I Walked Away Seven Years Too Late But Right on Time novel Chapter 115

As Victoria walked downstairs and sat beside him, Harold asked, "Is Eileen asleep?"

"Yes." Victoria nodded before launching into another tirade. "Luke crossed the line this time. Eileen wanted him to be her plus-one for a friend's wedding last weekend, and he outright refused. Not only that, he hung up on her and ignored all her calls. You know how fragile she is. She's never been treated like that."

When Harold didn't respond, Victoria glared at him.

"You need to talk to Luke. Or at least put Arthur Lawrence in his place. His son is getting way too arrogant, treating Eileen like garbage. If Arthur is letting him get away with this, it means he doesn't respect you anymore either. I'm telling you, Luke's cruelty triggered this relapse. He won't even visit her. He's completely out of control."

"What difference would a visit make? You should be encouraging her to get out and meet new people. If you keep enabling her obsession with Luke, how is she ever going to move on?"

Furious that her complaints were met with a lecture, Victoria's temper flared.

"I spend every waking second trapped in this house taking care of our daughter! What about you? Where did you even go? You didn't take your assistants or secretaries. What kind of business requires you to travel alone?"

As the words left her mouth, Victoria realized she had gone too far. But the damage was done, and she didn't care.

She had been secretly pumping his staff for information, and Harold wasn't stupid.

Harold's jaw tightened. A flash of ice swept through his eyes before his expression settled back into its usual deadpan indifference.

"I was negotiating a partnership with a firm out there."

It was an explanation, but it did nothing to soothe Victoria's paranoia.

Luke finally appeared before Eileen on the evening of the second. Arthur had dragged him back with a furious phone call.

Victoria had shown up at Arthur's house early that morning, outright accusing Luke of causing Eileen's hospitalization.

"Even if he only sees her as a sister, what kind of brother acts like this? She's sick. The least he could do is check on her."

With Victoria sitting right there, Arthur had called Luke and practically roared into the receiver. Eleanor watched in silent agony, unable to intervene.

Eileen had spent five days in the psychiatric ward before being released for Memorial Day Weekend. Despite her gaunt appearance, she put on makeup, dressed up, and joined the adults for dinner.

She didn't demand to know why Luke hadn't visited her in the hospital.

Instead, she offered a sweet smile. "Have you been busy lately, Luke?"

Victoria shot Luke a warning look. He kept his tone flat. "Very busy."

"With what?" Eileen pressed.

"Work," Luke replied simply.

"Let's go back," Luke muttered, standing a few feet away, staring blankly at the traffic.

"You're heartless! Don't our memories mean anything to you?"

She had spent the entire walk reminiscing, desperately trying to spark something in him, and his dead-eyed apathy was driving her insane.

"I have always seen you as a sister. You know that."

"You think if you dump me, she'll come running back? Newsflash—she forgot you existed. She's head over heels for her fiancé and spending the weekend with his family."

Eileen spat the words like venom.

At the wedding, people had grilled her about when she and Luke were tying the knot, pushing her over the edge.

Now, it was blatantly obvious that not only were the Lawrences stalling, but her own parents were losing faith in the engagement. She was entirely alone.

She had bribed the property managers. Since Luke moved back, he hadn't spent a single night in the luxury penthouse Arthur had bought for their wedding.

She knew exactly where he was. He was holed up in that pathetic one-bedroom apartment, guarding the garbage that woman had left behind.