Chapter 236 Heartless

Chapter 236 Heartless

The Stuart Family Mansion.

The living room was suffocating, the air thick with tension.

Wesley sat in the main seat on the sofa, leaning on his cane.

Lorna occupied another chair, gripping her cup so tightly her knuckles had gone white.

In the center of the room, Ethan and Rose stood side by side.

Ethan kept his head down, fists clenched at his sides.

Nearly thirty years old, and he'd never been humiliated like this.

The servants had been dismissed, but the invisible weight of judgment pressed down on him until he could barely breathe.

He used to think of Thomas as a friend—cold, sure, but at least someone who valued loyalty.

Then, over the past few days, the Gray family's empire had imploded.

Three major real estate projects shut down overnight. Collection agencies blew up Ethan's phone. Suppliers camped outside the company headquarters with protest banners.

His father ended up in the ICU.

Only then did Ethan truly understand what Thomas was capable of.

On the single-seat sofa, Thomas sat with his legs crossed, his expression blank.

He didn't even glance up, treating Ethan and Rose as if they didn't exist.

Footsteps echoed from the hallway.

Brent entered, leading someone inside.

"Mr. Stuart, Ms. Beaufort has arrived."

At that title, everyone in the room stiffened.

Rose's head snapped up, her gaze locked on the doorway.

Her nails dug into her palms as her whole body began to shake.

Before coming here, Lorna had assured her this would be simple—just apologize, and everything would be settled.

Rose had believed Thomas still cared enough about the past not to completely destroy the Gray family.

But now Matilda was here.

What was this supposed to be?

Forcing her to grovel in front of her rival?

Lorna slammed her cup down on the table.

"Thomas, what the hell are you doing?" Her voice was low, simmering with rage.

Thomas ignored her completely. He stood and walked toward the entrance.

Matilda stood in the foyer wearing a simple trench coat.

Her gaze swept across the room.

Wesley. Lorna. Ethan. And Rose, with her swollen, red-rimmed eyes.

Quite the welcoming committee.

"Why did you call me here?" Matilda asked the man who'd stopped in front of her, her tone utterly flat.

Thomas reached for her wrist.

Matilda stepped back, dodging his touch.

His hand hung in the air for a few seconds before he casually slipped it into his pocket.

"Come inside first."

Matilda didn't move.

"I told you I'd give you answers," Thomas said, gesturing with his chin toward Rose in the center of the room. "About Daniel's leg. And what happened in Skyview City."

Matilda's brow furrowed. She stepped inside.

Wesley's stern expression softened slightly when he saw her.

"Matilda, you came."

She walked over but didn't sit. Thomas pointed to the loveseat beside him.

"Sit here."

Matilda glanced at him, then finally settled onto the loveseat.

Thomas sat down next to her, stretching his long legs out casually.

Lorna's fury flared, but when she caught sight of Thomas's cold profile, she swallowed her words.

She knew exactly how much Thomas cared about Matilda. Right now, she didn't dare say a word.

The room fell into oppressive silence again.

Thomas leaned back, draping one arm over the armrest.

"Rose."

Her name came out emotionless.

Rose flinched so hard she nearly jumped. Tears spilled down her cheeks instantly.

"Thomas—"

"Don't." He cut her off.

He tilted his chin up slightly, his gaze settling on Rose's face.

"Tell her. Everything you did. Every single detail."

Rose bit down on her lip hard enough to taste blood.

She turned to Ethan for support. He looked away.

She tried Lorna next. Lorna turned her head.

"What, you need me to say it for you?" Thomas's tone sharpened.

Rose's legs gave out. She collapsed onto her knees.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong." Rose covered her face, humiliation burning through her as she began to sob. "I shouldn't have drugged you at the hotel. I shouldn't have had that guy's leg broken."

Matilda's fingers tightened on the armrest.

Daniel's leg—Rose did that?

"Keep going," Thomas said coldly.

"I was jealous of her! Why does she get to be near you? Why does she get everything without even trying?" Rose pointed at Matilda, her voice cracking. "I've loved you for years, and you never even looked at me! What's so special about her?!"

"Shut up!" Ethan barked, stepping forward to grab her.

"Let her talk," Thomas said, blocking Ethan's path.

Rose shoved Ethan's hand away.

"I'm the one who tipped off Mrs. Stuart about the hot spring in Skyview City! I hired those thugs too! I wanted Matilda gone—out of Harmony City, out of your life forever!"

Matilda sat perfectly still, her face growing paler by the second.

She turned to look at Thomas.

"You already knew."

"Found out last night," Thomas said, meeting her eyes.

"So this whole setup today—it's supposed to make me feel better?" Matilda's lips curved into a humorless smile.

Thomas frowned.

"It's giving you answers."

"Answers?" Matilda stood, looking down at him. "Thomas, do you really think throwing the guilty party under the bus clears your name?"

Thomas rose to his feet.

"Rose is the one who did this—"

"If you hadn't led her on, would she have come after me?" Matilda pointed at Rose on the floor. "If you hadn't given her false hope, would she have gone crazy enough to hire someone to hurt people?"

Rose froze mid-sob.

Lorna shot to her feet.

"Matilda, don't be ungrateful! Thomas nearly bankrupted the Gray family for you—what more do you want?!"

"That's between you and him." Matilda didn't even glance at Lorna. Her gaze stayed fixed on Thomas. "Daniel's leg is broken. That's a fact. Everything I went through because of your mess—also a fact."

She stepped back, putting distance between them.

"I don't accept your apology."

She turned and headed for the door.

"Matilda!" Thomas strode after her, grabbing her wrist.

Hard.

Matilda tried to pull away. She couldn't.

"Let go."

Thomas's jaw was locked tight.

"She's yours now. Do whatever you want with her."

"I said let go." Matilda's voice rose.

Instead of releasing her, Thomas tightened his grip.

"What do I have to do to make you trust me?"

Matilda looked at him. Then she laughed.

"Thomas, you've got it all wrong."

She leaned in closer, lowering her voice.

"I don't trust you—not because of Rose. It's because you were never worth trusting in the first place."

Thomas's lashes trembled. His eyes bored into hers.

Then he let go.

He watched as Matilda walked away without a single backward glance.