The Tyrant's Stolen Bride-Chapter 100: A Year Makes a Difference

Slumping onto the sofa, Dante pressed a hand to his face, the sting of rejection still burning in his chest.

"Damn it. She really thinks she can push me away," he muttered.

It was the first time anyone had ever turned him down, and the bitterness in his chest swelled.

A knock sounded at the door, and the butler stepped inside. "You called for me, sir?"

Dante was in no mood for anything. He did not bother turning around to look at the butler when he spoke.

"The Dolans. Where are they now?"

"They’ve left. Heading back to Stonehollow," the butler replied.

Dante turned around in surprise when he heard that. They had left so suddenly.

"Why did they leave so suddenly?"

"They went out this morning and came back later. There was an argument in their room, but I could not make out the details. Shortly after, Madam Rosalba left with her son."

"Camela?"

"Madam Camela is in her room."

Dante nodded once.

"Start packing her things. She’s returning to Ashvale. Dismiss the maids. There’s no reason to stay here any longer."

He had wasted too much time in Mistvale, all because he had chosen a soft approach. In the end, Lyra still refused his presence.

...

Rowan was away on a business trip the night Dante crossed the line. Afraid to be alone, she returned to her father’s house instead.

That same night, she called him, intending to tell him everything. But when she heard the exhaustion in his voice, she could not bring herself to say it.

Maybe it would be better to tell him face to face.

After the call, she lay back on the bed, tossing and turning until exhaustion finally pulled her into sleep.

The next morning, Lyra went to work with caution, her gaze constantly darting around, afraid that Dante might suddenly appear.

"Why are you acting so strangely?" Alex asked, puzzled as he glanced at his daughter, who kept peeking out from behind the pillar. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

He scanned their surroundings, not seeing the person he had expected.

"Did you argue with Rowan again?" he assumed. Maybe Lyra was trying to avoid her husband after another disagreement.

"No. I told you he was on a business trip."

Alex rubbed his temples and said nothing more until they reached the intersection, where they parted ways.

Later that afternoon, a nurse knocked on the door as she was busy with a patient.

"Dr. Carvin needs you in his office now. He said it’s urgent. Please go once you’re done with this patient."

Lyra sighed inwardly. Once again, he had interrupted her work and later on, she dragged herself to the director’s office as instructed.

"It’s me," she said after knocking.

"Just come in," the director replied sharply, his voice clipped with irritation.

The moment she opened the door, a file was flung at her feet.

"Dr. Ashford, explain this to me," Carvin snapped before she had even stepped inside.

Lyra lowered her gaze, picked up the file, and walked toward his desk.

She guessed his anger was related to the incident with Dante the day before. It was not her fault, and she remained calm as she asked, "Dr. Carvin, what would you like me to explain?"

"Don’t pretend you don’t know. After lunch at the cafeteria, you were the last person to see Mr. Cortez."

She drew a look of shock on her face, causing the director to frown in doubt.

He asked again, this time cautiously, "Weren’t you the last one with him yesterday?"

"Yes, I was with him. But how can you be sure I was the last person to see him? What if he met someone else afterward?"

She turned her doubtful gaze to him.

Carvin lifted a finger, his mouth hanging open as he was about to say something, but Lyra’s words and expression made his sentence catch in his throat.

"Dr. Carvin, what is troubling you that you feel the need to blame me? What did Mr. Cortez say to you?"

Carvin slumped into his chair, trouble written all over his face.

"The funding was withdrawn this morning through his lawyer."

"What?" Lyra was shocked. She had not expected the incident to have consequences this severe.

As far as she knew, he had offered the funding before they had even known each other.

The thought left her questioning whether his generosity had ever been genuine.

"How could he withdraw the funding so suddenly? The project has already started. Surely there was an agreement in place."

The director spread his hands in a helpless shrug. "Of course there was an agreement, but I need to know why he suddenly withdrew. It must have something to do with you."

Hearing that, Lyra stared at him in shock. "How can you be so sure? Am I someone who’s always caused trouble for you?"

The director blinked, visibly unsettled. Lyra’s question had caught him off guard. She had always conducted herself professionally.

There had never been an issue connected to her until Dante entered the picture.

He had called her in with the intention of pressuring her, hoping to push her into admitting fault. Yet her reaction appeared genuine to him, and the doubts he had harbored slowly turned inward.

In that moment, it felt as though he had tried to make her the scapegoat.

"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. You know the pressure I’m under," he said with a sigh.

"I understand the situation is stressful for you. But I’m under a lot of pressure at work as well. I hope this doesn’t happen again."

"Yes...yes..."

The director’s gaze lingered on her for a moment.

A year earlier, she had been far less confident, deferring to him and never questioning his decisions.

But now, she had grown into someone far more mature and composed. Whatever control he once held was no longer guaranteed. He would have to be careful around her from now on.

Lyra excused herself, mentioning that the clinic was especially busy today.

As she closed the door behind her, a satisfied smile spread across her face. Dante had withdrawn. He would no longer be around.

Unable to help herself, she thrust a fist into the air, quietly celebrating. She headed back to the clinic in a lighter mood.