Chapter 177
Chapter 178
VENUS
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The sound that shattered the room was soft. Just the hush of hinges, the swing of the dining room doors. But it cut sharper than any shout.
A figure stepped inside, shadows spilling across the golden warmth Rosemary had so carefully built.
Dorian Sinclair.
The breath caught in my chest before Aaron’s voice snapped through the silence.
“What the fuck are you doing here p>
The words were low, lethal, enough to rattle the silverware on the table. His hand clamped down on mine until pain spiked through my knuckles.
Dorian didn’t flinch. He had the audacity to smile, though the edges of it lacked their usual blade. The smugness was there-a man born with Sinclair arrogance stitched into his blood-but the bite, the cruel twist, the poison? It was dulled. Almost… absent.
“Relax, little brother.” He moved into the room with the ease of someone who belonged, though every set of eyes at the table burned against him like he didn’t. “I was invited p>
“By who?” Aaron spat.
And then quietly and steadily, Rosemary’s voice cut through. “By me p>
Every muscle in Aaron’s body locked. Slowly, he turned to his mother. “You-” His voice cracked sharp with betrayal. “You invited him here p>
Rosemary didn’t look away. Her hand was steady on the stem of her glass, though her knuckles were pale. “He called me. For the first time in years. He asked for a chance to apologize. And I gave it to him p>
“You believe him?” Aaron’s tone was disbelief wrapped in venom.
“I believe in listening,” Rosemary answered simply.
“The ever forgiving Rosemary Carter. Don’t you realize the world is brutal on a soft heart? Yet time and again betrayal after betrayal your heart still won’t harden.” His voice shook.
Aaron surged halfway out of his chair, but I touched his arm, grounding him. “Aaron.” My voice was soft, coaxing, desperate to steady him before he did something he’d regret. “Just… hear him out p>
His glare snapped to me, searing. But then his jaw clenched, his nostrils flared, and he sank back into his seat like a caged predator forced to wait.
Dorian took the opening. His gaze shifted to me, and for once, it wasn’t mocking, wasn’t cruel. Just steady. “Congratulations, Venus p>
20:46 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 178
The words startled me. My lips parted, but no answer came.
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Before I could, he stepped forward and set a small box on the table before me. Black velvet, understated. “A gift,” he said. “For the twins p>
The room went still. My hand trembled as I touched the lid, but Aaron’s grip came down, stopping me. “Don’t,” he growled.
Dorian’s mouth tilted faintly, not quite smug, not quite sad. “It’s not a weapon, Aaron. Just a gift p>
My pulse pounded, but curiosity overruled fear. Slowly, I lifted the lid.
Inside lay two delicate silver rattles, engraved with tiny vines twining into blossoms. They gleamed under the chandelier, elegant but simple. Precious.
My throat tightened.
Dorian’s voice softened. “They were commissioned years ago, when I thought… when I thought I’d have children to give them to. I never did. So-” His eyes flicked to me. “They’re yours now p>
Silence crashed heavy again.
Aaron shifted beside me, fury radiating off him in waves. But Dorian didn’t turn toward him. He looked at me instead.
“Venus,” he said quietly. “I owe you an apology. I used your mother once, to get to Aaron. To wound him. That was low. Cruel. You didn’t deserve that. And for what it’s worth, I’ve never had anything against you. Not really. You got caught in the crossfire of a war you didn’t ask for p>
I wanted to reject them, spit them back in his face but some part of me, the part that remembered what he’d done, still ached with the relief of hearing them.
Then his gaze shifted to Aaron.
“And you,” he said.
Aaron’s laugh was bitter, sharp. “Here it comes p>
But Dorian didn’t smirk. His voice was steady, quiet, every word weighted. “I’ve been a terrible brother. All these years. I made you the enemy when I should’ve been your shield. I resented you for what wasn’t your fault-for being the child he returned to, for being the son that carried the love he never gave me. I let that resentment rot me. And I turned it on you p>
“You think Richard Sinclair cared about me?” Aaron’s laugh was humorless. His eyes burned holes into Dorian’s face,
“I don’t expect forgiveness,” Dorian continued. “But you deserve to hear it. You built the Sinclair Group to the heights it’s at today, but even I can admit-you’re the one worthy of leading it. Not me. You always were p>
A ripple passed through the table. Colton stiffened, Connor blinked, even Lucien’s mask slipped.
20:46 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 178
Aaron scoffed. “You expect me to believe this sudden humility p>
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Dorian’s gaze didn’t waver. “I expect nothing. I’m only giving you what I should’ve given you years ago. The truth p>
Then he turned, finally, to Sabine.
She had been silent until now, her body wound tight, Connor’s hand pressed over hers. Her eyes were daggers, but they glistened.
“Sabine,” Dorian said softly. “You’re my sister. And I’ve failed you, too. I wasn’t there for you when I should’ve been. I left you to Aaron’s care, when it should’ve been me standing beside you. And for that, I thank him.” His eyes flicked briefly to Aaron. “Thank you. For being there when I wasn’t p>
Sabine inhaled sharply, her face cracking for the first time. She looked at Dorian like she wanted to both scream at him and collapse into his arms.
Finally, Dorian turned back to Rosemary. His voice dropped, reverent. “And you. Thank you. For taking my call. For letting me walk through that door. You’ve been kinder to me than my own mother ever was.” His throat bobbed. “I’ll never forget it p>
The weight of his words sank heavy into the room. Even the candles seemed to flicker with it.
And then, slowly, Dorian straightened. “That’s all I came to say p>
He turned, as if to leave.
But Aaron’s voice cracked through the silence, sharp as a whip.
“Stop p>
Dorian froze.
Aaron rose from his chair, his presence filling the room, towering over the table. His eyes burned into his brother’s back.
“You don’t get to walk in here, say your piece, and just leave.” His voice was gravel, torn between rage and something more dangerous. “You want to fix this? You earn it p>
Dorian turned slowly, shock flickering across his face.
Aaron’s fists clenched at his sides. “You earn me. You earn Sabine. You want a place in this family-you fight for it. You don’t get to speak words and vanish. You stay. You prove it. Every damn day p>
The room was silent. Sabine’s breath caught audibly. Rosemary’s eyes brimmed.
And me? My heart slammed in my chest. Because I realized, in that moment, that this was the beginning of something bigger. Not forgiveness. Not yet. But the first crack in a wall that had been unbreakable,
Aaron’s voice dropped, lethal and raw. “You want to be my brother again? You bleed for it. You prove it. And maybe-maybe-you’ll earn a seat at this table p>
20:46 Wed, Jan 14
Chapter 178
930
Dorian’s mouth parted. For once, words seemed to fail him. His eyes, so often cruel, shimmered with something else.
And as he sank into the empty chair at the table’s edge, the family watched in stunned silence.
The real drama was yet to begin.
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Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.