Chapter 8 A Little Soothing Does the Trick

As the elevator doors opened, I rushed inside, furiously pressing the buttons, eager to leave. Thankfully, my motorcycle wasn't bought with her money. Suppressing my frustration, I revved it up and headed to the cemetery. When I parked, my phone rang. Upon seeing the caller ID, my expression turned cold. "Dad?" I answered. A deep, authoritative voice came through the line. "Owen, how long has it been since you last came home? If you have time today, come back. We'll have a family gathering. I have something to discuss with you." I had heard these words from him countless times. I thought for a moment before agreeing. "Alright." After hanging up, I walked through rows of tombstones until I reached one. Standing before it, I stared at the photo of a kind, smiling woman on the tombstone. I felt a pang in my chest. Forcing a smile, I greeted her. "Mom, I'm here." I sat on the ground and looked at the picture; my vision blurred. I wiped the photo gently. "Mom, are you mad at me for not visiting sooner? Don't be. I'll come more often from now on. "I'm sorry, Mom. I should've listened to you. I should've never married Yvette. I regret it. I regret it so much…" My voice cracked, and I choked out my confession. "I was wrong, Mom. I was so wrong…" A year ago, when I insisted on marrying Yvette for a business alliance, my mom was the only one who opposed it. She had tried so hard to convince me otherwise, saying that no matter the gender, marrying someone one didn't love was akin to stepping into a grave. There would be no happiness, only misery. She said I was her pride and joy, the son she raised with great effort. She only wanted me to be safe and happy, not to follow in her footsteps. But emotions blinded me, and I stubbornly chose to go against her advice. I even arrogantly declared I would prove her wrong. Now, I was living with the bitter consequences. I poured my heart out to her, sharing my pain from both past and present lives. It felt cathartic, like a weight lifting from my chest. As I sat there, lost in thought, a sudden sound startled me from behind. I turned and saw a man in a wheelchair a short distance away. His legs were paralyzed, and he wore a simple shirt. His rugged face bore signs of hardship, with coarse skin and light stubbles. Yet, these traces of time couldn't diminish his striking demeanor; instead, they accentuated the charm of a mature man. His eyes carried a defeated look as though life had dealt him a harsh hand. He stared at me, eyes reddening. The moment I recognized his face, I froze in shock. … Later that evening, I returned to my family's home. The dining table was already set with a spread of delicious-smelling dishes. Three people sat around the table, chatting and laughing warmly. The portly middle-aged man with a cheerful face was my dad, William Yates. Next to him sat my aunt, Lexi Crane. She was dressed in expensive clothes and jewelry, exuding an air of wealth. On his other side was my cousin, Jackson. He was behaving politely toward them. Looking at the scene, they seemed like a harmonious family. When my dad saw me, he immediately waved me over. "Owen, you're here! Why are you just standing there? Jackson and your Aunt Lexi came to visit you. Come sit; we're about to eat." "Mr. Owen, your eyes look swollen. Let me get some warm compress to ease the swelling," our housekeeper, Rosie Murphy, approached me with concern. Meanwhile, William was busy serving food to someone else. It wasn't until Rosie pointed it out that they noticed something was off with me. Jackson glanced at me and smirked. "What's with the crying? You look like a stray dog. So pitiful. Did you have a fight with Eve? Owen, listen to me. Marrying the young lady of the Jenning family is a blessing. Learn to bite your tongue. Don't throw tantrums." In my previous life, I had always swallowed my pride to maintain peace. But this time, I wouldn't let him off so easily. I walked over and sat down calmly before replying coldly, "Yvette is my wife. Shouldn't you address her by her name? You keep calling her 'Eve' like you're close. Have some respect. Or are you trying to take my place?" My words hit a nerve. Jackson's face darkened, and he immediately asked my dad, "Uncle William, what does Owen mean by that? I've been doing my best to help their marriage, yet he accuses me of trying to steal Eve?" My dad's face clouded over, and Aunt Lexi immediately played the mediator, standing up with an air of concern. "Jackson, even if Owen upset Yvette and got kicked out, you shouldn't say such things. You two are cousins; you should support each other. Apologize to him." While she spoke, her eyes darted toward my dad, clearly trying to stir the pot rather than resolve anything. I watched coldly, a mocking smile tugging at my lips. In my past life, I hadn't seen through her facade for years. It wasn't until much later that I discovered the truth—Jackson wasn't my cousin but my half-brother. And my "aunt" was nothing more than a homewrecker who had taken my mom's place. Like mother, like son. No wonder Jackson aimed to take over my position. In my previous life, my mom was a joke to them. I couldn't stomach it. I had fought with Yvette endlessly, using her influence to hollow out my dad's business empire and lead it to ruin. Once the company collapsed, the venomous mother-and-son duo fled without a trace, leaving us to fend for ourselves. Back then, I had neither the power nor the opportunity to retaliate. But in this life, I would make sure they paid in full. Jackson refused to apologize. "Why should I apologize when he insulted me first?" William frowned and set his fork down, glaring at me. "You're older than Jackson. How can you talk to him like that? Did all your education amount to nothing?" Jackson smirked smugly at me. I didn't say anything as my mind was clear—I was the only outsider in this family. My dad turned to me, his tone cold. "Did you upset Ms. Jenning?" "No," I said casually, picking up a piece of meat. His expression relaxed slightly, and his heavy jowls quivered in relief. "Good. Lexi and Jackson are right. Given our family's current situation, marrying into the Jenning family is a blessing you can't take lightly. You need to appreciate it. We've only gotten this far because of Ms. Jenning's support. Don't forget that. "Control your temper and make an effort. Women are easy to deal with—just coax them a little, and they'll come around. "Speaking of which, our company's working on a new project, but we're short on funds. You must convince her to cover the costs. Understand?"