He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 1044

Yardley knew Julian was right. This was all a disaster of his own making. Yet the bitter resentment and agonizing regret still surged inside him, threatening to swallow him whole.

Scarlett finally broke the silence. "Yardley, I’ve seen exactly how Julian and the Croft family treat Dawn. I fully support every condition he just laid out. Agreeing to let you have regular visits is already a massive concession on our part. Your life is a complete mess right now. The company is on the brink of collapse, and your family is a toxic war zone."

"Dawn is too young and innocent to be dragged into your chaos. Until you have stabilized your life and completely eliminated the threats around you, you are in no position to raise or protect her."

Yardley looked at her, his eyes hollow with defeat. "Scarlett... are you against me too?"

"I'm not against you. I'm protecting Dawn." Scarlett’s gaze was unflinching. "I can let you see her to satisfy your need to be a father. But I will not allow anyone to disrupt her safe, happy life. You agree to Julian's three rules. You visit her on schedule, you behave yourself, you don't stir up drama, and you don't overstep your bounds. We keep the peace. But if you insist on being stubborn and fighting for a title you haven't earned, I will revoke your visitation rights permanently."

Yardley went completely rigid, his face draining of all color. He looked at the two of them standing shoulder to shoulder—a perfect, unshakeable unit. They had built a beautiful, secure home to protect his daughter. And he was just an outsider. Superfluous. Too late.

The sheer weight of his despair slammed into his chest. He stood in silence for a long time, his fingers trembling slightly. When he finally spoke, his voice was cracked and dry. "I don't really have a choice, do I?"

Julian looked at him evenly. "You do. Follow the rules, and you see Dawn every month. Keep pushing, and you never see her again."

Yardley squeezed his eyes shut, the redness around them deepening. He knew they weren't bluffing. He had zero leverage, zero power to negotiate. His business was crumbling, his family was a disgrace, the woman he loved was gone, and his daughter was out of reach.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify