Chapter 18

The cozy vibe quickly shifted to one of discomfort and tension. The waiter awkwardly held the roses, unsure whether to stay or go. Dylan stayed quiet, and eventually, the waiter slipped away.

But Violet didn’t care. She sent a bouquet of burnt roses to his art studio every day. Unfortunately, not a single one even made it through the door before being tossed straight into the trash.

At another art exhibition, Violet stepped in front of Dylan, determined to find out why he wouldn’t accept her flowers.

Dylan stared at her for a moment, then gave a sarcastic little laugh. They’d been married for years, and she still didn’t understand him at all.

“I’m not into you, so I’m not interested in anything you’re offering. Violet, why can’t we just part ways without all this drama? We’re divorced now. Shouldn’t you be celebrating that?”

Violet took a deep breath, her eyes sparkling like a night sky full of stars. Her voice shook as she instinctively reached for his hand.

“No, Dylan. Getting divorced didn’t make me happy at all. I—I’ve gotten used to having you around. It wasn’t until you left that I realized you’re the one I truly love. As for Archer…”

“Whatever I felt for him was just me being too stubborn to move on. He’s gone now. Can’t we just go back to how things were?”

Dylan looked rather dazed when he heard her last words. Every day of their past had been a torment to him. The last thing he wanted was to go back to that life.

He stepped aside to avoid her touch. His voice turned cold. “Violet, do you even hear yourself? You said you got used to me, like I’m some kind of nanny.”

“The only difference is most nannies wouldn’t have risked their lives for you like I did. Do you honestly believe you love me? Do you even believe what you’re saying?”

Violet’s face went pale.

Since Dylan joined the Padden family at 15, he’d never seen her look so defeated. She had always been proud and untouchable, sitting pretty on her pedestal.

Violet’s expression soured because Dylan hadn’t played along like he used to. He had revealed the uncomfortable truth buried deep inside her. He walked away without looking back.

As soon as he exited the art studio, his phone buzzed with a call from Mandy. All he felt was gratitude when it came to her. She was the one who had given him a chance at repaying the Paddens. When Dylan started college, he was nearly broke after covering his tuition.

He didn’t want to owe anything to the Paddens, so he figured sacrificing five years was the best way to pay them back for the financial help they gave him. And now, he thought it was time to visit Mandy.

Callum shot him a worried glance. “You don’t owe the Paddens anything anymore. There’s no reason for you to head back there. What if they try to give you a hard time again?”

After Callum was adopted, his new parents showed him the ropes of high society and shaped many life decisions with him. He knew there were plenty of other forms of repayment instead of marrying Violet just to fix her broken heart.

But Mandy insisted on having Dylan throw away his future and education just to get stuck in a five-year marriage that was just the worst.

Everything went just as Callum had predicted. Mandy chatted a bit with Dylan before shifting the conversation to urging him to consider giving her another chance.

Callum was spot on about this. Violet’s heartbreak came from her own choices with Archer, but somehow, Dylan—the one who did nothing wrong—was supposed to be the one to save her from it.

Dylan had already sacrificed his education, future, and freedom—all to pay what he owed to the Paddens. He was stuck in this mess for five years and was expected to be grateful to them. Where could anyone find a deal this sweet?

Honestly, Dylan never wanted any of this in the first place. If he had gotten the chance to finish college and pursue his dream of studying abroad, he could’ve paid the Paddens back with interest in just a year or two.

But Mandy coddled Violet too much and couldn’t stand to watch her facing even a tiny bit of hardship, so she hurried to keep Dylan on a tight leash. Violet’s life couldn’t be “wrecked” by a little heartbreak, but no one seemed to care if Dylan’s life was ruined in the process.