Chapter 12
No wonder back then, when adults came and went at the Cala houshold, they whispered
ceaselessly about the same event
At the time, I hadn’t understood the source of their excitement and dread.
No,
because you were being raised in the Vince family’s main residence, you were chosen to inherit?” I asked,
“Compared to the other collateral relatives, I’d spent three years under Old Master Vince’s direct supervision,” Jeff shrugged, “What’s more, I had the greatest advantage of all both my parents were dead,”
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I mulled it over. “I still fail to see how this connects to your feelings 14 me.”
Jeff reached out with his ringed hand and intertwined our fingers. “Elizabeth, my world has always been ruled by the law of the jungle–both before I was chosen and after.*
His dark eyes, shining behind silver glasses, locked earnestly onto mine: “During those distant three years, the times you sheltered me were the happiest moments of my life.”
His warm, strong fingers tightened around mine. “Now that I’ve found you again, I have no intention of ever letting you go.”
A month later, the Horton family finally eased up, allowing Tyler Horton to return to Horton Corporation.
But reclaiming the helm was now an uphill battle. His younger brother, Matt Horton, was
on the rise.
In a family like theirs, there could be only one heir. After lying in wait for so many years, Matt Horton had finally seized the opportunity to reach the top of Horton Corp and had no intention of giving Tyler an inch.
In this world where influence was everything, Tyler Horton could no longer make the winds blow at his command.
Chapter 12
His former cronies, once so eager to curry favor, were no longer intimidated, and they began to show their true colors.
On the weekend, Jeff Vince and I went to a private lakeside club.
By chance, we overheard a confrontation:
From the voices, we immediately recognized Tyler Horton’s.
He was drunk, lashing out at one of his old close friends.
But unlike before, that friend didn’t submit meekly–he smashed a wine bottle and swung
his fist right at Tyler’s face.
“Tyler Horton, what are you putting on airs for now? Everyone knows the Horton family’s changed hands!”
“I keep calling you ‘Mr. Horton,‘ and you really think you still are one? The real Mr. Horton now is Matt Horton!”
“Who’s going to indulge your bullshit anymore?!”
With that, the pair started grappling.
Sarah Carlisle screamed, trying to break them up, but got shoved to the floor in the chaos.
When the fight ended, the group left as a pack, leaving Tyler Horton with a weeping Sarah Carlisle behind.
Irritated, Tyler shouted at her, “Stop your damn crying!”
Shocked into silence, Sarah whimpered, “Tyler, how can you yell at me? You said you’d protect me forever…”
“This is all your fault!” Tyler snarled, “If you hadn’t seduced me, I would never have ended up like this!”
“Tyler, what are you saying? Weren’t you the one who fell for me first?”
Grinding his teeth, Tyler seized her shoulders. “Sarah Carlisle, don’t play dumb. We both
He Regreted It
Chapter 12
know how you enticed me. If you hadn’t butted in, I would’ve been living just fine with Elizabeth Cala. None of this would have happened!”
Too frightened to speak, Sarah Carlisle just kept sobbing
Furious, Tyler slammed the door on his way out.
That night, my phone rang. It was Tyler Horton:
Elizab
Alizabeth, I’m drunk, I…I miss you so much.”
“Elizabeth, let’s meet, okay? I have so much to tell you…”
I remained silent and pressed “hang up.”
Tyler Horton actually came all the way to the Vince residence to see me.
I didn’t let him in and went outside to meet him instead.
He’d mostly sobered up by now, but he hadn’t changed clothes and still reeked of alcohol
Compared to the always impeccable, lofty figure he used to be, he now appeared disheveled and shabby, like a completely different man.
The moment he saw me, Tyler approached anxiously:
“Elizabeth, I’ve missed you so much.”
“I was fooled by Sarah Carlisle. I only now realize that the one I truly love is you!”
“I’m willing to forgive whatever mistakes you’ve made. Don’t throw a tantrum anymore–come back to me…”
རི
I shoved him away. “A tantrum? Tyler Horton, are you not aware of what you’ve done?”
He put on a generous façade, obviously expecting me to be grateful, but I wasn’t.
Irritated, he demanded: “I apologized for the wedding anniversary incident. Don’t you have any faults of your own?”
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Chapter 12
He paused, looking at me as though he were some authoritative teacher, interrogating a
student.
I said nothing.
