From Outcast to Overlord The Unyielding Heir (Leander Ashcroft) novel Chapter 205

Chapter 205 Trap

必零

#Fimented

Henry went down on one knee, and the diamond necklace in his hand gleamed under the lights, scattering sharp reflections across the ballroom. With his looks, his family name, and the power he carried, the moment struck like lightning. In full view of the elite crowd, he knelt before one woman and laid his feelings bare. The room fell into stunned silence before the buzz exploded.

The socialites who had chased after him for years stood frozen. Their painted smiles cracked, and jealousy swelled in their chests like fire pressed against glass.

“Mr. Barret’s proposing to her? You’ve got to be kidding me,” one woman whispered sharply. “She’s just a pretty face from the screen. She’s not even a top name yet. Why would he do this for her? That necklace alone–does he even know what he’s giving away?”

The women born into wealth knew exactly what was in his hand. That necklace was the Crystal Trace,” a piece auctioned just a few weeks back at West Listin’s most exclusive gala. It had gone for fourteen million.

And now Henry was offering it to Madeline. To everyone watching, the message was clear. Henry had fallen for her. Not a fling, not a passing crush. It was real. And they could not understand why someone like him would choose a woman from the stage.

To them, actresses were nothing more than passing entertainment. But Henry Barret, heir to the most powerful house in West Listin, had picked one. And they could not accept that.

Still, none of their disbelief mattered. Henry was right there, kneeling in the spotlight, his gaze steady and full of emotion as he looked at Madeline.

Yvette and Ginny looked rattled.

They hadn’t expected anything like this to break out during Madeline’s performance.

But Grace stood still. She had seen it coming. Most people thought Henry was refined and composed, but she knew the truth. When Henry decided to go after something, nothing could stop him. Once he let go of his restraint, his ambition came alive.

Madeline blinked hard, stunned, before she managed a polite smile. “Mr. Barret, you’re not serious… right?”

Henry met her eyes and spoke slowly. “I’ve never been more serious. Madeline, I want to protect you. I want to stand beside you. Just give me one chance.”

He stayed on one knee, his expression unshaken.

Madeline’s gaze shifted. She looked toward Leander. He stood with a glass in hand, watching

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everything unfold without speaking. To him, this choice belonged to Madeline. Whether she said yes or no wasn’t his place to influence.

She stared at him for a quiet moment, then turned back to Henry. Before the hundreds of guests, with cameras rolling and lights shining down, she shook her head.

“Mr. Barret, I’m grateful. Really. But I’ve always seen you as a partner. A friend. I never once thought of you as anything more. I’m sorry.”

She moved to the side, ready to step off the stage and walk toward Leander.

However, before she could take a second step, a line of black–suited bodyguards surged forward and blocked her path. They moved fast and locked down the stage from every side.

Madeline stopped short. Her brows pulled tight.

“Mr. Barret, what is this supposed to be?” Her voice was low, calm, but firm.

The kindness in Henry’s face was gone. He stood up slowly, holding the necklace box out toward her, his smile sharp and cold.

“Madeline, you really think you can turn me down and just walk away? That’s not happening. In this city, and in all of Listin, one day, no one says no to me. Not even you.

“I made this public. I confessed to you in front of the world. If you won’t say yes, then you’re not leaving this stage. And you’re not walking out of Waterfront Plaza.”

In that moment, Henry was no longer the charming heir with a polished voice. The mask had fallen away. What stood in front of them was the true heir of the Barret family, unfiltered and unafraid to show his dominance.

Grace blinked, her eyes gleaming.

“That’s my brother,” she murmured. His behavior was over the line, but deep down, she admired it. She believed men were meant to chase what they wanted and take it with strength. That was real power.

Madeline’s voice dropped to a cold edge. “Mr. Barret, are you threatening me?”

She had always thought he was thoughtful and graceful. She believed he handled everything with control. But now, seeing him like this, she realized just how naïve she had been.

Henry held a calm smile, saying nothing. He had already made his move in front of everyone, and he wasn’t about to let Madeline walk away now.

“Mr. Barret, don’t you think this whole act is going a little too far?”

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The voice came from the front row. It belonged to a young man from a powerful family, someone whose background matched Henry’s. He had once been interested in Madeline himself. Now that Henry was trying to back her into a corner, he saw an opening and stepped in to help.

“A gentleman should admire a lady with grace, but if Ms. Gardner isn’t interested, what’s the point in forcing it?”

Henry turned and looked right at him. His smile widened into something sharper.

“Well said, Leroy. A gentleman should be nice and polite when it comes to the ladies. No argument there.”

His eyes lit up with something colder. He chuckled under his breath, then spoke loud enough for all to hear. “But tonight, I’m not trying to be a gentleman. I’m here to take what I want. I want Madeline. And I want every single person here to pledge loyalty to the Barrets. I want full submission. I don’t care if you think this is a lie. You’ll soon know it isn’t.”

He still held the microphone. His voice rang out through Waterfront Plaza, every word cutting through the air. The room shifted. Murmurs turned into rising voices. Tension built like a wave about to break.

He wanted the entire elite crowd of West Listin to bow to him?

It was too much. These weren’t nobodies. Most of them came from long–established families. The Barrets were powerful, yes, but the gap wasn’t impossible to close. Nobody here would challenge them directly, but that didn’t mean they were scared either. Many had roots in other cities, where they ruled their own turf. There were kingpins here who had never once bowed to

anyone.

People started whispering that Henry had gone mad.

“Henry, how much have you had to drink tonight? Do you even hear yourself?”

Leroy Xanderson’s voice turned low and cold. The Xanderson family stood just below the Barrets in the city’s power ladder. They weren’t far behind. And Henry’s words had clearly crossed a line.

“Mr. Barret, we respect your name. We respect your family. But what you just said—there’s no way to defend it.”

Other voices chimed in. One by one, the wealthy and powerful turned against Henry. Their words piled up, louder and angrier. In a matter of seconds, Henry had turned into the lightning rod of the entire plaza.

Only Leander stayed relaxed. He didn’t flinch. He kept sipping his drink, picking at his plate, watching everything unfold with mild amusement.

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He looked like a man sitting through dinner theater.

Then, a low voice rolled in from the main doors.

“Henry is right. But tonight, everyone here will bow down to the Barrets. You will give up thirty percent of your company shares. If you don’t, you won’t be walking out of here.”

He didn’t shout. He didn’t need to. The tone in his voice made it clear he wasn’t asking. He was stating fact. And everyone heard it.

People turned toward the entrance. An old man in a deep black robe embroidered with silver thread walked in. His hands were behind his back. His pace was slow and steady. But as he stepped forward, the entire room seemed to bend around him. His presence hit harder than any introduction.

Behind him came Solomon, chairman of the Barret Group. He followed quietly, his head lowered, walking like a man who knew exactly who the real leader was.

The moment shifted. Even the most seasoned businessmen felt something tighten in their chests.

This night had never been about wine or celebration. It was a trap. A setup, plain and simple.

Send Gifts

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Outcast #pc Derlord the fryielding frit