Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 181

Hazel's lips twitched at the sight.

Julian hadn't forced Chloe to apologize because he genuinely believed his sister was in the wrong; he just desperately needed a way out of the standoff.

In a public clash like this, the Hayes family's reputation carried far more weight than her bruised feelings. Fortunately, she was past the point of caring.

Tears welled in Chloe's eyes, stubbornly clinging to her lashes without falling.

The words "I'm sorry" tumbled from her lips like she was spitting glass, her glare practically visualizing Hazel being sliced to ribbons.

Even though Julian had clearly favored her and Evelyn, being forced to utter those two simple words felt like the ultimate injustice to her.

Hazel didn't care if the apology was genuine. Real or fake, it had nothing to do with her anymore.

Nellie, however, wasn't about to let it slide. She took a massive step forward, shielding Hazel with her body. The veins in her neck bulged slightly as her voice echoed through the mall.

"Julian, are you even human? Your wife gets publicly humiliated by your sister and your ex-girlfriend, and this is how you handle it? You act like tossing her a forced apology is some grand act of mercy!"

Her furious tone bled into biting sarcasm. "It's hilarious. You've never actually cared about Hazel's feelings. The only thing you care about is your own ego. Saving face for the great Julian Hayes is more important than anything else, right?"

For the first time, Julian's famously ironclad composure cracked. His jaw tightened as he turned to Nellie, the temperature in his eyes dropping to absolute zero.

"Nellie, this is a family matter. We don't need an outsider interfering."

With that, he clamped a hand around Hazel's wrist, dragging her toward the escalators.

"Hazel, Chloe is just spoiled. She didn't mean any real harm. And Evelyn was right there, trying to stop her."

His tone was softer than before, yet he clung to his twisted logic, refusing to yield an inch.

"Why couldn't you just let it go? Why did you have to escalate things with her? She just got back into the country; she needs time to adjust."

A sharp pang twisted Hazel's heart.

She turned to look at him. In the dim, shadowy light of the garage, his sharp profile was taut, his brows drawn together, and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Julian," Hazel said softly, her voice piercing the heavy silence. "You really are blinded by your own bias."