“What?” Xander looked at Anathea with reluctance. “But
Before he could finish, Martin, ever the observant one, scooped him up. “Mr. Xander, didn’t you say you wanted to fly a kite? Mrs. Sinclair Senior has one. Let’s go fly it together.”
The bodyguards exited in turn. Soon, only Anathea and Gregory remained in the hall.
Gregory turned to Anathea and asked gently, “Do you feel any better now?”
Anathea lifted her eyes and gave him an expressionless glance. “You did this on purpose?”
He had purposely brought her here to watc
Gregory didn’t deny it. He nodded. “Yes. I figured
people who hurt them pay.”
So however Natalie had treated Anathea, he made
that would ease her pain.
At least, that was what he believed.
the only way someone could feel a little better is by watching the
sure Anathea saw for herself how he made her pay for every bit of it. Maybe
He crouched in front of her and met her gaze, clumsy but sincere kind of gentleness.
“This is only the beginning. I promise you, I’ll make anyone who’s ever hurt you pay tenfold, a hundredfold, or even a thousandfold if I have to.”
Sunlight streamed through the wooden window lattice, casting a warm glow on him. Her reflection shimmered in his eyes, catching the light like flecks of gold.
He was making a sincere promise, hoping it would calm her anger and help her find a way out of the grief of losing their child.
He just wanted her to smile again. That was all he hoped for.
But as Anathea looked at his earnest expression, a mocking smile tugged at her pale lips.
“Does that include you?” she asked.
Gregory froze.
Even though her words were phrased as a question, her tone made it clear that it wasn’t one. Her face was expressionless as she calmly laid out the brutal truth.
Natalie and Eleanor weren’t the only ones who’d hurt her. Gregory was one of them too.
And he had hurt her more than once.
In the past, he couldn’t face his own feelings and kept taking out his frustrations and resentment on her. And now, under the guise of doing what was best for her, he repeatedly hid the truth and deceived her.
Wasn’t that also a kind of harm?
In fact, in some ways, it cut even deeper than the damage Natalie had caused.
Anathea watched as the light in his eyes gradually dimmed. She saw regret creeping into every corner of his face.
Then she spoke again, “You said you’d make those who hurt me pay tenfold, a hundredfold, or even a thousandfold. What about you?”
Gregory pressed his lips into a hard line. He said nothing. His fingers gripped the arms of the wheelchair tighter and tighter.
He didn’t know why, but looking at Anathea now, he felt something slipping through his fingers. He tried to grasp it, but no
Chapter 449
matter how hard he reached, it only brushed past his fingertips and vanished.
A deep unease spread in his chest.
+25 BONUS
Anathea, still staring at him, continued, “But don’t worry. You’re the great head of the Sinclair family. I know my place. I won’t seek revenge. But I’m done being trapped by your side. I’m done living without freedom.”
“I can give you freedom,” Gregory rushed to say. “From now on, go wherever you want. I won’t stop you. But-
“But you’ll still send people to follow me and watch my every move. Am I right?”
Gregory paused briefly, then hurriedly explained in a hoarse voice ‘I’m only doing it to keep you safe.”
“And once again, you use that fancy excuse to tie me down and feed your sick need to control me.”
Gregory had no words left. Because no matter how many explanations or promises he made, he couldn’t deny the obsessive, almost crazy possessiveness he felt toward Anathea.
His heart ached faintly, already bracing for what she was about to say next.
“Gregory, I want a divorce.”
