Chapter 6: Perhaps She Was Wronged
After thirty minutes of tense vigilance, Isabella’s gaze never left Earl. The panther continued its rest,
occasionally flicking its ears, aware of her presence from the moment she was brought in, expecting
another noisy intrusion.
Gradually relaxing her stiff nerves, Isabella sighed lightly. Lifting her eyes, she met the panther’s pale yellow gaze.
It was awake! Her heart skipped a beat, her body freezing in place, not daring to move.
The few meters separating her from the panther felt insurmountably close in the confined space, knowing any attempt to flee would result in
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being swiftly overtaken.
Understanding the predatory nature of such animals, Isabella decided against futile attempts to escape, knowing it would only enhance the panther’s enjoyment of the hunt.
Resigning herself to fate, she sat down, silently praying for a quick end that might leave her intact.
To her surprise, Earl didn’t roar or show aggression upon approaching. Instead, it examined her curiously, sniffing her scent, detecting a
familiar aroma–Alexander’s scent.
Realizing any harm to Isabella might incur Alexander’s wrath, Earl laid down beside her, its displeasure evident.
Unbeknownst to Isabella, sharing a vehicle with Alexander had
inadvertently spared her life,
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convincing the panther of her association with its owner.
Relieved that the massive beast seemed docile, Isabella allowed herself to relax slightly. Earl nestled close, resting its head on her leg. The soft, smooth fur felt surprisingly comforting, akin to a giant, albeit far more dangerous, house cat.
Gathering her courage, Isabella reached out to gently stroke the panther’s head. To her surprise, the beast didn’t seem to mind her touch; in fact, it leaned into her hand, appearing to enjoy the affection.
Back in the study, Alexander’s gaze deepened as he watched the scene unfold on the screen, a flicker of
annoyance crossing his face.
Sebastian, having just ended a phone call, approached with a slightly
embarrassed look. “Boss, the
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company called. Those stocks we
invested in with the two billion have
all risen…”
“Which stocks?”
Alexander’s mind was far from
financial matters, especially since Ascot Group’s portfolio was routinely successful. The daily fluctuations of
the stock market held little interest
for him at that moment.
“The funds that went into the stock
market, sir. Those stocks have now increased in value several times
over.”
A heavy silence fell…
Sebastian dared not speak further, still somewhat incredulous at the news himself. The stocks, initially deemed worthless and on the verge of delisting, had seen no potential for growth.
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Yet, Ascot Group’s influence was
undeniable. Once the market
learned of their substantial
investment, investors blindly followed suit, revitalizing those stocks and driving their prices up.
To the outside world, the hacking of Ascot Group’s servers was known, but no one believed anyone would dare tamper with Alexander’s
money.
Thus, the two billion investment was seen as another strategic move by Alexander, whose financial acumen was beyond doubt.
As Sebastian watched his boss’s expression darken, he glanced back at the screen, where Isabella seemed to be proving her innocence in an unexpected way.
It appeared Alexander might have wronged Ms. Sterling after all.