CEO’s Regret After I Divorced (Serena and Ryan) novel Chapter 163

Chapter 163: Chapter 163 What’s our next move

Sophie’s POV

I froze in my seat, heart pounding like a jackhammer as Kane stared me down. The shattered glass still sparkled across the floor, wine dripping down the wall like blood.

"What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? You were so talkative a minute ago," Kane sneered, his wheelchair suddenly seeming less like a sign of weakness and more like a throne. "Sophie Hart, you’re quite something."

The tension in the room was suffocating. I swallowed hard, my eyes darting to the other wine glass on the table. My mind raced frantically.

I grabbed the bottle with trembling fingers and poured him a fresh glass, offering it with exaggerated deference.

Kane gave me a calculating look before accepting the glass. He always did appreciate quick thinking and survival instincts.

"Mr. Blackwood, please, you’ve misunderstood. It’s not what you think," I said, forcing my voice to steady while my brain worked overtime looking for an escape route.

Kane waved his hand dismissively, cutting off my pathetic attempt at damage control.

"I know exactly what you’ve done. You’re working with Lucian West, aren’t you?"

My body trembled involuntarily. Fuck. My heart plummeted, feeling like it had dropped into an ice bath.

"Don’t worry," he continued, swirling his wine lazily. "I won’t tell Ryan about this little betrayal. But getting me to do your dirty work while you’re actually Lucian’s puppet? That seems rather backwards, don’t you think?"

I shook my head frantically, forcing my eyes to water as I slipped into victim mode. It had always worked before.

"Mr. Blackwood, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m actually being coerced. Lucian knows about my history with Ryan and is using that to manipulate me," I sniffled dramatically. "When you think about it, Lucian shares the same goal as you do."

As I spoke, a new strategy began forming in my mind. I looked up suddenly, allowing a spark of inspiration to show in my eyes.

"What if... what if you and Lucian joined forces against Ryan? You’d be unstoppable together."

Kane scoffed, taking a slow, deliberate sip of his wine until the glass was empty.

I immediately leaned forward to refill it, playing the perfect servant.

"Or perhaps you could let them fight each other while you reap the benefits afterward," I suggested, desperation leaking into my voice despite my best efforts.

"Now that," Kane mused, "is slightly more interesting. Continue. What else is going on in that devious mind of yours?"

I finally exhaled, relief flooding through me as I regained my footing.

"From what I understand, Lucian has some interest in Serena Quinn. Why not let him drain Ryan’s resources first? Then you can step in when the time is right."

"I’ve been loyal to you all this time, Mr. Blackwood. With Lucian, it’s just a performance—a means to an end," I added with a sickening smile.

After several more minutes of shameless flattery, Kane’s expression softened considerably.

"You seem to understand the situation quite well."

"Of course I do. I know your capabilities," I simpered. "This is New York. The Blackwoods have always ruled here. Once Ryan falls, you’ll be the rightful leader of the family empire. Lucian is just an outsider who doesn’t belong."

Kane chuckled softly, nodding with satisfaction. My obsequious attitude seemed to please him—no need for further discussion.

"Bring me the files," he commanded his assistant, who immediately left to retrieve them from upstairs.

My eyes lit up with undisguised triumph. I’d guessed correctly—Kane really did have information on the suburban project.

Minutes later, the precious documents were placed before me. I flipped through them eagerly but couldn’t immediately make sense of what I was seeing.

What I didn’t know was that Kane had already altered these files, though the changes were subtle enough that an untrained eye wouldn’t notice.

Kane tapped his fingers impatiently against the polished mahogany table.

"Give these to Lucian. You probably can’t understand what you’re looking at anyway."

"Just remember this—Ryan’s parents were responsible for the deaths of Lucian’s family. That’s what matters."

Shock rippled through me. "So that’s why Lucian is so obsessed with this project?"

Kane nodded curtly. "Just deliver the files to him. The rest is no longer your concern."

"I understand completely."

"And one more thing—don’t come here unannounced again. If you need something, call first."

"I can’t stand being disturbed. It irritates me," he added, his tone dangerous.

I clutched the files to my chest, nodding rapidly. Frankly, I was more than happy not to visit this unpredictable, wheelchair-bound tyrant again.

"No one who matters," he said cryptically, heading straight for the documents. "You didn’t look through these, did you?"

"I skimmed them, but they’re just a bunch of old records. Nothing made sense."

Lucian sat down and began to methodically go through each page. His face gave nothing away, but I noticed his fingers tightening on the edges of the paper.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about?" I asked, sitting across from him.

His eyes flicked up to meet mine—cold, sharp, and unreadable.

"This doesn’t concern you," he said flatly.

I shut my mouth, biting back the retort on my tongue. There was no point. Not with that tone.

Without another word, he pulled out a check and slid it across the table toward me.

"Your compensation."

I stared at it for a moment, then slipped it into my bag without looking at the number.

Lucian gathered the documents and stood up. "These confirm what I’ve suspected. There’s enough evidence here to destroy the Blackwood name completely."

"So what’s our next move?" I asked, following him to the door.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "I’ll be in touch. In the meantime, act normal. Go to work, smile at your colleagues. And Sophie?"

"Yes?"

"Be careful around Kane. He’s not as powerless as he appears."

After Lucian left, I refilled my wine glass and stared out at the city lights. Something wasn’t adding up. Why would Kane give me those documents if he knew I was working with Lucian? What game was he playing?

One thing was clear - I was now trapped between two powerful men with their own agendas. And somewhere out there, Ryan was with Serena instead of me.

I took a long sip of wine, feeling the burn down my throat. Let them all play their games. In the end, I’d be the one standing beside Ryan.

Even if I had to burn everything to the ground first.