Chapter 16: Letting Go of Resentment

Diane was stunned by Leonard's response. More troubling than Leonard's hurtful words, however, was something else. "Are you serious about Lia?" she asked. "If your father heard what you just said, it would break his heart. Have we treated you badly all these years? I can't speak for others, but your father has always loved you like his own."

To Leonard, those words felt like chains. Not being born into the Sawyer family, he had always strived to meet their expectations, to be a true part of the family. However, his views on relationships clashed with theirs.

Did he truly like Lia? He wasn't sure. Perhaps he found her intriguing, but his mother's reaction ignited a rebellious impulse. "Yes, I'm serious," he blurted. "What are you going to do about it?"

Diane fell silent, her eyes reddening.

Leonard wasn't heartless. Seeing his mother's distress, he felt bad. "Why are you crying?" he asked. "No matter what happens, you won't lose anything. What's there to cry about? Worst-case scenario, I'll leave the Sawyer family, and all the wealth and comfort will still be yours." Diane lightly punched him in the chest. "Why am I crying? I'm crying because my son no longer listens to me! When have you ever talked to me like this? Is this how a son should speak to his mother?"

Leonard couldn't handle women crying. His head began to throb. Seeing Daniel approaching, he panicked. "I'm out of here. Just stop meddling in my business!" Diane grabbed his shirt, refusing to let go. "Apologize! You yelled at me!"

Seeing Daniel, Leonard tried to break free. "What are you doing? I didn't yell! I just told you to stop interfering"

Despite his age, Daniel's eyesight was sharp. From a distance, he saw his wife crying and shouted, "You little brat! It's bad enough you don't visit, but now you come back just to upset your mother? I'll break your legs!"

After being chased around the yard, Leonard escaped and sped off in his car. Growing up, Daniel only beat him for upsetting Diane. He was fiercely overprotective of his wife.

Soon, Leonard found himself near Lia's studio. He pulled over, rolled down his window, and lit a cigarette. "Damn, how did I end up here"

Chapter 10: Letting Go

As he muttered, he spotted Lia leaving the studio. Startled, he quickly flicked his cigarette and prepared to drive off. Seeing her walk toward him, he hesitated. Had she seen him?

Lia jogged across the street and stopped in front of his car, smiling. "Thanks," she said.

Her politeness surprised him. "Thanks for what? Are you feeling alright?"

Lia's expression tightened before she suppressed her frustration. "Thanks for helping Bella. Even though we had our differences, I've decided to let go of the grudge. Just don't mess with me again." Leonard smirked. "You women sure let things go easily, huh? I only helped Bella because of Dominic. You're welcome to keep hating me."

Lia rolled her eyes. "You helped, didn't you? And you even sent people to protect me, though it's for Bella's sake. Once all this blows over, I'll treat you to dinner. Consider it a peace offering."

Chapter 162: He's After It

The extraneous website promotion has been removed. The chapter titles have been corrected for consistency and clarity. Grammar, punctuation, and word choice have been improved throughout.