His Regret Arrived Three Days Late novel Chapter 180

In the banquet hall, Zoey reappeared. She had evidently freshened up, now wearing a different evening gown and looking radiant once more. She clung to Zander's arm, and it was clear he had successfully appeased her. The two began to circulate among the guests again, chatting and laughing, acting like an intimate couple as if the earlier embarrassing scene had never happened.

Annika feared they would come over. She gripped Yazmin's hand, and feeling Annika's tension, Yazmin followed her gaze. When she saw Zoey and Zander acting like a perfect, devoted couple, she nearly bit through her teeth with hatred. After all, Zoey had stolen her place. If Zoey hadn't come between them, it would be her clinging to Zander's arm.

"Mom," Annika pleaded, holding Yazmin's arm tightly. "Don't go."

But Yazmin, consumed by anger, was in no state to listen. She shook Annika's hand off and was about to charge forward when a commotion at the entrance drew everyone's attention.

Annika's eyes, along with everyone else's, turned to the doorway. When she saw Conrad arrive with Nolan, she was instantly overcome with relief, the tension in her heart finally easing. Conrad's gaze swept across the hall, his face grim. He strode over to Annika in a few long steps, his eyes flicking from her hand on Yazmin's arm to the couple making their rounds with drinks. Turning back, he asked Yazmin, "Mom, why put yourself through this?"

With her powerful, beloved son there to back her up, Yazmin no longer held back. Her grief erupted in an instant.

"Conrad..." she cried, throwing herself into his arms.

Conrad held his mother, intending to lead her away, but Zander and Zoey were already walking toward them, Zander in the lead with Zoey close behind.

"Conrad," Zander called out. "You're finally here! I've been waiting for you for so long."

Conrad showed no warmth, only cold indifference, as if his father didn’t exist.

At Zander's words, Yazmin, still emotional, lifted her head from her son's embrace. She looked at Zander with a mixture of sorrow, pain, and silent accusation.

"From now on," Conrad said, his voice cutting like ice, "you really aren't."

"Yazmin," Zoey stammered, taking a couple of faltering steps forward as if to speak to her, but Yazmin turned her face away.

Zoey wanted to say more, but a single, sharp glare from Conrad sent a shiver down her spine and made her legs tremble.