Family on Their Knees Heart Turned to Ice novel Chapter 1455

As Lillian walked out, Sebastian's expression darkened into an unreadable mask.

She was just leaving? Just like that?

None of his meticulously crafted plans had played out.

But if Sebastian was frustrated, the Mercer brothers were absolutely reeling.

"She just left?" Colin asked in disbelief. "If she doesn't need them to keep apologizing, when is she coming back? What else are we supposed to do to get her home?"

Brandon dragged a heavy hand down his face, the bitter reality sinking in. "I have no idea."

With Noah failing to serve as an emotional tether, their last shred of leverage was gone. The brothers politely excused themselves and left the venue.

Martin had no business sitting in the chairman's seat at the Mercer Group anymore. Showing his face there would only invite more ridicule. He needed to disappear from the public eye.

The brothers sped home, checking their phones on the way.

The internet was already exploding.

Rumors had swirled for a while that Sebastian's secret ex-wife was Lillian, but tonight's gala had provided undeniable proof. The hidden marriage, the quiet divorce, the secret child—everyone was talking about it.

Countless photos and videos from Noah's Birthday Gala flooded social media.

The Mercers had been relatively quiet in the tabloids lately, but this scandal was a massive feast for the public. The video of Martin and Sabrina's humiliating public confession easily crossed a million likes and was climbing by the second.

Infidelity was nothing new, and catfights between wives and mistresses were a dime a dozen online.

She grabbed her phone and sprinted to find Martin. "Look at this! Just look at what these psychos are saying! What are we going to do?"

Martin was in a much darker place than she was. His own private accounts, which only had a couple of posts, were completely overrun with pure vitriol.

Worse still, the Mercer Group's official website and corporate accounts were drowning in toxic comments. It was a total bloodbath.

"What are we going to do?" he exploded. "How the hell should I know? If I could go back to that day, I'd rather take the beating myself than lay a finger on her!"

Sabrina froze, catching the heavy implication in his words. "What is that supposed to mean, Martin? Do you regret it? Are you saying you regret ever getting involved with me?"

Martin stared at her, exhausted. How could the woman he loved be this incredibly dense and obnoxious?