Divorced CEO's Forgotten Wife Strikes Back (Riley and Bryce) novel Chapter 189

**TITLE: Dreams Refuse Gravity by Leo Arden Knox**
**Chapter 189 Love Isn’t About Utility**

**Lucky Draw**

“Exactly, Mr. Torres! How could you possibly utter such words?” The tension in the air was palpable as Wren’s voice rang out, filled with indignation. “You nearly blinded Wren in one eye all those years ago, and she has never once held it against you. Despite the fact that the treatment didn’t work, she always insisted she didn’t blame you. And now, you’re abandoning her like this? Has Riley whispered something in your ear?”

Vincent seized the opportunity to throw Riley under the bus, his words laced with venom and intent.

Sebastian shot Vincent a glance so frigid it could freeze fire. In that moment, Vincent felt a shiver slither down his spine. It was as if he had locked eyes with a feral beast—one misstep, one more jab at Riley, and he would be utterly devoured.

“I admit it, I nearly cost Wren her eye,” Sebastian stated coolly, each word deliberate and heavy. “Over the years, I’ve done more than enough to atone for my mistake—both to her and the Anderson family. I used to let things slide, but no longer. I won’t tolerate this any further.”

His gaze flickered towards Wren, but it was devoid of any warmth or compassion. “Everything you possess in the Anderson family, Wren, is due to my family’s generosity. That doesn’t give you the right to weaponize what we’ve provided against Riley. You’ve crossed a line.”

Wren felt her face pale, her breath hitching in her throat as she lunged forward, gripping Sebastian’s sleeve with desperation. “Sebastian, you can’t do this to me!” Her voice trembled, threading through the air with an urgency that spoke of her vulnerability. “I lost an eye because of you! How can you just turn your back on me as if it were nothing?”

Sebastian’s eyes remained unyielding, his tone flat, as if he were discussing the weather. “Your eye wasn’t lost for my sake. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, unable to escape. If you had the chance to run, you would have taken it. And don’t act as if I haven’t compensated you enough for your loss.”

Wren’s body trembled, her mind racing for a retort, yet words eluded her grasp.

What could she possibly say? That his compensation could never quench her insatiable desire for restitution? That she yearned for him to spend a lifetime atoning for her suffering?

“But… I have feelings for…” Wren’s voice wavered, barely a whisper as she struggled to articulate her emotions.

Sebastian interrupted her, his voice slicing through the air like a sharpened blade. “Wren, let’s be clear—I’ve never harbored any feelings for you. What I provided was merely compensation for your injury, nothing more. And now, that debt is settled.”

With that finality, he shook off her grasp and walked away, leaving Wren reeling alongside Riley.

She staggered, nearly crumpling to the floor.

The onlookers—her peers in the Anderson family, who had once envied her elevated status—now regarded her with a blend of pity, mockery, and contempt.

It had been ages since she had felt such scrutiny.

Since the day Sebastian’s blunder had cost her an eye, she had ascended to a pedestal within the Anderson family, basking in their admiration and envy.

In a blink, she had transformed from the depths of despair to a shining beacon of success.

But now, it felt as if she was plummeting back into that dark abyss.

“Wren, don’t just stand there like a statue!” Vincent urged, his voice sharp with impatience. “Go after Mr. Torres! If you plead with him sincerely, he might reconsider what he said!”

Riley shook her head vigorously, a flush creeping up her cheeks, warmth radiating from her embarrassment. “Not that! I know you only said that to make me look good in front of them.”

Sebastian’s lips curved into a faint smile, his voice softening as he continued, “It wasn’t merely for show, Riley. I meant it. If you ever wanted to use me, I’d be more than happy to let you. It would mean I hold some value in your eyes, wouldn’t it?”

His words, smooth and sincere, hung in the air like a sweet confession, but they struck a chord deep within Riley, stirring a pang of discomfort.

Tears threatened to spill as her heart ached for him.

She couldn’t fathom how someone could find happiness in being used.

The more she learned about him, the clearer it became that his understanding of love and worth was deeply twisted.

She realized it must stem from the scars of his past, the wounds that had shaped him.

“Don’t say that,” she replied, her voice firm yet gentle, as if cradling a fragile truth. “You shouldn’t find joy in something like that, Sebastian. That’s not what genuine feelings are about. I care for you because of who you are, not what you can do for me. Love isn’t about utility or purpose—it simply exists.”

Sebastian’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, his knuckles whitening.

His voice dropped to a murmur, almost as if he were sharing a secret with himself. “All my life, people have told me I had to be useful to matter.”