On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 175

“Enough!” Lance roared. “Get out!”

He was like a volcano on the verge of eruption, his chest heaving like a broken bellows. Catherine shot the two men a look, and they scrambled out of the room. She knelt beside Lance, her voice soft. “Lance, don’t be angry. No matter what, you still have Amy. You’re her father. You have to take care of her.”

Lance was still gasping for breath.

“What those two said… it might not even be true,” Catherine added hesitantly.

Lance pulled his arm from her grasp. “You should go too.”

A cold, hard glint flashed in Catherine’s eyes. She nodded meekly and left, casting concerned glances over her shoulder.

Alone, Lance pressed a hand to his chest. Everyone was telling him that Jessica was a shameless, promiscuous woman. So why did it still hurt so much? Last night, the thought of their divorce being finalized in a month, of her no longer being Mrs. Smith, had caused such a sharp pain in his chest that he’d needed medication just to breathe.

He couldn’t accept it. He couldn’t accept becoming a stranger to her. And he certainly couldn’t stand by and watch her marry another man and have his children. He would not allow it. Even in death, Jessica would belong to the Smiths.

The twisted thought struck him with the force of a revelation. He couldn't let her be with anyone else. Even if she wasn't his wife in the eyes of the law, she would always be his daughter's mother. He quickly dialed Aaron James. “Find out where Jessica is right now.”

“Sir, what are you planning?” Aaron asked hesitantly. “We just managed to calm the shareholders.”

“Just do it,” Lance snapped. “Stop asking so many questions.”

Aaron had been with Lance for years and knew him well. “Sir…” he began, trying to reason with him.

“That’s enough, Lillian,” Willie said, frowning.

Lillian scoffed. “She can do these disgusting things, but no one is allowed to talk about it? If she’s so ashamed, she shouldn’t have done it! I’ve never met such a shameless woman in my life!”

*SLAP!*

Willie’s hand struck Lillian across the face. She froze, her hand flying to her cheek. Willie stared at his own palm in disbelief.

Lillian nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Willie Brown, you hit me for a stepsister you’re not even related to. You’re a real man. Since you all love her and her mother so much, why don’t you just go live with them? Stop ruining other people’s lives.”