Wyatt adopted a serious, almost detective-like tone. âBellaâs only ever had shrimp peeled by you and
me. When has she ever let another guy show her affection? Tonight, Christopher was going all out with
his attention on Bella. He might as well have been spoon-feeding her. Also, Bella didnât shut him down,
so spill it. Whatâs their deal? Is Bella really into him?â
âDad, judging from your tone, it looks like youâre not exactly Christopherâs biggest fan.â
Asher cut to the chase.
Wyatt pursed his lips without giving a clear answer.
âChristopher and Bella go way back. Now that theyâve reunited, theyâre hitting it off. Bella rarely clicks
with a guy without putting up a fight, plus the Iversons and our family have a good relationship. If Chris
and Bella want to take things further, it might not be all bad.â Asher calmly shared his thoughts.
âWhen Lance came over tonight, you both knew the meaning behind it. He clearly intends to form a
marriage alliance with our family. Why else would he drag his two single sons along? Heâs got his eyes
on Bella!â Wyattâs eyes dropped, shaking his head. âBut let me make it clear. Iâm not signing off on this
marriage.â
Upon hearing these words, the Thompson brothersâ expression subtly changed. They had not expected
their fatherâs strong opposition to the Iverson family.
âDad, are you and Uncle Lance going through a rough patch? Did you secretly block each otherâs
numbers?â Axel could not resist teasing his father. âSeriously, even after falling out, you can still sit
down and chat like nothing happened. If it were me, Iâd definitely hold a grudge.â
âHow did you become a prosecutor with that brain of yours? Did you use my name to get special
treatment?â Wyatt shot Axel a glance, then he continued with a serious tone, âBella is my dearest
daughter. She just escaped from the mess of the Salvador family. Thereâs no way Iâm sending her into
a lionâs den-that is, the Iverson family! Do you think the Iverson family is some kind of paradise?
Thereâs serious infighting going on in that family. None of Lanceâs four children are easy to deal with. If
Bella marries into that family, sheâll be constantly embroiled in family disputes, enduring endless
internal strife. Moreover, Christopher is Lanceâs least favored son. Christopherâs business abroad might
be significant, but he had a rough start, and his deals might not be entirely clean. A person with such a
background might want to clean up his act by marrying into our family and establishing a foothold in
Savrow.â
Axelâs gaze lingered in astonishment, while Asherâs eyes displayed a hint of self-blame under his long
lashes. His lips pursed in regret.
He had dedicated himself entirely to offering his sister a new beginning, unintentionally overlooking
these underlying issues. Critical considerations had slipped through the cracks in his focus.
âAs my daughter, Bella can brighten up someoneâs life, but she should never sacrifice herself to light up
someone elseâs world. I cannot bear to see that happen!â
A luxurious Bentley cruised toward Savrow.
Charles returned in his posh car, while Lance broke the norm by having Christopher ride with him.
The father-son pair sat in the back seat with an undeniable tension lingering in the air, hinting at a
familial connection that was present but not particularly strong.
âChris, come clean with me. Whatâs going on between you and Bella?â Lance questioned him with a
cold expression.
âAre you prying into my love life?â Christopher half-smirked, half-teased. âFor fifteen years, you didnât
bat an eye about my life in Sentania when Mom and I were living together. Now that Iâm back in
Savrow, it seems youâre unusually interested in every move I make.â
âDonât dodge the question. Iâm asking about your relationship with Bella!â Lanceâs stern tone and
angered expression were clear.
âAs you witnessed tonight, my connection with Bella is quite intimate.â A glint of cold light reflected off
his gold-rimmed glasses as he responded with a mocking smirk.
Lance sighed deeply. The veins on his forehead were pulsating. He issued a strict command. Starting
now, you must cut off all communication with Bella. Keep your distance from her immediately!â
âWhy?â Christopher asked with a smile.
âBella is the marriage partner Iâve chosen for Charles. If you interfere now, itâll disrupt my plans!â
âCharles is your son, and Iâm not? If Bella were with me, she would still be your daughter-in- law.
Whatâs the issue?â
âMy decision is final. Charles must marry Bella. If youâre interested in forming an alliance with the
Thompsons, Wyatt has a younger daughter named Amelia, born of his third wife and still unmarried.â
âSo, are you saying that an unprivileged son can only marry the daughter of a mistress?â Christopher
adjusted his glasses, a touch of scorn on his lips.
âChristopher! Donât speak nonsense!â
Lance, infuriated and embarrassed, exclaimed, âYou shouldnât compete with Charles. Iâll give you what
youâre entitled to, but you shouldnât take whatâs not yours.â
âIâve heard this saying since I was a child, but up to now, I havenât received anything that truly belongs
to me.â
Christopher calmly closed his eyes as he sneered. âI donât want your empty promises. Go back and tell
Charles to keep his feelings to himself. Bella can only belong to me and no one else. Donât even think
about competing with me.â