Chapter 21
“You really thought you had it all figured out, huh, big bro?”
Hunter Holt’s voice came slow and cocky from across the room, like he owned the damn place.
He walked right up beside me, calm as hell, like none of this tension fazed him. The way he moved, the way he looked at them—he wasn’t just some uncle who showed up late to the party. He was the damn show.
Landon’s jaw dropped. “Uncle Hunter?”
Hunter didn’t even look his way. His icy gaze locked on Logan like a sniper lining up a shot. Then, without breaking eye contact, he laced his fingers with mine and smirked.
“Yeah, little bro. I’m Savannah’s boyfriend. Has been for a while now. So maybe next time, show your new aunt some goddamn respect.”
Dead. Silence.
It was the kind of moment you only see in messy-ass family dramas—the kind where someone flips the table and no one dares pick up the pieces.
Logan’s face turned red as hell. He growled, “You sick bastard. You stole your nephew’s girl!”
“I stole nothing,” Hunter said, eyes gleaming with venomous calm. “You two dumbasses let her go four years ago like she was trash. And now you’re crying over it? Grow up.”
“Hunter Holt!” Logan’s fists clenched so hard his knuckles popped. “I’m telling Grandpa about this.”
“Go ahead,” Hunter shrugged. “Tell him how you two clowns flunked your way through Germany chasing after that discount Instagram model, Bailey White. The same girl who nearly tanked Holt family’s rep in every goddamn social circle.”
He turned his gaze to Grace Holt, calm and cold. “I mean, Aunt Grace, you’re really gonna let this spoiled brat talk to Savannah like that?”
Grace stiffened. She was cornered. And Hunter knew it.
“I’ll handle them,” she said quickly. “They won’t bother Savannah again.”
And just like that, the polite little bond I had with Grace shattered into a million polite lies.
I was never her daughter. Just a debt she owed.
Hunter gave her a look, sharp as a blade. “Good.”
Then he took my hand again and walked me out of that house like it was nothing. Like it didn’t hold every scar I ever buried.
That day, I took back my life.
And even though Hunter never said a damn word about taking over the Holt empire, Grandpa Charles got the message loud and clear.
Weeks later, Landon and Logan were shipped back overseas with a monthly stipend just big enough to keep their egos fed.
They were done.
