Chapter 213

Chapter 213

Claire's lips trembled, unable to form words.

But Octavia kept staring at her, her tone calm yet detached.

"You say Imogen forced you. Fine, let's say she did. But what about after you filmed that video? Did you ever think to contact me? Tell me what you'd done? Did you ever think to warn me, give me a chance to prepare? No. You just wanted to watch me get torn apart, watch me get thrown out of the Seymour family, watch my life fall to pieces."

Octavia crouched down to meet Claire's eyes.

"Claire, it's not like I never gave you chances. Every single time you messed up, I didn't go for the kill. Not because I'm stupid—because I thought you were my sister, the person closest to me in this world besides Mom and Dad. But you? Every single time, you chose the cruelest way to stab me in the back."

Claire's tears kept flowing, but this time they weren't an act. This time, she was genuinely scared.

"Octavia, I really know I was wrong. Please, just give me one last chance. Just one."

Octavia stood up, stepped back, and pulled the hem of her pants from Claire's grip.

"John," she called out.

John walked in from the doorway. "Mrs. Seymour."

"Take her out. Starting today, she's not allowed back in Emberfall City."

Claire's face went completely white. She lunged forward, trying to grab Octavia's leg, but John blocked her.

She thrashed and screamed, her voice piercing.

"Octavia! You can't do this to me! I'm your sister! If Mom and Dad were alive and saw you treating me like this, what would they think? Aren't you afraid they won't rest in peace?"

Octavia's steps paused.

She turned back to look at Claire.

"You want to talk about Mom and Dad? Fine, let's talk about them. When they were alive, you were the one they loved most. Whatever you wanted, they gave you. Whatever trouble you caused, they cleaned up. They treasured you like a precious jewel. And you? You hurt their other daughter like this, and you still have the nerve to bring them up?"

Claire's lips trembled. She couldn't get a single word out.

"Claire, from today on, you're not my sister. I'm not your sister. There's nothing between us anymore. Whether you live or die is your own business. Don't come looking for me again."

Octavia turned and walked away without looking back.

John dragged Claire toward the exit as she screamed and cried the whole way, but it made no difference.

Her voice grew fainter and fainter, until the sound of the front door closing cut it off completely.

The living room fell silent.

Monica stood at the foot of the staircase, watching the whole scene unfold. She didn't speak for a long time.

Patrick came down the stairs and stood beside her. The two exchanged a glance, neither saying a word.

Monica opened her mouth to say something, then realized Octavia was no longer in the living room.

She looked around. The hallway was empty. Octavia had slipped away at some point.

"Where's Octavia?" she asked.

Patrick tilted his chin toward the front door. Monica looked over just in time to see taillights disappearing into the night.

"She sure runs fast when it's time to see Leopold," Monica muttered, her tone carrying something hard to define.

Patrick glanced at her. "Didn't you used to hate her?"

Monica was quiet for a moment. "That was before. Now she's… fine, I guess. Anyway, I won't accept anyone else as my sister-in-law."

Patrick didn't respond.

The two of them stood at the foot of the stairs, staring at the closed door, each lost in their own thoughts.

After a while, Monica yawned. "Whatever. Let them have their lovey-dovey time. I'm going to bed. I've got a million things to do tomorrow."

Patrick nodded and followed her upstairs.

A few days later, Octavia accompanied Leopold to the prison.

Lucas was being held in a detention center, awaiting further investigation and trial.

The visiting room was small—just a long table with glass dividing the two sides. Lucas wore a standard prison uniform, his hair shaved short. He looked ten years older than before, no longer the polished, ambitious executive he once was.

He sat down across from Leopold and stared at him for several seconds.

"You knew all along, didn't you?" he asked, his voice hoarse and flat.

Leopold looked at him but said nothing.

"From the day I came back to the country, you never trusted me." Lucas's voice was low. "You put me in charge of the Seymour Group's entertainment division, gave me authority, let me work with the Obelon Group, made me think you actually trusted me. But really, you were just waiting. Waiting for me to slip up. Waiting for me to expose myself."

Leopold leaned back in his chair, his expression calm. "Lucas, you exposed yourself too early."

Lucas's fingers clenched on the table, then released.

"When did you start guarding against me? When we were kids? After your parents died?"

Leopold looked at him, silent for a few seconds. "From the day you changed your last name to Seymour."

Lucas froze.

"After your mother's divorce, you took her surname—Seymour. Everyone thought you did it because you felt bad for her. But really, it was so you could become part of the Seymour family. So people would recognize you as one of us. So you could get a share of the Seymour fortune."

"You've been scheming since you were a kid. Toys when you were little, shares when you grew up. From the day you started cozying up to me, you thought I didn't see through it. But I always knew. You just hadn't made your move yet, so I held on to a sliver of hope. Maybe your desire for the family fortune was real, but so was your affection."

Leopold paused, his gaze and tone turning cold again. "But whether it was or not, you know the truth, Lucas."

Lucas stared at him, the light in his eyes slowly dimming.

"So you never once saw me as a brother?"

He let out a bitter laugh. "I thought I'd fooled you. Turns out I was the fool all along."

Leopold didn't answer. He stood up and turned to leave.

Octavia followed behind him. As she reached the door, she glanced back at Lucas.

He sat there, motionless, like a statue.

Outside the detention center, the sunlight was blinding. Octavia squinted and turned to look at Leopold's profile.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

Leopold turned to look at her. "Do you think I shouldn't be?"

Octavia thought for a moment, then shook her head. "You've known what kind of person he is for a long time. I just feel like… seeing through someone is one thing. Having the truth laid bare is another."

Everyone else thought Leopold was strong, but she worried he might feel sad.

Leopold didn't answer right away. He opened the car door and let her in first, then got in himself.

Octavia leaned against his shoulder, eyes closed.

It wasn't until the car pulled away that she heard him say:

"When you're with me, I don't feel sad."

Octavia opened her eyes and stared at him for a long moment.

"Leopold."

"Mm."

"Let's not come here again."

Leopold turned to look at her.

He reached out and took her hand.

"Okay," he said.