Chapter 821


    The incessant buzzing from within Agnes'' purse finally caught Ryder''s attention. He frowned,


    determined not to answer, but the persistent ringing of two back-to-back calls made him reconsider.


    Sighing, Ryder opened Agnes'' purse and retrieved the vibrating phone. The iing call was from a


    string of digits that, despite theck of a saved contact name, Ryder recognized immediately—it was


    Jared''s number.


    Agnes hadn''t bothered to save Jared''s contact details. Perhaps she knew it by heart, no need for a


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    answered.


    "Where are you? When are youing back?" Jared''s voice was terse on the other end.


    There was a pause before Ryder called out, "Uncle, it''s me."


    Silence fell on the line, and Ryder could almost picture Jared''s furrowed brow.


    After a brief wait, Jared spoke again, "Why do you have Agnes'' phone? Where is she?"


    "She had too much to drink, and now she''s at my ce. You shoulde pick her up," Ryder replied.


    Jared''s response was a chilling silence. Even through the phone, Ryder could feel the cold disapproval


    emanating from the other side. Finally, Jared said, "I''ll be right there."


    Once the call ended, Ryder sat motionless for a long time, his heart clenching in waves of pain. Even if


    Agnes was inebriated, it wasn''t his ce to harbor her. This was the quandary he found himself in.


    Jared arrived quickly, within twenty minutes—half the time it would take to drive from the Tim Group


    headquarters under normal conditions. It was clear how fast he must have driven, unwilling to waste a


    single second with Agnes in Ryder''s presence.


    As Jared entered Ryder''s house, he wore a stern expression. Ryder had changed into casual home


    attire by the time he opened the door. Jared walked straight to the couch where Agnesy, checked her


    forehead to ensure she was alright, then turned to question Ryder, "What exactly happened?"


    Ryder''s voice was cool and detached, "Are you asking how she got drunk, or why she ended up here?"


    Jared''s tone grew even icier, "I want to know both."


    "Then you can wait for Agnes to wake up and ask her yourself," Ryder said.


    "Don''t lose sight of who she is. She''s my wife, and concurrently, your aunt by marriage," he reminded.


    Ryder replied calmly, "Uncle, I don''t think it''s set in stone that you two will end up together. Who she


    belongs to in the end is still up in the air." His tone was steady, as if he was certain of his stance.


    Jared''s fingers tensed and then rxed, "What are you trying to do? After all this time, why persist in


    this madness?"


    "I know you want me to let go, but have you ever considered that in the years you weren''t by her side, I


    was the one who apanied her through every tough decision? I watched Nocturne grow up, his


    health gradually improving. I''ve invested so much; why should I give up? Didn''t you always teach me to


    hold on to the things I love by any means necessary? That nothing is impossible in this world?"


    "You''re speaking of rebellion. That''s not what I raised you to do," Jared replied, his voiceced with


    finality.