210 Chapter 210- An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
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210 Chapter 210 An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
“I’m sorry,” I said, and meant it.
“The Ashworth family doesn’t mess around. They’re saying the young miss herself ordered it.”
“Mr. Knight,” he said, his voice breaking. “I’ve come to beg your forgiveness.”
*Isabelle*
The revelation hit me hard. A dying boy had remembered my small act of courtesy while his father plotted my downfall.
He paused at the door.
Hope dawned in Conrad’s eyes–the first honest emotion I’d seen from him.
The dam broke. Sobs racked my body, sending pain shooting through my didn’t care. The release felt necessary, cleansing.
wounds. I
Conrad flinched. “You shouldn’t. But the Thornton family has resources that could be useful to you. Information networks. Business connections across three provinces.”
Something else was in the envelope – a small jade token with the Ashworth family
crest.
Here was leverage I hadn’t expected. A father’s desperation for his child.
I studied him closely. The calculating businessman was still there, behind the show of submission. He wasn’t sorry for what he’d done–only sorry he’d chosen the wrong target.
Conrad’s composure crumbled completely. He sank back to his knees, this time not in supplication but in grief.
“I’m not doing it for you,” I said firmly. “I’m doing it for Tristan.”
“My nephew’s son, Tristan, has been ill for months. The doctors say it’s a rare blood disease. If you have any connection to medical resources through the Ashworth family…”
210 Chapter 210 – An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
Conrad’s eyes met mine. For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Uncle Armando stepped forward hesitantly. “Mr. Knight, there’s something else…
Each hour brought strength. Each moment brought me closer to Veridia City. Closer to Isabelle.
In the quiet hospital room, I made a promise to myself. I would heal. I would grow stronger. And when I reached Veridia City, I would be worthy of standing beside her.
Now I understood. This wasn’t just an apology–it was a business proposal. Conrad was offering himself as an ally, betting that my rise would continue.
Conrad nodded frantically. “I made a terrible mistake. I didn’t know–couldn’t have known–your importance.”
An envelope sat there, my name written in elegant script. With trembling fingers, I reached for it.
“Miss Ashworth said this would grant you passage through any checkpoint,” the nurse explained, noticing my puzzled expression.
For the next day, I focused entirely on healing. I performed breathing exercises when the nurses weren’t looking, channeling energy to my wounds the way my father’s technique had taught me.
I considered my position. Making an enemy of the Thornton family would only create problems I didn’t need. And having their resources at my disposal could be useful.
All because of Isabelle Ashworth.
I clutched the token tightly, emotion overwhelming me, This wasn’t just a gift – it was protection. Access. A declaration to the world that I stood under Ashworth protection. “Your son is sick?” I asked Conrad.
Conrad remained on his knees, head bowed. “After what happened to Gage Mc. de… everyone knows it was the Ashworth family’s doing. For you.”
“Mr. Knight!” The nurse rushed to my side, alarmed. “You’re going to reopen your wounds!”
Fear. That’s what I saw in his eyes. Not respect, not remorse. Pure, undiluted terror.
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Conrad stared at me in disbelief. “After what I did to you?”
“I am Conrad Thornton! I don’t need authorization!” a familiar voice boomed.
I smiled, thinking of the jade pendant hidden beneath my pillow. My father’s legacy was serving me well.
“They say his body was found in his own formation chamber,” whispered an orderly who thought I was sleeping. “The spirit whip turned against him somehow.”
She was right. This overwhelming feeling wasn’t sadness but joy. Pure, terrifying joy. “Get up,” I finally said, uncomfortable with the display. “Why are you here?”
“Isabelle,” I whispered, my voice breaking on her name.
“Fine,” I said after a long pause. “The Thornton family will work for me now. Any attempt at betrayal will be met with consequences worse than what happened to Gage. Understood?”
I almost laughed at the absurdity. Yesterday, I was worth torturing. Today, I was worth kneeling to. All because of a name. Because of Isabelle.
I nodded slowly. “I’ll attend.”
I watched Conrad’s shoulders heave with silent sobs. In that moment, he wasn’t a business rival or a man who had betrayed me. He was just a father who had lost his son. The words hung in the air like a physical presence.
“Yes,” he admitted, voice cracking. “We’ve tried everything. If there’s any way you could help… any treatment you could access through your connection to the Ashworths…” Reality crashed down like a physical blow. She was gone. Memories of our conversation flooded back – her tearful eyes, her promise to wait for me in Veridia City.
“Poetic justice,” another replied. “After what he did to that poor Knight fellow.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” I said, surprising myself with the offer. “When I get to Veridia City, I’ll consult with specialists there.”
Tears welled in my eyes. For three years with the Sterling family, I’d been nothing. Less than nothing. And now…
<
210 Chapter 210- An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
Uncle Armando helped him to his feet. “We should let Mr. Knight rest,” he said gently.
Something passed between us–not forgiveness, certainly not friendship, but perhaps understanding.
The room was empty.
“Why should I trust anything from you?” I asked coldly.
“Your word,” I repeated with a bitter laugh. “Worth less than nothing. But your that I trust.”
News traveled fast in Eldoria. By that afternoon, everyone had heard about Gage McBride’s fate.
fear-
Uncle Armando stepped closer, his face grave. “Mr. Knight, I’m afraid..” He glanced at Conrad, whose shoulders had begun to shake. “The young master… he’s… already
dead.”
*I’ve instructed Caspian to handle the remaining situation with Gage. By the time you read this, it will be done. Come to me in Veridia City when you’re strong enough. I’ll be waiting.*
Conrad shot his uncle a warning look, but the older man continued.
“It’s almost miraculous,” the head physician said, examining my back where the worst wounds had been. “The scarring is minimal. Your body has remarkable regenerative properties.”
Conrad rose shakily to his feet but kept his head bowed. “Our family wishes to make amends. Whatever you require, the Thornton family is at your disposal.”
*Liam,*
“Stand up,” I said more firmly. “Your groveling doesn’t interest me.”
My heart sank. I’d hoped for one more moment with her, one more cha face.
e to see her
My body tensed. Conrad Thornton – the man who’d betrayed me to Gage. What could he possibly want now?
“I need to get better,” I said, wiping my tears. “I need to go to Veridia City.”
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210 Chapter 210- An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
Then, to my absolute shock, Conrad Thornton dropped to his knees.
Conrad nodded eagerly, relief washing over his face. “Absolutely, Mr. Knight. You have my word.”
With a final nod, Conrad left.
Conrad looked up, his face streaked with tears. “He asked about you, you know. After
kindness.” your visit. He was impressed by your
“I know what it’s like to lose everything,” I said quietly. “It doesn’t get easier. But you learn to carry it.”
“She left something for you,” the nurse added, pointing to the nightstand.
“All in good time,” she replied, adjusting my medication. “Miss Ashworth was very clear that you’re to heal properly first.”
No matter what challenges awaited.
“When?” I asked quietly.
The nurse’s expression softened. “It’s okay,” she said gently. “Sometimes happiness is harder to bear than pain.”
I woke to warmth flooding through my body. For a moment, I thought I was still dreaming. The soft scent of jasmine lingered in the air. Isabelle’s scent. My eyes fluttered open, expecting to see her by my bedside.
“Where is she?” I asked.
“Last night,” Uncle Armando answered, placing a hand on Conrad’s shoulder. “The doctors said he wouldn’t last the week, but we hoped…”
“The funeral?” I asked.
By the second morning after her departure, I could sit up without assistance. The doctors were amazed at my recovery rate.
*Yours,*
I nodded, clutching Isabelle’s token as I drifted back to sleep.
A nurse bustled in, interrupting my thoughts. “Oh! You’re awake, Mr. Knight. How are
210 Chapter 210- An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
you feeling this morning?”
Inside was a simple note:
The thought of Isabelle giving stern instructions about my care made me smile. Her fierce protectiveness was something I was still getting used to.
The nurse checked my vitals, her movements efficient. “Miss Ashworth? She left early this morning for Veridia City. But she made sure everything was arranged for your
care.”
Conrad composed himself with visible effort. “My offer stands,” he said hoarsely. “The Thornton family is at your service, Mr. Knight.”
“You can’t go in there without authorization!” a nurse protested.
Smart man.
As they turned to leave, I called after them. “Conrad.”
The door burst open. Conrad Thornton stood there, but this wasn’t the arrogant man I remembered. His face was pale, his clothes disheveled. Behind him, a thin, older man I recognized as his uncle Armando hovered nervously.
I barely heard her, my mind still replaying Isabelle’s last words to me.
I remembered young Tristan from my brief visit to the Thornton estate. A frail boy with intelligent eyes.
I stared at him, speechless. Conrad Thornton–one of the most powerful men in Eldoria–was kneeling before me.
I couldn’t stop. Years of humiliation and recent torture crashed against the shore of Isabelle’s kindness. It was too much.
“Tomorrow,” Uncle Armando replied. “A private ceremony.”
“I’m sorry,” I gasped between sobs. “I just–I never thought—”
I closed my eyes, clutching her token. “I’m coming,” I whispered, as if she could hear me across the distance. “Wait for me.”
Something genuine finally broke through Conrad’s calculating facade–parental anguish.
<
210 Chapter 210- An Enemy’s Knees, A Father’s Tears
For a moment, genuine gratitude shone in Conrad’s tear–filled eyes. He bowed his head, unable to speak.
“Word has spread about your connection to Miss Ashworth,” Uncle Armando interjected, his voice trembling. “The entire province is talking about it.”
“Now rest,” the nurse insisted. “That’s the fastest way to recover.”
As I was finishing breakfast on the third morning, a commotion erupted in the hallway outside my room.
I kept my eyes closed, but satisfaction warmed my chest. Not because of Gage’s death, but because justice had been served. The prisoners he’d tortured for years would sleep easier tonight.
I sank back against my pillows, exhausted by the encounter. The world was shifting around me,
alliances reforming, enemies becoming servants.
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