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Chapter 39/The Blood Contract

Chapter 39: 39/The Blood Contract

Chapter 39

Cedric’s Point of View

I threw the door open violently and entered the office, rage and tension dwelling in every vein of my body. I didn’t even glance at who was sitting there; all my senses were focused on my grandfather, who sat behind his massive desk with his usual haunting composure.

My steps froze suddenly when my eyes fell on the man sitting opposite him. He was a man in his fifties, his features sharp and cruel as if carved from stone, wearing a formal black suit. He was looking at me with cryptic eyes, mixed with a deep-seated contempt that I didn’t understand at first.

"Cedric, have you forgotten how to knock?" my grandfather said in his steady voice, which carried a note of reproach. "We have a guest. Mr. Edward, Stephanie’s father."

I felt as if a lightning bolt had struck me where I stood. My body stiffened, the blood dried in my veins, and all the words I had prepared to confront my grandfather vanished. Stephanie’s father? Here?

The man rose slowly from his seat, adjusting his collar with suppressed agitation as he scrutinized me from head to toe with a burning gaze. Then, he spoke in a tone dripping with venom:

"So, this is the bastard who caused all this shame."

My body completely locked up. I felt my jaw tighten and my fist clench automatically. His words were like a lash, but the shock was stronger than any reaction. I stared at him in disbelief, trying to grasp the situation; how did he get here?

My eyes moved toward my grandfather, "Victor," who was watching the scene with icy coolness, resting his chin on his intertwined hands. He didn’t utter a word, but his gaze told me he was planning something.

"I thought the Volkov family raised men who acknowledged their actions," Edward said, stepping toward me, his chest heaving with suppressed fury. "Not cowards who hide behind fake engagement promises while my daughter carries their bastards in her womb."

Fire ignited in my chest at his mention of the word "bastards." I stepped toward him, my body shaking with rage, and said through gritted teeth:

"Don’t you dare describe my children that way again."

Edward laughed with bitter sarcasm and turned toward my grandfather. "Do you hear this, Mr. Victor? He admits it! Your grandson acknowledges his vile deed."

Edward turned his gaze back to me, his features shifting into an indescribable cruelty. He raised his index finger in my face, threatening:

"Listen to me carefully, Cedric. I didn’t come here to negotiate. You have two choices: either your marriage to Stephanie is finalized as soon as possible to give those children a name, or I swear to you that I will end this shame with my own hands. And I will start with what’s inside her before tomorrow’s sun rises."

A chill ran down my spine. He wasn’t joking; his eyes gleamed with the madness of a man who believed "honor" was worth more than his daughter’s life. My soul shook as I imagined Stephanie alone and terrified in his hands.

My grandfather finally intervened, standing up slowly from behind his desk, causing the room to sink into a solemn silence. He spoke in a calm but lethal tone:

"Sit down, Cedric. Mr. Edward has set clear conditions, and we in the Volkov family believe everything is resolved through discussion."

I looked at my grandfather in shock, wondering if he would sacrifice my engagement to Isabella and the grand deal so easily. But his features hid a scheme I couldn’t read yet. My body was still trembling under the weight of the threat; all I could think about was how I would protect her from this monster who called himself a father.

My grandfather glanced at the chair behind me, commanding me to sit without another word. I did so, my body rigid and my mind ready to explode. Edward was still standing, his chest rising and falling sharply, his eyes following my grandfather as he began to walk slowly around his desk, hands behind his back.

"Mr. Edward... we appreciate the value of family and honor exactly as you do," Victor said in a calm tone that only increased my anxiety. "And what happened between our grandson and your daughter is something we didn’t expect, but it is a reality now."

A cautious spark of victory lit up in Edward’s eyes, while I gripped the armrests of the chair, my eyes glued to my grandfather. Victor stopped in the middle of the room and turned to Edward:

"Cedric’s marriage to Stephanie is a logical solution to save face... but as you know, Cedric is bound by an engagement contract with a powerful family. Breaking this contract requires massive legal and financial arrangements. It is nearly impossible."

"We don’t care about your contract or your money!" Edward shouted, slamming his hand on the desk. "Your grandchildren will die if this isn’t resolved today!"

Not a single hair on my grandfather’s head moved at Edward’s outburst.

Instead, he stepped closer and said in a low voice carrying an implicit threat:

"Threats of murder don’t work in Victor Volkov’s office. Sit down so we can talk about the conditions that will govern this marriage... for I will not accept my grandson marrying a girl who is treated like a criminal in her father’s house."

Edward’s features shifted in astonishment, while I felt my heart hammering like a mallet. My grandfather agrees? Is he really going to give up Isabella? Or is he just trying to buy time to save Stephanie?

My grandfather turned to me and said sternly:

"Cedric, leave now and wait for me in the next office. I have a private talk with Mr. Edward to finalize the details of this agreement."

I stood on legs that were shaking from the extreme tension. I gave Edward one last look full of promise, then left the office. As soon as the door closed behind me, I leaned my body against the wall and took a deep breath, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead.

Images of Stephanie pleading with him filled my mind. I pulled out my phone with a trembling hand and tried to call her, but the line was disconnected. I punched the wall with my fist, whispering in suppressed anger:

"Just hold on, Stephanie... I swear I will get you out of that hell."