Chapter 258

Aaron punched the wall, overwhelmed with self-blame. "It's my fault," he said. "As a father, it's my fault. I couldn't protect him. I trusted the wrong person." Yuliana walked over as Aaron lost his composure.

She appeared much calmer, though tear stains still marked her face. Her voice, however, remained gentle and composed.

"Aaron, don't do this," she said. "This has nothing to do with Mr. Bennett. If it weren't for him, Nina would have died in Whitney's basement when she was twelve."

Aaron calmed down considerably at Yuliana's gentle words. Deep down, he knew it wasn't truly Jonathan's fault; his daughter's obsession was the root cause.

He couldn't control his emotions any longer, though. He clenched his fist and rushed from the hospital room. Claude, understanding the situation, followed, ensuring the door closed behind them. Only Yuliana and Jonathan remained in the adjacent living area.

"Mr. Bennett," Yuliana said, "go and check on Nina." Jonathan entered Nina's room.

Nina lay on the bed, seemingly asleep, but her sleep was restless. She mumbled in her dreams, softly crying. Tears lingered at the corners of her eyes, making her appear pitiful. Jonathan felt a pang in his heart. After all, Nina was the girl he had protected for so many years, considering her a younger sister. Over those years, his protection had made her overly focused on romance, causing her to neglect her own circumstances and concentrate all her attention on him.

He had planned to let her grow independently, but seeing her so vulnerable filled him with anguish.

Yuliana stood beside Jonathan. "Mr. Bennett," she said, "you saved Nina's life, pulling her from Whitney's basement when she was dying. Our whole family is eternally grateful."

"You know my situation," she continued. "I'm just an actress with no family background. If I hadn't met Aaron, I'd still be struggling as a minor star. But because I met him, our daughter has been burdened with Whitney's hatred and revenge since birth. Aaron has no real authority in the Sullivan family; he has an older brother, and Mr. Bennett dislikes me, believing I ruined Aaron and Whitney's marriage. Actually, their marriage ended long before I came along. Whitney never loved Aaron, and he only discovered the truth after Preston was born. Unable to accept it, he met me later."

She paused. "Of course, that's all in the past. Whitney may dislike Aaron, but that doesn't stop her from using us as punching bags because she can't conquer her betrayal. Over the years, wherever we go, it's like we're haunted by a nightmare. We don't have her strength or her craziness; we can't beat her. Who knows, maybe one day she'll finally destroy us."

Yuliana's emotions flickered. "We, as a couple, have accepted it. We've lived our lives, enjoyed what we could, and if we die, so be it. But Nina is different—she's young, with a bright future ahead of her. She is the hope for both of us…"

At this moment, Yuliana's voice choked, and she seemed unable to continue. She took a tissue from the bedside table, wiped her tears, and regained her composure.

"That's why I'm entrusting Nina to you," she said, her voice growing serious, "because only you share our goals and are capable of keeping her safe. I'm not coming to you empty-handed, Mr. Bennett. I've traded the most valuable treasure from the Sullivan family with you. Aaron and I don't hold high positions, but fortunately, Mrs. Bennett liked Aaron and gave him the family heirloom on her deathbed. We've made an agreement with you based on this, and since you've accepted our sincerity, you shouldn't break your promise."

Yuliana's soft tone had sharpened. She'd held a trump card and used it to arrange a deal with Jonathan.

Jonathan finally spoke. "I did make a deal with you, but our agreement was to protect her until she became an adult, not that I, Jonathan, am required to marry her." Yuliana's face changed.

Jonathan's face was coldly indifferent, his tone detached and calm. "Nina turned twenty this year; she's been an adult for a long time. The agreement between us is complete."

Yuliana looked unhappy but maintained her composure. "Mr. Bennett, don't you have any responsibility for Nina's situation now? If you never intended to marry her, why didn't you clear the rumors when they were spreading? For years, everyone in Betrico thought Nina would marry into the Bennett family. But now, suddenly, this Ms. Jones appears, and in just a month, you've married her. How is Nina supposed to accept this? How is everyone in Betrico going to view her now?"

"Yuliana, that's not what we agreed on in our gentleman's pact," Jonathan said.

Yuliana was surprised. "What?"

"You only asked me to save your daughter's life, no matter the cost," Jonathan asked. "Aren't you demanding a bit too much by telling me all this now?" Yuliana's expression froze.

She'd always known Jonathan was cold and detached, but his attention to Nina over the years had led her to believe Nina was special. When Whitney had locked Nina in the basement for four days, she nearly died, terrifying Yuliana into finding someone reliable for Nina. She hadn't dared make any demands then, especially with Nina so young.

But over the years, Jonathan had been incredibly kind to Nina, behaving differently towards her than towards others. This had given Yuliana false hope. Now, it seemed everything was an illusion; to Jonathan, it was a mere transaction, a simple exchange.

Yuliana felt helpless and afraid. Did Jonathan really have no feelings for Nina? Would he truly abandon her?

Her voice softened, and she cried, wiping away her tears. "Our dear Nina is so pitiful, so young, and already disabled; it's our failure as parents."

She decided to retreat. "Mr. Bennett, since you plan to abandon Nina, please leave. From now on, the Sullivan family will cut ties with you, and we won't trouble you anymore."

Jonathan said nothing. He pulled a brocade box from his pocket and placed it in Yuliana's hand. "Nina's accident truly upset me, but since it happened, we need to move forward. As for your sister, don't worry; I won't let her hurt Nina. However, I can't take responsibility for her life choices; they're hers to make. Everyone has their own challenges to overcome. You, as her parents, should guide her more. I hope she can stay strong and live well."

He turned to leave. Yuliana opened the box to reveal the Sullivan family heirloom, a pink sphene. She was stunned and called out, "Jonathan, are you really giving this up? Don't you know the significance of this pink sphene!"