Chapter 178

"I don't want your explanation," he snapped. "What I want is for you to wipe the stain you've smeared on this family. You let a vagabond who raped you back into your life. And then, you sent him to beat the hell out of Mr. Raze, one of our most

important partners!"

"That's not what happened," she protested, but her voice cracked under the weight of his contempt.

"I was the one who convinced your grandfather not to disown you. I saved your job. I fought for you when the rest of the board wanted you out. And this is how you repay me? By shacking up with a street rat?"

Elias took a step closer. "You're a disgrace, Selena. Just because no man wants to marry you doesn't mean you get to parade your shame like this."

Selena's hands trembled at her sides, but she refused to cry.

"You want to keep your job?" Elias asked, eyes gleaming. "Then tomorrow morning, you get down on your knees and apologize to Mr. Raze. Beg him for forgiveness. Or you're done. Out of the company. Out of the family. And I mean all of you."

He looked at Vane and Nora with disgust.

"You've all lived off our scraps long enough. This ends now."

With that, Elias turned and walked away.

His footsteps echoed like gunshots.

The door shut behind him with a quiet click, but it may as well have been a gunshot too.

Selena didn't say a word. Her eyes welled up. Vane just lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply like it might hold back the guilt and failure twisting inside him.

Nora snapped.

She turned on her husband like a hurricane. Pounding her fists into his chest with tears streaming down her face.

"Do you see what he just did? And you you stood there like a mute dog! You never fight back, Vane! Never! You let him throw us out of our own home, take our dignity, drag our daughter through the mud—and you said nothing!"

Her voice cracked, full of rage and heartbreak. "You're a coward, Vane! A weak, pathetic coward!"

She broke into sobs and collapsed into a chair, burying her face in her hands.

By the time Jaden stepped out of

the bathroom towel around his

neck the house felt like a battlefield. The energy was heavy. Wounded.

"What happened?" he asked, eyes darting between the weeping Nora,

the silent Vane, and Selenet

Svelge

haunted expression.

No one answered him.

Except Mia.

She tugged at his sleeve gently. Her voice barely above a whisper. "Papa..."

He looked down at her.

"Uncle

was here," she said. "He

said is ma doesn't say sorry

someone, he'll take her job – throw us out of the family .net>

Jaden froze.

and

He blinked once. Then again. His jaw clenched so tight a vein popped in his temple.

His hands curled into fists at his sides.

That name again.

Verrick.

The family that tore his woman apart. That labeled him a rapist. That let his child grow up fatherless.

They thought he was a nobody. Disposable. Weak.

Jaden's eyes darkened.

His voice, low and cold, dripped with promise.

"They're going to regret this."