Chapter 18

Meanwhile, Blake was staring blankly at Gabriella's slightly rounded belly back at the Kingston estate. His mother directed the household staff to prepare nourishing soups for her and fussed over her with care. Gabriella had drugged him, trapped him, and now carried his child. And the most absurd part? She never even knew where Elena had gone. Blake had exhausted every resource he had, yet he couldn't find a single trace of her. The force blocking him from reaching Elena was far stronger than he had anticipated. At first, Marshall Kingston and Emily Reed had looked down on the Sadberry family, believing their son was capable of securing a far more powerful marriage alliance. But now that Gabriella was pregnant—and considering that she was still preferable to a woman like Elena with no background at all—they welcomed her into the Kingston estate and pressured Blake to take responsibility. "You've always liked Gabby," Marshall said matter-of-factly. "Now that she's carrying your ch