THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

At that moment, Abigail's sharp words cut through the air, and the room grew heavy. She turned toward Victoria, her hand lifting slightly as if asking her to hold back. "Calm down," Abigail muttered, her eyes still locked on Robert. "It hasn't gotten to that point yet. Yes, he's annoying, very annoying extremely but it hasn't reached that level, so calm yourself."

Victoria's lips pressed into a thin line, her chest rising and falling quickly, but she stayed quiet, folding her arms. She was still fuming, but Abigail's voice carried enough weight to make her pause. Robert, on the other hand, was burning inside. His face had tightened, his jaw clenched so firmly that the veins on his neck stood out. He wanted to snap at Victoria, but the anger was already boiling so hard that if he let it out, it might explode into something ugly. So, he swallowed it down, though his eyes gave away how close he was to losing it. His stare lingered on Victoria for a moment longer, then shifted back to Abigail.

However Abigail leaned back slightly, her expression turning cold, her lips curling into a half-mocking smile. "So, your purpose of coming here is to threaten me, isn't it?" she asked, her voice sharp but steady. "You came here to tell me to stay away from Cora, right? That's what all this is about, isn't it?" Then her voice grew stronger, pressing him harder with every word. "Just say it. Isn't that what you want to tell me?"

Robert's chest heaved as he tried to keep calm, but Abigail didn't stop. She leaned forward now, her gaze drilling into him. "You really like her, don't you?" she said, her tone laced with accusation. "You want to be with her. That's what this is all about, right? Just admit it. That's what you're trying to tell me."

At that moment, Robert's eyes narrowed, his voice steady but carrying a sharp edge as he stood his ground.

"Let's not play this game, Abigail," Robert said calmly but firmly. "You always take something small, something simple and turn it into a scene. A weapon. That's your pattern, not mine."

Abigail crossed her arms tightly, her eyes sharp and filled with disbelief. "Excuse me? Are you trying to blame me now for reacting to your nonsense?"

Robert didn't flinch. "I'm not here to play the victim or the villain. I came here to talk. But clearly, you're only listening to the voice in your head."

"Oh, please," Abigail scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You expect me to believe you didn't come here because of Cora? Because from where I'm standing, your actions say otherwise."

Then Robert's tone cut through the silence of the room.

"I didn't come here to talk about Cora," he said bluntly. "I don't owe you or anyone here any explanation about her. So don't twist my presence into something it's not."

And then, with a boldness that caught her off guard, he asked, "And what if I do? What if I really decide to pursue her? What exactly are you going to do about it?" His stare never broke from her face, challenging her. He pressed further, mocking the idea that she could stop him. "Are you going to run to Father again, like you did before? Is that the only strength you know how to use?"

The weight of his words lingered in the air.

"Both of you have no right to meddle in my dealings with Cora, especially when it was about a business contract something far larger than you both petty jealousies or insecurities."

Then his voice grew harder as he laid it bare: "You both need to stop pushing your luck. This isn't about love, and it isn't about family gossip. It's about business, something massive that I'm working on with her. I don't owe you explanations, and I'm not here to ask for permission either. I was first, I set my stance long ago, and you know it."

Then the room fell still, the tension rising. Abigail's fingers curled tightly against her side, her lips pressed into a thin line as if she was trying to keep her composure. This side of Robert bold, unyielding, and cutting wasn't what she was used to. She had always thought she could push him, manipulate him, but this time his resolve was like stone. Her eyes widened slightly before narrowing again as she finally spoke, her voice low, quivering not with fear but with restrained fury.

"So you're threatening me now?" she asked, her tone sharp, her chest rising and falling faster as she locked eyes with him, daring him to confirm it.

At that moment, Robert's jaw tightened, his eyes fixed sharply on Abigail. His voice dropped lower, calmer, but it carried weight like stone.

"Believe whatever you want," he said firmly. "Say it's a threat, say it's advice, I don't care. But what I've told you stands. Mind your business and keep clear of mine. I don't owe you any explanations, Abigail. You can twist things however you want, you've always been good at that. But this time, I'm not here to play your games."

He leaned forward just slightly, his expression colder than before. "Think about it we're not even married, and already you act like you own every corner of my life. Bossy, controlling, always digging, always needing to stay ahead of everyone else. That's not strength, that's desperation. I'm not comfortable with it, and I'll say it plain."

Abigail's chest rose and fell faster, her hands curling on the table, but Robert didn't stop. His voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"I don't care if you cry to my father again, or if your whole family lines up to speak for you. That doesn't scare me. What I'm saying is simple stay out of anything that concerns me and stay out of anything that concerns that girl. Don't meddle with my work. Don't meddle with my decisions. Both of you." He turned, his eyes locking on Victoria, his tone biting. "You're my sister, Victoria. I know your tricks. I know how you plot when you think no one is watching. But let this sink in not everyone is someone you can toy with. Some people bite back harder than you think."