NOVEL NEXT Chapter 741: Humiliated.
In New York —
In the evening, Caden entered the house with an exhausted expression. They had returned just in the morning, but he hadn't gotten a chance to take a breather.
With his company struggling he had to rush straight there to handle the things. Although Aiden had withdrew his force, the aftermath this whole fiasco left on their name and reputation was hard to mend. It will not just take time but all great efforts.
Caden was willing to put the efforts, but it felt too humiliating. And he has only one name to blame for all this. And that was —
Aiden Winslow.
"Good evening, sir," the butler appeared shortly after to greet him back home. "Should I bring something for you?"
"There is no need of that." Caden dismissed. "Just allow me to rest a little in peace and that would be enough."
The butler nodded politely and then bowing, he retreated.
However, just as he took a few steps away, Caden remembered something. Stopping the butler, he asked, "Wait, where is Belle?"
"Young Miss is rest in her room," the butler informed. A flicker of trouble flashed in his gaze that Caden caught well.
Furrowing his brows he asked, "What's wrong? Did she try to leave home?"
The butler shook his head. "She didn't," he answered, continuing, "It's just that … she—"
"She, what?"
"She hasn't let anyone of us enter the room," the butler hesitated again, before adding the last part, "nor had she eaten anything since morning. We tried our best, but she isn't listening, sir. We fear if this continues, she might —"
Before he could finish, Caden already stood up and marched upstairs in the direction of Selene's room.
As the butler has informed him, the door was shut closed from inside. Caden's brows tugged in a frown when he confirmed it himself. Without looking, he simply ordered, "Bring me the spare key of this room."
The butler, who had followed him upstairs, quickly nodded before rushing to get the keys. In just the matter of minutes, he was back with the spare key in his hand.
"Sir, the keys," he called out softly before passing the key to Caden.
Caden took it and turned back to the door. Putting the key in the keyhole, he twisted it, and with all ease the door unlocked with a click. He pushed it, opening to enter.
"Belle!"
He dreaded, opening the door he wouldn't find her. That she would have escaped somehow, but it stunned him when he found her sitting on the bed with her face looking no better than yesterday.
His brows tugged in a frown as he walked further inside. "What's the meaning of all this, Belle?" When she stared at him, he further continued with his reason, "It was just yesterday when doctor told to not get you back in the similar condition. And yet here you are starving yourself. Do you take your health as a joke?"
Selene didn't respond. Her lips were looking dry as though she forcing herself against water even though she needed it desperately.
"Belle, I am talking to you. Why haven't you had your meals on time?" Caden tone turned sharper as he realized what she was trying to pull. "Do you think just because you starve yourself like this, I will let you do what you want?"
"Let me make this very clear to you. You are not allowed to take a step out of this house. Not until I make sure everything is fine —especially with your obsession. So, don't try to force me with these little tricks. This isn't going to work on me."
"Trick?" Selene finally spoke, her tone carrying a tinge of scoff. "Do you think I am trying to trick you, Dad? That I am throwing a tantrum, so that you relent?" Her lips curved up as though she couldn't believe it.
Caden frowned grew deeper when she saw that look on her.
"Sorry to disappoint you, dad, but this isn't a tantrum. And this is definitely not the trick that you think it is." her eyes darted to look behind at the butler, particularly at the place he was hold in his hands. "I haven't eaten anything since morning because I just couldn't. I just could swallow it down my throat."
Her face hardened as she slowly speak through the grit of her teeth. "The moment I think of even having a bit and could help but feel too humiliated. Humiliated that even after being the young lady of Martin family I couldn't compare a woman of a small unknown country."
"That because of her, I had suffered so much. And even after suffering so much, I can't make her pay for it. Not even the slightest. It's so humiliating, isn't it, Dad?" she asked deliberately, staring up at her father, like forcing him to accept the same.
Caden stared at her, his jaws grew tight. And just when Selene thought, he would agree, he snapped instead.
"How many times have I asked you to forget it and move on. Even if she is responsible for it, you also have a role played in the humiliation you suffered."
"Dad!"
"Belle, you need to accept that if you haven't forced Aiden enough, he wouldn't have acted the way he did. You pushed his bottom line. If that woman was his bottom line and he had stated it to you clearly, you shouldn't have acted against her. You willingly asked for his wrath. Now, you can't put all blame on her."
Caden said, and his words like that stung Selene the worst. She looked at her father like she was betrayed by him.
"Really, Dad? You really think that way?" she asked as though she couldn't believe it. "Even after all the thing that happened, are you really going to just side with her, while leaving me, your own daughter, to fend for herself."
Caden's fingers clenched and curled up into fists. "I am not siding with anyone, Belle. You are my daughter. How could I side with anyone when you are there." He paused only to continue again, "I am just letting you realized that you are somewhere responsible for it as well. If you weren't as stubborn as you were, you would have never gotten yourself into it. And as long as you realize it you will, you will be able to move on and lead your life for better."
Selene gritted her teeth. She had wanted Caden to turn against Arwen. So that even without her, Arwen would be eliminated from Aiden's life. But she couldn't believe, nothing was going her way.
His father wasn't listening to her. What's wrong with him?
"Dad," her tone came tight as though she was forcing herself to say it. "Can't you see, she hasn't just harmed me, but also our company and our generation-built reputation. It's all because of her that we are suffering."
Caden paused, his frown deepening.
When Selene finally saw a flicker appear in his gaze, she continued, "Aiden acted against us because of her. If not for her, why would Aiden go to such extreme. She is responsible for everything. For all our drawback, for all the humiliation we have suffered and will be suffering. Could you really not see her as the reason behind everything?"
Caden gritted, his fingers clenching tighter into fists at his sides. "That's enough of this, Selene," he snapped, sharp enough to make Selene flinch —not merely from his voice but also by the way he took her name. He didn't call her Belle this time, rather he called her by her second name and that itself was enough to explain his fury.
"Leave the company and its matters to me. I don't need you to explain me the reasons behind what we suffered there. You just need to focus on yourself. As long as you do that, the rest will be managed with ease."
"Now, that we have had enough of this conversation, I expect you to act better. Have your food and rest. Don't make me come here and discuss the same thing with you again and again."
With that clear, he gave her one last look before turning away to leave her room. But that was not before he instructed the butler to keep the clear watch on her.
The butler nodded politely, before stepping a step aside and giving him the way to exit the room.
After Caden left, the butler looked at Selene and slowly said, "Young Miss, please have something. You haven't had —"
"Keep it here and leave," Selene's voice came laced with an edge.
The butler quickly moved and placed the tray of food at the table on the side. "Sir has asked me —"
"I asked you to leave, so just … leave!" it almost came as shout.
The butler bowed down his head, and quickly retreated.
Once the door closed after him, Selene cried out loud, trying to vent out her exasperation. However, no matter how she yelled, she didn't feel better.
She had thought she would find a way to deal with Arwen, but now, it feels more and more difficult.
Her chest heaved as she muttered in a voice full of exasperation. "Trust me, Arwen. I will find a way to deal with you. I won't let you have the win so easy."