He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 43

Scarlett frowned. As she looked up, she met Yardley's dark, brooding eyes.

His black suit made his expression seem even more solemn. With one hand in his pocket and his thick eyebrows furrowed, his every movement still exuded the elegant, mature aura of a powerful man. He looked exactly like the person she used to admire.

She curled her lip.

"Why do you keep using Julian as an excuse? Why don't you just say you want to live with Sylvia and cut the nonsense?"

Yardley's face turned as black as thunder.

"Is that the kind of man you think I am? Someone with no boundaries?"

Scarlett let out a dry laugh.

"It's good that you're self-aware. That description fits you perfectly."

Yardley felt a sharp pain in his chest, rendering him speechless.

He pressed a hand to his heart, taking several seconds to recover before walking straight up to Scarlett. He looked down at the petite, fragile woman standing before him.

He still remembered the first time they met in the university auditorium. She had sat across from him, quietly interviewing him.

Back then, she had playful short hair, a delicate chin, and big, round eyes.

Her makeup-free features were exquisite and full of life. She looked like a deer that had suddenly appeared in a deep forest, quietly locking eyes with him. She wasn't timid, but she didn't get too close either. She radiated a spirited energy that made him want to cherish her.

He wasn't completely without feelings for her.

Men blaming alcohol for their actions was just an excuse. It was merely a way to use the buzz to do what they truly wanted to do.

He wouldn't say he loved her deeply, but it definitely wasn't just a fleeting impulse. Mostly, it was affection and the enjoyment of being loved by her so completely.

But he didn't understand how, now that they had a daughter, so many things had suddenly soured.

The current Scarlett was like a hedgehog covered in spikes. Whenever he got close, her defenses went up, making it impossible to communicate.

Yardley forced himself to be patient, swallowing the anger that was about to erupt.

She shot him a cold glare, her clear eyes projecting an unprecedented level of authority.

"That is my absolute limit. If I find out this happens again, I'll go straight to the elders of the Croft family and ask them to intervene."

Her gaze was full of confrontation and defiance.

The moment she finished speaking, she didn't want to linger for even half a second. She turned and headed for the door.

Realizing that if he let her go now, he wouldn't know when he'd be able to talk to her face-to-face again, Yardley felt a surge of anger. He quickly stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.

"Wait. Let's get things straight first. Scarlett, I'm holding back my temper right now to talk to you. You need to appreciate this opportunity."

Over the years, Yardley had first been the object of her admiration, then her boss, and finally her husband.

His roles had changed, but the one thing that remained constant was his condescending attitude whenever he spoke to her.

This was the first time Scarlett completely disregarded him, the first time she had been angry with him for so long, and the first time he couldn't coax her out of it no matter how hard he tried.