Chapter 12
Thayer froze mid–stride, his gaze falling on Aveline’s belly. He couldn’t take another step.
Harvant looked at the mess his son had made of his relationships and rubbed his brow in frustration. “It’s because I failed… that I don’t want you to suffer the same repeated losses.”
“You’ve already lost Althea. Are you really going to let go of Aveline too, the woman carrying your child?”
Just as the middle–aged man finished speaking, a neat, uniform line of bodyguards began filing into the room. “Send Mr. Alcott home. Until this situation is under control, he is not to leave the estate, not even half a step.“>
The disappointment on Aveline’s face and his father’s unwavering command weighed on Thayer like heavy chains. In the end, he said nothing and quietly left the company, with Aveline beside him in tears.}
For the first time, when he looked at the woman next to him, what arose in him wasn’t desire, but a tangled, indescribable emotion. That night, when the woman leaned over him, Thayer gently patted her hand and turned away, offering her only his back. His father was bringing me over the next day and he didn’t want any more physical contact with the woman beside him.” Aveline froze, her expression flickering. She bit her lip tightly, barely able to hide the frustration and resentment on her face. The next day, I did indeed arrive, but not alone. At my side stood Lucien, impeccably dressed, standing very close to me, his every move exuding warmth and attentiveness.
Though my demeanor remained distant, there was an unspoken ease in my manner and conversation with Lucien, with an undeniable sense of familiarity.
Thayer recalled the time I’d fallen ill and he, in a fit of rage, had flung accusations at me, saying I’d latched onto Lucien for support. But deep down, he’d known it wasn’t true.
Day and night, I had been within his line of sight. I loved him painfully, desperately. My eyes had only ever held him, never leaving room for anyone else.
Back then, he’d only wanted to humiliate me. Now, as I entered the Alcott Family estate with another man, my eyes void of love or hate, barely sparing him a glance as if he were nothing more than a leaf fallen by the roadside. It felt like someone had reached into his chest and crushed his heart in their fist.
Even though Thayer knew Lucien was just my lawyer, the burning jealousy rising in him couldn’t be suppressed.§
Last time, I had already “applied medicine” on Lucien, what about this time?}
He wondered, had we already slept together? In what position? How many times had Lucien taken me? Were we already living together?” These poisonous thoughts spiraled, each one more unbearable than the last.
The more he thought about it, the more the anger surged in his mind and he didn’t even notice the look in Aveline’s eyes.”
Thayer spat out a scathing insult. “Adulterers, are you coming to the Alcotts residence together to watch me fall? Well, you’re sorely mistaken. Everything’s great with the Alcott Family and I’m doing just fine.“>
He pulled Aveline into his arms with such force that her pregnant belly was accidentally jabbed by his elbow, but he didn’t even notice. Lucien stepped forward, shielding me behind him, his tone slow and unhurried. “Mr. Alcott, are you referring to you and Aveline? You two sure have been visiting the hospital a lot during this divorce lawsuit. You’re already so reckless in this early pregnancy, are you hoping the child ends up unhealthy?”
The man in front of us suddenly stood up like an enraged leopard, ready to swing a punch at Lucien.
“Enough, Thayer. Apologize to our two guests.“{
Harvant suddenly hurled his prayer beads at the defiant man, his gaze falling on the pale–faced Aveline beside him. In that moment, he felt as if he had committed a lifetime of sins.
For the first time, a faint resentment toward his ex–wife stirred in his heart. The grudges of the past resurfaced, why had she said those things?!
No matter how much she hated him, Thayer was still her biological son. Yet when she left, she did so with utter resolve, leaving Thayer with nothing but that cold, final impression.
It seemed she truly despised him and hated this child as well.
But even so, looking at his son now, Harvant forced himself to stay calm and clean up the mess on his behalf.}
