He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 851

Scarlett stared at the security footage, her lips pressed into a tight line. Her expression was a complex tapestry of emotions. Compared to the rest of the Flynn family, Yardley at least possessed a shred of humanity. He wasn't entirely driven by sheer, unadulterated greed like the others.

Yet, even with this display of decency, the memories of his past neglect and the pain he had inflicted on her still lingered in her heart like a shadow.

Sensing the subtle shift in her mood, Julian gently stroked her hair. "Human nature is multifaceted. There's good and bad. Seeing Yardley step up like this should bring you some comfort. At the very least, he isn't as relentlessly mercenary as his mother, as vile as Melanie, or as calculatingly selfish as Clarissa. He has some redeeming qualities."

Scarlett nodded slowly. "You're right. When it comes to basic character, Yardley hasn't been the worst offender."

"It's just... his family is absolutely deplorable."

Julian smiled faintly. "Exactly. He just mentioned he's planning a memorial service for you. Why don't we make our grand reappearance there? I have a feeling it's going to be quite the show."

Scarlett's lips curved upward. They were completely on the same page. "You think his mother and sisters are going to lose their minds over this, refuse to let him pay for it, and end up crashing the service?"

"Precisely," Julian agreed. "I see we're sharing a brain cell today."

Scarlett looked up at him. "I remember you mentioning you were the only one in your family's history to ever get a divorce?"

A flicker of darkness crossed Julian's eyes. "Yeah. The Croft family lineage goes back centuries, and there hasn't been a single divorce. I was the first."

He let out a quiet breath. "That's why I tried so hard to tolerate Sylvia's behavior at the beginning. I thought that if my parents and I showed her enough grace and kindness, she would eventually change. I never imagined it would just make her more entitled... Now, my only comfort is knowing her child doesn't share my blood. The Croft family can make a clean break."