After I Stopped Loving Him (Isabella and Ethan) novel Chapter 1090

In the past, seeing her cough this violently would have broken Jordan's heart.

Now, however, he didn't reach out to gently pat her back. He didn't head back inside to grab her a glass of water, either. He simply stood beside her, watching in cold silence as the coughing fit brought tears streaming down her face.

When the coughing finally subsided, she covered her face and sobbed relentlessly.

Jordan eventually plucked the half-smoked cigarette from her trembling fingers. He crushed the burning tip against the balcony railing until the ember died out, then tossed the butt aside.

"You've never been a smoker. It doesn't suit you, so don't try to copy others from now on,"

Jordan said coolly.

"It's late. Stop crying. It'll ruin your sleep."

Natalie couldn't stop. She threw herself into his arms, sobbing against his chest. "Jordan, do you find me disgusting now? I'm the victim here! I only sought out those thugs to deal with Isabella. Everything I did was for our future."

Jordan's immediate instinct was to push her away. He raised his hand, but hesitated, ultimately letting it drop. He didn't hold her either. His arms hung stiffly by his sides, allowing Natalie to lean against his chest and cry out her grievances.

"I didn't know those monsters would do that to me. If I had known, I never would have gone near them."

"Jordan, I'm so sorry. I should have discussed it with you. I shouldn't have acted on my own, but I swear, everything I did was for you, for me, for our family."

"We grew up together. You know exactly the kind of person I am."

"How could I ever willingly sleep with those scumbags? I was assaulted. I'm telling you the truth."

She was the victim.

Wiping her nose, she forced herself to calm down. Her tone shifted, becoming far more rational as she broke down the brutal reality of the situation for him.

"Yes, you've been at the Lane Group for years and built a solid network. Everyone inside and out assumes you're the heir. But the one who truly holds the power is your father. Look at Jackson's health—he easily has another twenty or thirty years in him."

"By the time your father actually steps down, Kevin will be fully grown, and you'll be past your prime. Who do you think will take over the Lane Group then? Do you really think it'll be you?"

"Your dad has always said you don't measure up to Ethan. He harbors so much unspoken disappointment toward you. The second your little brother shows even a fraction more talent, he'll take your place."

"And the most crucial point: you don't have a mother backing you anymore. Your uncle's side of the family has fallen from grace. What leverage do you have to fight your brother? Kevin has his biological mother right there beside him. You know exactly how heavily your father favors the two of them."

"When a stepmother enters the picture, a father's loyalties shift. Just wait. Soon enough, your father won't even be able to stand the sight of you."