He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 98

"I'd actually prefer it if they retaliated. The only thing I'm worried about is Yardley pretending he still cares about me, just to drag out the divorce."

Scarlett's gaze turned icy. Yardley's current attitude didn't earn him a single ounce of sympathy from her; it only deepened her profound disgust.

"If he decides to go to war and confront me directly, that's perfect. When the time comes, I'll secure full custody of my daughter and make sure every single asset she's entitled to is firmly in my hands!"

Divorce was going to be a brutal battle, and Scarlett was fully prepared for it.

Now that she had powerful 'allies' backing her up, she was fearless. But even if she didn't have them, she was ready to risk absolutely everything to tear them down.

As the two of them were talking, hurried footsteps echoed outside the room.

A second later, anxious voices flooded the room.

"Talia, my darling baby, let mom look at you. Where does it hurt?"

"My sweet girl, let dad give you a hug. Oh, god, your beautiful face is completely bruised!"

Timothy and Amelia Gray rushed frantically into the room.

The moment they entered, they made a beeline straight for Talia, each grabbing one of her hands, gently checking over every inch of her with sheer heartache.

Their desperate, overwhelming parental love made it look as though their most precious treasure had just been shattered.

Watching the scene unfold, Scarlett felt a sharp pang of both sorrow and crushing guilt. She quietly stepped back, silently watching the family of three shower each other in affection.

Talia beamed a bright smile.

"It's fine, it's fine. It's just some superficial scratches. If you don't believe me, I'll hop out of this bed and jump around right now to prove it."

"Don't you dare! You stay right there in that bed! We can't have you doing anything reckless!"

"I just don't understand it. In broad daylight, how could a thug just attack someone in a residential parking garage? I'm suing the property management and the entire security team! This is horrifying!"

"Your dad was so stressed he was crying on the plane. They say men don't cry easily, and I've certainly never seen your father shed a tear before this."

Hearing their conversation made the knot in Scarlett's stomach twist even tighter. Just as she opened her mouth to apologize, Talia shot her a discreet look.

Talia wrapped her arms around her parents, grinning happily like a small child.

Scarlett managed to choke out the words, but she couldn't say anything else. She didn't want to break down, but the tears fell like a torrential downpour, completely unstoppable.

Amelia quickly pulled Scarlett back into her arms, soothing her with gentle, comforting words.

In a few short sentences, Talia summarized Scarlett's situation to her parents, making a point to mention that Jacqueline had been completely absent during Scarlett's labor and postpartum recovery.

Talia's tone carried a clear hint of resentment.

After all, what kind of mother didn't even bother to visit when her own daughter was giving birth and recovering?

If a woman's own family didn't stand up for her during a crisis like this, then when would they?

Even if there were massive unresolved issues between Scarlett and her mother, she should have at least shown up when it mattered most.

As Talia finished her explanation, Amelia let out a heavy sigh. She exchanged a loaded look with Timothy. Her tone suddenly grew very solemn.

"Talia, you two have completely misunderstood Scarlett's mother. She explicitly ordered us to keep this a secret from Scarlett. She told us never to say a word. But... Timothy, I think we need to tell Scarlett the truth, don't you?"