From Discarded Wife to Queen (Tyrone) novel Chapter 414

**TITLE: Obsidian Dawn 414**
**CONTENT: Once Cast-Off Wife, Now Untouchable Queen**

**Chapter 414: I Have to Pay You Back**

Tyrone’s gaze lifted to meet Aella’s, a hint of frustration etched on his face. “Do you really have to make everything so clear-cut between us?” he asked, his voice low, almost pleading.

Aella stood her ground, unwavering. “Even siblings settle their debts, Tyrone. My phone died earlier, and I let you cover the cost. Of course, I need to pay you back,” she replied, her tone firm yet tinged with a hint of vulnerability.

He averted his eyes, lowering his gaze to the floor, desperate to conceal the whirlwind of emotions swirling within him. His heart raced, each beat echoing in his ears like a frantic drum.

Aella had always been so straightforward, asking him for favors without a second thought; this talk of repayment felt foreign and unsettling.

His mind began to spiral, thoughts colliding chaotically, and he could feel his expression darken.

Aella, however, remained unfazed by the change in his demeanor.

“When my parents bought the house, you were the one who negotiated the price down. You saved us a significant amount of money,” she reminded him, her tone softening slightly as she recalled the past.

Then, with a shift in her voice, she added, “But what your grandfather and father said yesterday cut deep. They hurt me and my family. Because of you, I chose not to pursue legal action for slander. So that money you saved us? Just consider it compensation for the stress they caused.”

Tyrone stood before her, a storm of conflicting desires raging within him. He longed to bridge the distance between them, yet fear gripped him, holding him back from taking that step.

He lowered his voice, almost a whisper, “We were fine at the seafood market. Why are you acting like this now?”

Aella felt the weight of her unspoken thoughts pressing down on her.

She softened her tone, trying to convey her feelings. “Tyrone, I’m not angry with you. It’s just… the gap between us feels insurmountable. Perhaps it’s best if we keep some distance.”

His eyes widened in shock, her words striking him like a physical blow. In a sudden burst of determination, he grasped her hands tightly, an intensity in his expression that she had never seen before.

“Aella, if I were to abandon my role as the heir to my family and live as an ordinary person, would you consider giving us another chance?” he asked, his voice steady yet filled with an urgency that betrayed his inner turmoil.

They stood so close that he could feel the warmth radiating from her, their breaths mingling in the cool air.

Aella instinctively tried to pull her hands away, but his grip tightened, unwilling to let go.

Caught up in the moment, she snapped, “You know better than I do what those two old men in your family are like. If you renounce your position for me, do you honestly believe they’ll let me go?!”

She continued, her voice rising with emotion, “Even now, with all your power, you can’t escape their grasp. If you become an ordinary man, it won’t just hurt you; I’ll suffer too. They could manipulate us however they wished.”

His deep, penetrating gaze locked onto her face, and slowly, he loosened his grip.

With Aella, it felt as if their relationship was trapped in a cycle of regression, never progressing forward.

He didn’t want to retreat, but the fear of moving forward paralyzed him.

The words he yearned to express remained trapped within him, suffocating under the weight of uncertainty.

Yet, her words had ignited a realization within him.

Even if he ascended to lead the Winter Group, he would still be shackled by the influence of Edwin and Ralph.

The shrill ring of his phone jolted him back to reality.

He glanced at the screen, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features, before starting the engine.

More than an hour later, he pulled into the expansive driveway of Winter Estate.

As soon as he stepped inside, Ralph’s furious voice erupted through the living room. “It’s the weekend! Instead of spending time with your grandfather, you ran off to the Reids again?”

Tyrone’s eyes narrowed, a flash of defiance igniting within him. “Dad, were you following me?”

Ralph ignored the question, his disdain palpable. “That family has been struggling for so long, you can practically smell their desperation.”

“Dad, that’s enough! They’ve never done anything to you,” Tyrone retorted sharply, the tension between them crackling like electricity in the air.

Edwin sat silently on the couch, observing the confrontation with a stoic expression.

Virginia rushed to Tyrone’s side, concern etched across her features.

Ralph pointed an accusatory finger at Tyrone, veins bulging in his neck from the strain of his anger. “Did I say anything wrong? You saw it yourself last night. Those three looked like they couldn’t even afford the meal I ordered. And yet, you chose to lower yourself to their level. What on earth are you thinking?”

Tyrone stepped forward, his voice rising with indignation. “Don’t forget, you insisted on inviting them! You never intended for them to sit down and enjoy a proper meal!”

Ralph scoffed, a cold, prideful laugh escaping him. “And why should they be granted that? They don’t deserve it!”