She Used Me for a Dare… Now I Own Her Mother - Chapter 195

Chapter 195: Proposal
Alex stood in the parking area, watching Adrian’s retreating back disappear into the manor, and felt his jaw tighten with controlled irritation.

Interesting.

The word was deliberate understatement for what had just happened.

He’d expected professional courtesy… the kind extended to any guest Victoria Blackwood personally escorted.

Instead, he’d received open contempt, deliberate dismissal, and what amounted to house arrest by a man who clearly viewed him as beneath notice.

Alex registered every tell… the clenched jaw, the brief evaluation, the possessive heat under controlled posture, and the contempt that surfaced the instant Victoria was gone.

‘He thinks I’m competition,’ Alex observed, a faint smile tugging at his mouth. ‘But not a threat. Not a rival. Just a minor inconvenience he assumes he can ignore.’

His finger twitched.

Part of him wanted to end Adrian’s delusion in a heartbeat. But then he remembered… this clown was trying to pursue Catherine.

And failing, according to Victoria. Failing for an entire year despite positioning himself as close as possible, despite his prestigious bloodline and Peak Enhanced status, despite every advantage a man could want.

There were better ways to teach lessons.

Alex’s smile deepened slightly, taking on an edge that had nothing to do with anger and everything to do with anticipation.

Let him dismiss me. Let him think I’m harmless. Let him believe whatever story makes him feel superior.

Because when Catherine sees what he couldn’t detect, when I succeed where he’s failed for twelve months, the lesson will be far more brutal than anything I could deliver with my fists.

The Early Enhanced officer nearby shifted uncomfortably, clearly uncertain about the breach of protocol but unwilling to question his superior’s orders.

Alex could feel the man’s attention… watchful, positioned to prevent him from approaching the entrance.

Contained. Controlled. Dismissed as irrelevant.

If Catherine had truly orchestrated this… requesting Victoria alone, leaving him waiting, allowing her security chief to treat him with open contempt… then this was a test.

Testing how he handled disrespect. How he responded to deliberate provocation. Whether he’d lose composure over petty slights or maintain control when someone tried to establish dominance through petty power plays.

Fine, Alex thought, his tactical mind already several moves ahead. I’ll pass your test.

And then…

His smile turned slightly predatory.

Then I’ll teach you a lesson of my own.

Alex settled his weight, posture relaxed despite the situation, and turned his attention to studying Thornhaven’s grounds with apparent casual interest.

***

Catherine Blackwood’s private office occupied the manor’s east wing… floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of manicured grounds, dark wood paneling that spoke of old money rather than new excess, and furniture selected for function over ostentation.

A space designed for work, not display.

Catherine sat at her desk, fingers steepled beneath her chin, dark eyes fixed on the succession report that had arrived this morning.

The numbers were… concerning.

Support split between two clear factions… hers and Richard’s.

On paper, her coalition appeared strong, bolstered by external allies who publicly endorsed her capability and James’s explicit backing.

But Catherine knew better than to trust surface appearances.

Internal support… the families whose votes actually mattered in succession… was far more fragile than the reports suggested.

Many who smiled and nodded in her presence would shift their allegiance the moment Richard’s offers became too attractive to refuse, or when doubt about a female Head of House outweighed their appreciation for her competence.

She could see it in the careful language of their correspondence. The qualified endorsements. The hedged commitments that left room for “circumstances to evolve.”

They’re waiting, Catherine thought with cold clarity. Waiting to see which way the wind blows. Waiting for me to stumble. Waiting for Richard to make the decisive move that lets them defect without looking like opportunists.

Support that requires constant maintenance isn’t support. It’s hesitation wearing a polite mask.

And hesitation, in succession politics, was just another word for eventual betrayal.

The sudden knock on the door pulled Catherine from her thoughts… three sharp raps, precisely spaced, familiar enough to identify without looking up.

“Come in, Victoria.”

The door opened, and her half-sister entered with a playful expression that immediately suggested this conversation would be anything but formal.

Catherine set the succession report aside, grateful for the interruption despite knowing Victoria’s tone usually meant complications.

“Please tell me you have good news,” Victoria said, dropping into the chair across from Catherine’s desk with casual familiarity.

Catherine’s lips curved slightly… not quite a smile, more acknowledgment of wishful thinking.

“Everything’s the same,” she said quietly. “Which means it’s getting worse.”

Victoria’s playful expression shifted, concern flickering beneath the surface.

“That bad?”

“Richard’s making moves. My internal support is…” Catherine paused, choosing her words carefully. “…fragile. They’re waiting to see who offers more before committing.”

“Political loyalty at its finest,” Victoria said dryly.

“Exactly.”

Victoria leaned back, and something in her posture suggested the news she’d brought wasn’t going to improve Catherine’s day.

“Well,” Victoria said, her tone shifting from sympathetic to annoyed, “speaking of loyalty problems… your puppy is acting strange again.”

Catherine’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Adrian.”

It wasn’t a question.

Catherine’s fingers stopped their steepling, attention sharpening instantly.

“What did he do?”

Victoria’s expression turned playful, though annoyance flickered beneath the surface.

“Oh, He is very protective of you,” Victoria said, smirking.

“He intercepted Alex the moment he saw him. Honestly? I think he got jealous of how handsome Alex is. Poor thing probably thought someone was about to steal you from him.”

“He really did it…” Catherine exhaled, shaking her head as amusement flickered in her eyes.

“He made my guest wait outside,” Victoria continued, her smile sharpening. “Told me you specifically requested to see me alone first. Said you wanted privacy for our conversation before meeting him.”

Catherine almost laughed—a brief exhale that wasn’t quite amusement, more recognition of audacity.

“He actually claimed I ordered it?”

“Interesting,” Catherine murmured, already moving toward the sleek panel integrated into her desk.

Her fingers accessed the manor’s security system with practiced efficiency, multiple camera feeds materializing across the screen’s surface.

Victoria rose and moved to stand beside her sister, both women now focused on the parking area feed.

The image resolved with crystal clarity: Victoria’s luxury sedan, the designated guest area, the Early Enhanced officer positioned at careful distance…

And Alex.

Sitting casually on the car’s hood, one leg drawn up slightly, posture completely relaxed despite the obvious guard detail.

His attention appeared focused on studying Thornhaven’s architecture rather than his situation… genuine appreciation rather than frustration evident in his expression.

Catherine studied him in silence, her Enhanced perception taking in details even through the digital feed.

No irritation. No pacing. No agitation.

Just patience that suggested either remarkable self-control or complete confidence this situation was temporary.

“He’s not bothered,” Catherine observed quietly.

“No,” Victoria agreed, something knowing in her tone. “He’s not.”

Catherine’s gaze remained fixed on the screen, watching the way he tracked architectural details with what looked like honest interest.

“Most men would have made a scene by now,” Catherine said…

A knock interrupted her. Different from Victoria’s familiar pattern… more tentative, professional.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Catherine’s assistant stepped inside with careful formality, clearly aware she was interrupting but following protocol.

“Miss Catherine, I apologize for the interruption.” She paused, glancing briefly at Victoria before continuing.

“Mr. Adrian is requesting permission to meet with you. He says it’s urgent.”

For a moment, silence filled the office.

Then Victoria laughed.

Not polite amusement… genuine, unrestrained laughter that made her lean back in her chair, one hand pressed to her stomach.

“Oh my god… Catherine… he seriously can’t wait a single moment. I think he’s coming to propose. Right here. Right now. In the parking lot.”

Catherine’s expression remained perfectly neutral, but something dangerous flickered in her eyes as she looked at the assistant.

“Send him in,” she said quietly.

Her lips curved into a smile… brief, cold, and carrying understanding that went far deeper than Adrian’s immediate transgression.

She knew exactly what Adrian was attempting.

She’d known for months.

The positioning on her security detail. The territorial displays. The careful cultivation of proximity. All of it building toward an inevitable proposal that would bind their families together, strengthen his father’s political position within House Blackwood, and give Adrian himself a claim to power he hadn’t earned through capability alone.

And she’d tolerated it.

Not because she was unaware. Not because she was weak.

Because she needed his family’s support in the succession battle against Richard.

More specifically… she needed his father’s support.

Royce Blackwell, Adrian Blackwell’s father wielded significant influence among the internal families whose votes actually mattered. His endorsement carried weight that could swing undecided factions.

His political maneuvering could counter Richard’s aggressive offer-making.

And most importantly… he was one of the few people who could keep most in check.

Royce, whose ambitions made Adrian’s presumption look like childish fantasy by comparison, been circling the succession like a shark since James’s withdrawal, making calculated moves that suggested he viewed Catherine’s leadership as temporary obstacle rather than settled reality.

Catherine had made a cold calculation months ago: tolerate Adrian’s pursuit, maintain professional distance, and preserve his family’s political support by never forcing a confrontation that would require his father to choose between loyalty to House Blackwood and protection of his son’s pride.

But there were limits.

And using her name without authorization to mistreat Victoria’s personal guest crossed every single one of them.