127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
“Am I?” Ste shot back. “Becausest I checked, your real family is Lana and that bastard son of yours.”
“Ste-” Alicia tried to stop her daughter before she went too far, but it was already toote.
The words hung in the air like a gunshot. The room’s temperature dropped instantly.
William’s face darkened as he stormed forward, and before Ste could move…
p!
The sharp sound echoed in the room.
“You ungrateful woman!” William roared. “Don’t you ever speak about him like that! He’s Walters! He’ll carry on my name. While you…” he pointed at her, trembling with rage, “…you are not!”
“William… what the hell are you doing?!” Alicia
shouted, shoving herself between them just as he raised his hand again.
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127 Then Let’s feo, Shall We?
“Don’t you dare p her, William!” she screamed. “If you’ve lost all sense of decency, then hit me! Go on! Hit me, you bastard!”
Her voice cracked, trembling, but she didn’t move.
William froze. For a second, he actually looked stunned. Alicia, his wife, had never raised her voice to him before, much less cursed him.
“You…” he growled, eyes red, “move, Alice. Move, or I swear I’ll…”
“No.” Her voice was calm this time. Cold. Final.
William stared at her, chest heaving.
Alicia stood there like a woman who’d already lost everything and decided she had nothing left to fear.
The man in front of her, her husband, the father of her children… But it felt like a stranger wearing a familiar
face.
“You’ve already done enough,” she said softly. “I kept silent for years while you humiliated me, lied to me, and cheated behind my back. I told myself it was for the family… for our daughters. But Ste was right, our
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127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
family doesn’t exist anymore.”
Her voice shook, “You destroyed it.”
For the first time, William didn’t know what to say. His lips twitched, but no sound came out.
“It’s okay, Mom,” Ste said quietly, touching her mother’s arm. “You’ve done enough for us.”
Alicia turned to her daughter, her eyes ssy with
tears.
“Mom,” Ste said, meeting her gaze, “that man isn’t our family anymore. He’s not your husband. He’s not my father. He’s just… someone who lost his way and doesn’t even realize it.”
“I know,” Alicia whispered, wiping her tears roughly. “And I don’t see him as my husband anymore. He betrayed everything we built.”
Then she turned back to William. Her voice dropped lower, “William Walters, if you every a hand on my daughter again, I’ll ruin you in ways that no scandal ever could.”
William’s jaw clenched.
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127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
His voice came out low, almost a growl. “You’re both making a huge mistake. You think you can survive without me? You both wille and beg for my
mercy!”
Ste smirked faintly, crossing her arms.
“Then let’s see, shall we?” she said. “Because from where I’m standing, we’ll do just fine without you. And, probably YOU wille begging on your knees for mercy.”
William red at her, furious and speechless, and then turned toward the door. He mmed the door so hard
behind him that the chandelier rattled.
Silence.
Alicia stood frozen for a moment before her knees gave way, and she sat heavily on the edge of the bed, pressing a hand to her chest.
Her eyes blurred, and hot tears spilled down her cheeks. “I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “He really
doesn’t have a heart left. Not for me. Not for you. He’spletely gone. He is insane!”
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127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
Ste sat beside her and nudged her shoulder lightly.
“You did great, Mom.”
Alicia let out a weak, tearfulugh.
“You know… I think that’s the first time in twenty years I’ve ever yelled at that man.”
“Well,” Ste said with a slight grin, “you’ve still got it.”
That earned a softugh from both of them, a shaky, tired sound, but genuine.
Alicia wiped her face with the back of her hand.
“I don’t know whether to cry or start throwing his
clothes out the window.”
“Let’s do both,” Ste said. “It’ll be good for us…”
Alicia let out anotherugh, a little stronger this time.
“Alright, Mom,” Ste said after a moment. “Enough crying. He doesn’t deserve your tears. And anyway…” She smiled mysteriously. “You need to cheer up. Tomorrow, someone wants to meet you.”
Alicia frowned, sniffling. “Someone? Who?”
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<b>< </b>
127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
“You’ll see,” Ste said, lips curving into a smile.
The next day.
Ste drove her mother to a private Japanese restaurant her sister had reserved for them.
The ce was quiet and elegant. It was the kind of spot where servers barely spoke above a whisper, and you had to make a reservation a week in advance to get a table there.
Alicia eyed the stonenterns and manicured bamboo as they walked in.
“Ste, why didn’t you tell me who we’re meeting?”
“Rx, Mom,” Ste said, trying to focus on parking without bumping the unbelievably costly car next to
them.
Alicia narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t, by any chance, arrange a meeting with a divorcewyer, did you?”
Ste almost choked on air.
“W–what? No!”
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127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
“Because if you did, I’m not mad. I actually need one. William Walters is going to pay A LOT of alimony. Fair
still. But a LOT.”
“Mom!” Ste coughed, halfughing. “Oh my God, you really are scary when you’re mad.”
“I learned from the best,” Alicia said dryly, patting her on the shoulder.
“Alright, alright, let’s go, Mrs. Soon to be Single.” Ste grinned and opened the car door.
“Don’t call me that,” Alicia muttered, though her lips twitched. “At least not until the paperwork’s done.”
They walked into the restaurant, and Alicia’s eyebrows furrowed immediately.
The ce was empty.
Completely empty.
Not a single customer, despite it being almost lunchtime.
“Why is no one here?” Alicia whispered. “Did you book the whole restaurant? Ste! Are you secretly rich?”
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127 Then Let’s See, Shall We?
Ste rolled her eyes.
“Mom, please. I’m not that dramatic.”
But she knows exactly why this restaurant is empty… it must be her sister or her crazy–rich brother–inw who booked this ce just for them.
Just then, a polite staff member appeared.
“Miss Ste?”
“Yes?”
“Please follow me,” the woman said, leading them toward one of the VIP rooms.
When the sliding door opened, Alicia froze.
<b>17:02 </b>
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Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.