Chapter 98: The Apology She Refused to Give

Chapter 98: Chapter 98: The Apology She Refused to Give

~Third-POV~

It wasn’t just Frederick who cared for him; Lily adored him, and everyone in the family had welcomed him with open arms. Watching them all sit together, sharing food, laughing, and bantering across the dining table, it hit Reynold with a sudden, aching realization:

So this is what a real family feels like.

He had never experienced anything like it before. They were the very first family to ever invite him to sit at the same table as them and share a meal as an equal. He felt a profound wave of gratitude, even as a familiar bitterness crept into his chest. His own blood family had never treated him well. With them, he was nothing more than a servant, forced to wait on them hand and foot and relegated to eating his meals alone in his room.

Since Frederick had entered his life, everything had changed. They might not have officially defined their relationship yet, but in so little time, Frederick had given him more warmth, respect, and protection than he had received from his own family in his entire life.

As the car glided through the quiet streets, Reynold couldn’t stop his mind from wandering back to all the pain, neglect, and loneliness he had endured with his own relatives before meeting Frederick. The contrast was so sharp, so overwhelming, that his throat began to tighten. A heavy lump formed in his chest, and before he could stop them, tears welled up in his eyes and spilled over his cheeks.

He tried desperately to hold it in, biting his lip, but a small, muffled sniffle escaped him.

Against Frederick’s arm, a hot tear soaked straight through the fabric of his suit jacket.

Frederick felt Reynold’s tears soaking into his suit jacket. He immediately turned away from the window and looked down at Reynold, who was clinging to his arm. He gently lifted Reynold’s head to see his face, but Reynold quickly turned away and buried his face against Frederick’s chest, trying to hide his tear-stained cheeks.

Frederick’s heart sank when he saw Reynold’s tear-stained face.

"What’s wrong?" he asked, his voice low with concern.

Reynold shook his head. "Nothing... There’s just... something in my eye." His voice trembled as he spoke.

"Reynold, please talk to me." Frederick cupped his face gently, trying to get him to look up. "Don’t make me worry. Did I hurt you? Or are you still upset about earlier?"

Reynold quickly shook his head. "No... no, it’s not you at all!"

"Then why are you crying?" Frederick asked, gently wiping a tear from Reynold’s cheek with his thumb. "Talk to me, sweetheart. What’s wrong?"

Reynold tried to hold back his sobs, his eyes glistening as he looked up at Frederick. "I’m just... I’m just so happy," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I was thinking about how nice your family was to me today. I haven’t done anything to deserve so much kindness, yet they treated me so well. Look at how much Lily likes me. Look at everything you’ve done for me..."

His tears spilled over, and he struggled to catch his breath. "And today... I finally met your family, and they made me feel like I mattered. Like I was really one of them." His lower lip trembled. "They let me sit at the same table and eat with them, Frederick. Do you know what that means to me? My own family never did that. I was always expected to serve them, then go and eat alone in my room."

He squeezed his eyes shut, his shoulders trembling as the tears came harder. "I was just sitting here thinking... what if I had never met you? What if I had knocked on the wrong door that day instead of yours? What would have happened to me?" His voice broke. "My own family doesn’t even care whether I live or die, but look at how your family treated me today..."

His breath caught, and he could no longer continue. Tears streamed down his face as he covered his eyes with his hands.

Frederick listened without interrupting, his chest aching as he watched Reynold cry. He wanted to take away all the pain Reynold had carried for so long, but he knew he couldn’t do that with a few comforting words. So he stayed quiet and let Reynold cry, giving him the time he needed.

When Reynold finally fell silent, Frederick pulled him into his arms and held him close, wrapping both arms around him until he was resting against his chest.

"It’s okay, baby," Frederick whispered, holding him tightly. "It’s okay. Just breathe."

He rested his chin on Reynold’s head and rubbed his back slowly, hoping to calm him. "Your family doesn’t deserve your tears, Reynold. And you do matter. You matter so much to me. You make me happy, and all I want is to see you happy, too."

Frederick pulled back slightly and lifted Reynold’s chin so he could look into his tear-filled eyes. "And even if you hadn’t knocked on my door that day, I believe whoever opened their door to you would have seen the same kind heart I did. You’re a good person, Reynold, and you deserve to be treated with kindness." He brushed his thumb across Reynold’s cheek. "But I’m selfishly glad you knocked on my door. Because I can’t imagine my life without you now. Missing the chance to meet you would have been a loss I never knew I had suffered."

He cupped Reynold’s face in both hands and gently wiped away his tears with his thumbs. "From today on, my family is your family, too," Frederick promised. "You have a place with us, sweetheart. You don’t have to keep hurting over people who refuse to see your worth. I know it isn’t easy to forget everything they’ve put you through, but you don’t have to face it alone anymore. You have me."

Reynold stared at him, his chest still rising and falling unevenly as Frederick’s words sank in. After a moment, he let out a shaky breath and nodded.

Then he wrapped his arms around Frederick’s waist and buried his face in his shoulder again. Frederick held him close as the car continued toward his estate.

A short while later, the car passed through the grand entrance gates of Frederick’s private estate. The grounds were softly lit by landscape lights, illuminating the driveway as they approached the mansion.

As the driver approached the main entrance, he noticed a woman standing beside a parked car near the front steps.

"Sir," he said quietly from the front seat. "Madam Eva is here."

At the mention of Eva’s name, Reynold lifted his head from Frederick’s shoulder. His heart skipped a beat as he looked out the window, his fingers tightening around Frederick’s white suit jacket.

Frederick said nothing. His expression hardened, turning cold and unreadable.

The car stopped in front of the mansion’s main entrance. Frederick opened his door and stepped out into the cool night air. He then turned back and held out his hand to help Reynold out of the car.

The moment Eva saw Frederick, she strode toward them, her heels clicking against the stone driveway. Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, and fury was written all over her face.

"Where the hell have you been?!" she demanded, her voice ringing through the quiet night.

She was still glaring at Frederick when her eyes shifted to Reynold, who stood beside him, holding his hand. Her expression darkened as she looked Reynold up and down.

"Oh, this boy again?" she spat, letting out a cold, bitter laugh. "Frederick, since when did you become so cheap?"

Frederick let out a cold laugh. "Since I met you," he replied. "But don’t worry, Eva. You’re the cheapest person I’ve ever known. No one else comes close."

Eva’s eyes widened in disbelief. "How dare you talk to me like that, you disgusting, shameless fool!"

Frederick ignored her insult and stepped slightly in front of Reynold, his expression growing colder. "What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice low and icy.

Reynold held Frederick’s hand tightly, his fingers wrapped firmly around Frederick’s hand.

Eva scoffed, her anger rising. "This lowlife boy can stay in your house, but I can’t? And you still have the nerve to stand there and ask what I’m doing here?"

"Yes," Frederick replied coldly. "Now speak quickly. My baby is tired and needs to rest."

Eva let out a bitter chuckle. "Fine! I’ve been calling you for hours, Frederick, but you ignored every single one of my calls. So I came here myself. I can’t believe you’ve been out there parading around with a college student while I’m trying to discuss something important with you!"

Frederick’s expression remained cold. "Are you ready to do what I asked you to do?"

"Never!" Eva shouted. "I will never do it! Why are you treating me like this, Frederick? Why are you being so cruel to me?"

Her voice broke as tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Reynold watched her quietly, confusion and detachment mixing inside him. He had never expected to see the usually arrogant woman break down like this right in front of them. For a moment, he didn’t know what to make of it.

"I am still the mother of your child!" Eva cried, taking a step closer to Frederick.

"Then do what I asked you to do," Frederick demanded, his tone sharp and unwavering.

"Never!" she screamed, shaking her head. "I will never apologize to a nobody like him!"

"Then leave my house now!" Frederick shouted.

Eva fell silent, staring at him in disbelief...