time trying to get Eloise to like him . Everyone knew the way to Caroline's heart was through her daughter . But no matter what he did , Eloise would flinch , duck , or flat - out ignore him . He'd convinced himself it was just her personality - shy , Chapter 37 Drone Crisis 7/10 withdrawn , only responding to a few trusted people . That had given him hope . Word was , Caroline had one non - negotiable when it came to choosing a partner - her daughter had to like him . If she doesn't like anyone , then no one has the edge . Right ? That just means I've got time . Preston had thought he had time . Plenty of it . But then Caroline brought this man home . At first , he comforted himself with the idea that Eloise was equally distant with every guy who tried to get close to her mother . That she kept her distance no matter who it was . But this man - this complete nobody - had somehow made it past her defenses . Eloise had accepted him . Panic clawed at him . The plan was unraveling . He stormed forward . " Madam Ashbourne ! " Mabel stopped and turned . Preston hesitated , eyes darting away from Caroline's . " I … I came to apologize . " Caroline's voice cut clean through him . " No need . Just don't show up again . " Her face was unreadable , but her stunning . beauty still hit like a punch to the chest . Preston's face went pale . 8/10 There was nothing but finality in her words . The sentence wasn't just spoken - it was scaled . Back at Ashbourne Manor , Alistair opened his mouth and then paused . He had to say something about Preston . Caroline beat him to it . " Honey , you think that drone incident wasn't a coincidence , don't you ? " Talking to someone smart really did make life easier . He nodded . " Maybe I'm just being paranoid , but it all lined up a little too neatly . I just think … it's better to be cautious . " Only then did it register - Caroline had called him honey . Mabel , meanwhile , slammed her palm against the armrest of her chair . " It was no accident ! I can't believe I once thought that boy was ambitious and driven ! Turns out he's just reckless . First , he conspires with Agnes , and then I'm nearly turned into fish food ! " She looked at Eloise , who sat quietly beside her . " If I'd gone under , fine . But if Eloise had fallen in too … God forbid . " Caroline's expression darkened . " I'm going to get to the bottom of this . " Crisis Family - her real family - was her line in the sand . If Alistair hadn't been there , if anything had happened to Mabel or Eloise … She would've killed someone . 9/10 " Let it go . You've got a full plate as it is , " Mabel said , glancing between her and Alistair . " You two just focus on being happy together . " She turned to Alistair . " You looked like you had something to say . Well , there are no strangers here . Speak freely . " Alistair didn't hold back . He told them everything Agnes had said - the cruel words she'd whispered to Eloise when no one was listening , words no child should ever have to hear . He couldn't even begin to imagine how much fear that little girl must've carried , silently , night after night . He'd been meaning to tell Caroline for a while now - he just hadn't found the right moment . Caroline's entire demeanor changed . The chill in her eyes turned lethal . " She what ? " she hissed . " She dared say that to my daughter ? I'll make her pay for this . " " Easy now , " Mabel said . " You're not the type to go around killing people . That's my job . " She called for Alban , her tone ice - cold . " Bring Crowley back . Now . " Later that afternoon , despite Mabel's attempts to keep them longer , Caroline brought Alistair and Eloise home . 10/10 When Julian heard what happened , his jaw dropped . " You're just going to let that slide ? " Caroline's eyes flicked toward Alistair . " My grandma's handling it . " She remembered what Mabel had whispered to her before they left . " Caroline , try to be gentler , okay ? Don't go scaring Alistair off . He's a sweet boy - kind , honest . If you bully him too much , he'll break . " Women were fickle - and if there was ever proof , it was Mabel . Her attitude toward Alistair could turn a million different directions in a single day . But somehow , by the end of it , she was always back on his side . Caroline didn't mind at all .