Chapter 209: Our engagement no longer exists.

Xavier walked inside.

He didn’t bother to look around, nor did he show any curiosity about the place. After all, he wasn’t expecting Adelyn to be living well.

She had once been the pampered daughter of the Scott family —someone who had grown up surrounded by luxury and indulgence. He had seen her at her best, living a life most could only dream of.

Compared to that ...

Whatever life she was living now, away from them —how could it possibly measure up?

Adelyn, on the other hand, didn’t care what he thought.

Taking a seat on the couch, she gestured casually for him to sit across from her.

Xavier followed without a word.

Once settled, his gaze locked onto her, and without wasting another moment, he asked again,

"He ... referred to you as sister-in-law. Why didn’t you refuse him?"

Adelyn’s brows lifted slightly at the confidence in his tone —as though he had the right to question her.

But she didn’t respond.

Xavier frowned.

"He might be young, but you can’t let him misunderstand your relationship with someone. And especially not something so intimate. How could you—"

"Dr. Colsen," Adelyn interrupted, her gaze calm yet distant —the same indifference she had shown him after the audition that day. "What makes you so sure that you aren’t the one misunderstanding things here?"

Xavier paused.

His brows furrowed, the faint crack in his composure revealing the struggle underneath.

"You —what do you mean?" he asked. "Did you really—"

But before he could complete the question, she cut him off again —deliberately.

"What I mean," she said coolly, "is that you should focus on the reason you’re here."

Her gaze drifted away, as if the conversation itself wasn’t worth her full attention.

That indifference ... it stung.

Xavier’s eyes darkened. His fingers curled into fists at his sides, tension building within him. Still, he forced himself to stay calm.

She was emotional. That’s all.

Once he explained everything ... once she understood ...

Things would go back to how they were before.

Taking a deep breath, he nodded, suppressing everything else.

"Fine," he said, his tone easing. "If you don’t want to answer that, I won’t press you. Let’s talk about what’s important."

Adelyn said nothing.

If she had followed her instincts, she would have told him right then and there that there was nothing left between them to talk about.

But she didn’t.

After all, she had agreed to hear him out.

So she allowed him to speak.

"Adelyn ..." Xavier began, his voice softer now, hesitant —as though he was carefully choosing his words. "I know you resent the Scott family ... and me ... for what happened seven years ago."

He paused briefly before continuing.

"You resent us for leaving you there. But you need to understand ... leaving you behind was never our intention. I was there that day —for you. Just for you."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then—

A soft chuckle escaped Adelyn’s lips.

It wasn’t loud, nor was it exaggerated. But it carried something sharp enough to cut through the air.

Xavier frowned immediately. He stared at her, confused. "Linnie, you—"

She looked up at him, her gaze steady —not harsh, yet unsettling enough to make him uncomfortable.

"I’m sorry," she said lightly, though there was no real apology in her tone. "I just couldn’t hold it in."

"You’re laughing at me?" he asked, disbelief evident in his voice.

She shook her head.

"No," she said, her lips still curved faintly. "I’m laughing at your words, Dr. Colsen. Don’t you think they sound ... ridiculous?"

His frown deepened.

"What do you mean?" he demanded. "I’m telling you the truth. What’s so funny about that?"

"Truth?" Adelyn repeated, her tone turning sharp in an instant. "Which part exactly was the truth?"

"That—"

"That seven years ago," she cut in, her voice steady but piercing, "you went there to save me ... and somehow ended up choosing to save Clara instead?"

Xavier immediately shook his head.

"No ... no, Linnie, that’s not what I meant. That day, I really did go there for you. Bryer called me —he said you were abducted. I rushed there with everything I had. I came to save you—"

"To save me?" she echoed. Her eyes met his.

"Then tell me," she continued calmly, "how exactly did you save me?"

Xavier fell silent.

His jaw tightened. His eyes closed briefly, as if he was trying to gather the right words.

"I ..." he started, his voice lower now. "I wasn’t the one who saved you."

"But—" he quickly added, opening his eyes as if afraid she would walk away before he finished, "I would have. I would have saved you if you had asked me to."

Adelyn didn’t move.

"If you had asked me to choose you," he continued, "I would have chosen you. You just needed to say it."

Silence filled the room again.

Adelyn looked at him. And in that moment, memories surfaced — sharp and uninvited.

She had known.

Even back then ... tied to that chair ... staring death in the face...

She had known exactly what he wanted.

It had been written so clearly in his eyes.

Just one word from her ...

Just one plea ...

And he would have chosen her.

She had known it.

And yet—

"You wanted me to ask you," she said slowly, a hollow smile forming on her lips. "To beg you. Isn’t that it?"

"No!" Xavier denied immediately. "Not beg. I never wanted you to beg." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Then what?" she pressed.

"I just wanted you to ask me," he said. "To tell me that you needed me."

Adelyn let out a quiet breath.

"Ask?" she repeated, almost amused. "And how is that any different from begging?"

"It is different," he insisted. "You just had to say you needed me—"

"You didn’t know my life was in danger?" she interrupted suddenly. Her voice was calm. Too calm.

Her expression ... empty.

"Or did you think the kidnapper was joking with us? You needed me to tell you. Why? You didn’t read the situation carefully, or did you—"

"No, Linnie. I knew," he said quickly. "I knew the danger. I knew how serious it was. I just—"

"You knew," she cut in again, her voice steady, "and still expected me to ask you to save me."

A faint smile touched her lips.

"Tell me, Dr. Colsen ... don’t you find that funny when you’re claiming so firmly that you were there for me?"

"I—"

Before he could say another word, Adelyn stood up.

The movement was abrupt enough to make him stop.

"What happened seven years ago is already in the past," she said, her tone final. "You wanted to explain yourself, and you did. I’ve heard everything."

She looked at him briefly.

"Now that you’re done, you can leave instead of going in circles. It’ll save both of us time and energy. And yes ... just to make you feel better, let me tell you. I don’t resent you or anyone for what happened seven years ago. I accepted everything and chose to let go. You can do the same."

Xavier’s brows knitted together.

He stood up as well.

Stepping forward, he reached out, trying to grab her hand.

"Linnie, you’re still my fiancée," he said. "If you’re angry, take it out on me. Don’t—"

"Dr. Colsen."

Her voice stopped him.

He froze.

Adelyn turned to face him fully, one brow raised slightly.

"Didn’t the Scotts tell you?" she asked.

He frowned, confused.

"Tell me what?"

Adelyn didn’t hesitate.

"Seven years ago," she said evenly, "when that incident happened, I severed all ties with the Scott family."

Her gaze remained steady.

"I’m no longer their daughter."

Xavier’s expression tightened.

"What does that have to do with us?" he asked.

"It does," Adelyn replied, a polite smile forming — one that didn’t reach her eyes.

"The Colsen family’s son was supposed to be engaged to the Scott family’s daughter," she continued. "Since I’m no longer their daughter ..."

She paused, just for a second.

"Our engagement no longer exists. It nullified the same day seven years back."

——————————

Meanwhile—

Back at Sanctuary Heights—

A cab slowly rolled to a stop at the grand entrance.

The driver glanced back at Karl, hesitation clear on his face.

"Sir ... are you sure you want me to drive in there?" he asked cautiously.

Karl nodded immediately, urgency written all over him.

"Yes, yes —just drive straight in."

"But ... what if they don’t allow us inside?" the driver hesitated. "Maybe you should go on your own?"

On his own?

Karl frowned.

He could ... but that would cost him at least fifteen minutes.

And right now, even a single minute felt too expensive.

"I can’t," he said firmly. "My leg is fractured. Just drive in. I’m paying you full fare, aren’t I?"

"But they might—"

"They’ll allow it. I—"

Before he could finish, a knock came at the window.

Karl froze for a second —then realization hit him.

Before the driver could even react, Karl had already rolled the window down and leaned out.

"It’s me," he said quickly. "Open the gate. Let the cab in."

The guard blinked in surprise —but upon recognizing him, he immediately straightened.

"Fourth Young Master."

Without another word, he nodded and opened the gate.

The driver was stunned.

Moments ago, he had thought this young man was bluffing.

But now ...

Not daring to question further, he drove inside.

Karl only told him to stop once they reached in front of Dylan’s house.

The moment the cab halted, Karl pushed the door open and got out in a hurry.

He had just started toward the house when—

"Sir! The fare—" the driver called out.

Karl didn’t even stop.

"Wait here," he said quickly. "I’ll come back and pay you."

"But—"

"I’ll pay extra!"

And with that, he rushed inside without looking back.

Inside, Mabel had just stepped out when she saw him.

"Fourth Young Master," she greeted. "Do you—"

"Mabel, is my brother in his study?" Karl asked, already halfway up the stairs.

"Yes, he is, but—"

"I’ll find him!"

He didn’t wait for her to finish.

Rushing upstairs, he reached the study and pushed the door open without knocking.

"Big Brother!" he called out immediately.

Then, without even pausing to catch his breath, he added—

"You need to hurry ... or someone else’s persistence might win sister-in-law over."