Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1318

By the time Sebastian returned to his own home, Lester confirmed that the funds had been successfully wired into Debbie's account.

Simultaneously, Lester's team had contacted the dark web administrators, provided cryptographic proof of the transfer, and ensured the video was permanently wiped from the servers.

Meanwhile, Bella had checked into a luxury hotel a few blocks from the Mercer Group headquarters. Her excuse was practically airtight—since Noah had moved into the Mercer estate, she claimed she was staying at a hotel to avoid any awkward interactions with the child.

When Sebastian's investigators looked into it, the move raised zero red flags.

Bella had a history of staying at the Mercer estate on a whim. Opting for a hotel tonight seemed perfectly reasonable.

They did note she had skipped work, but a review of her employment records showed a long history of erratic attendance and unpredictable hours. There was nothing in her routine that offered hard evidence of criminal extortion.

However, Old Mr. Blake's underground contacts wasted no time. That very night, a shadow network began hunting for Debbie's exact location.

The search was intense but quiet. Because the video was scrubbed so quickly, the scandal hadn't reached the mainstream media. Even the Mercer family remained completely oblivious.

Back at the Mercer estate, the atmosphere was chaotic, entirely due to Noah's presence.

At the dinner table, Sabrina tried several times to place choice cuts of meat on Noah's plate, only for Brandon to seamlessly block her every attempt.

Brandon kept his focus on the boy. "Noah, we're all going to see your mom tomorrow morning. When we get there, can you promise not to say things that will break her heart?"

Noah had been eating quietly, but the word 'mom' triggered an instant, defensive reaction.

"Uncle Brandon, why do we have to go? I don't want to! Can I just stay here? I don't want to see her. I don't like her!"

Sabrina glared back at him, furious that she was being used as a pawn, but she had no choice. She forced a gentle smile. "Noah, sweetie, did I ever teach you to say bad things about your mother?"

"No," Noah replied honestly.

Sabrina immediately turned to the men, her voice dripping with mock innocence. "You see? Children don't lie. Bella and I never poisoned his mind against Lillian. Please stop misjudging us.

"This has nothing to do with my daughter or me. Maybe Lillian and Noah just don't have a strong bond. She spent two years in prison; it's natural for a child to feel disconnected. You can't blame us for that."

Sabrina was already boiling with resentment. Ever since Noah arrived that morning, Martin had confined her to her bedroom, treating her like an embarrassment. She had eaten lunch alone and was only allowed downstairs for dinner. She was in a foul mood.

Hearing the adults argue, Noah slammed his fork onto the table. "I want to see Auntie Bella! Why isn't she here having dinner with us? Why are you all being mean to Sabrina and Auntie Bella?