She Quit Her Family and Found Herself novel Chapter 199

"Miles Jewell!"

Herbert's voice cracked like a whip. He glared furiously at his son. "Apologize to Finn right now!"

Miles recoiled in sheer terror, his shoulders hitching, but his tiny nostrils flared with stubborn defiance. "I won't apologize! I didn't do anything wrong! He pushed me! I didn't push him! He should be apologizing to me!"

Finn peeked out from Elinor's shoulder, his voice trembling between sobs. "I'm the one who should apologize... I didn't take good care of our guest... I made him angry... I'm sorry..."

Hearing the battered, bleeding little boy apologize broke even Valery's resolve. She sighed softly and looked down at her grandson. "Miles, when you do something wrong, you have to apologize."

"Exactly, Miles. Good boys admit when they make mistakes," Cora added. As much as she hated to reprimand him, the evidence was glaringly obvious. Finn was bleeding and terrified. No matter how much she adored her nephew, she couldn't publicly defend him when he was so clearly the aggressor.

Besides, today was the day they were formally asking for Sylvie's hand in marriage.

Seeing that both his grandmother and his aunt were demanding he apologize, a tidal wave of betrayal and fury flooded Miles's chest. "I'm not apologizing!"

He lunged toward Finn. "Why are you lying?! Tell them the truth! Tell them! Tell them!"

"Miles!" Herbert had completely lost his temper. He grabbed the boy by the arm, dragged him over, and landed a sharp smack right on his back.

It was the very first time Herbert had ever laid a hand on his son.

And it was the first time Miles had ever been hit.

It was just a swat to his back, but for Miles, it felt like the sky had shattered.

He froze in absolute shock for a split second before unleashing a deafening, hysterical wail.

"Oh my god, Herbert!" Cora immediately snatched Miles away, shielding him in her arms. "If he made a mistake, just talk to him! Why would you hit him?!"

Dante, who had remained stony-faced the entire time, finally chimed in. "We're all going to be family soon anyway. There's no need to ruin the day over a little scuffle."

Taking the out Dante provided, Wade nodded in agreement. "We clearly haven't disciplined him properly at home."

"Ah, don't worry about it. You can correct that behavior over time," Dante said, waving a hand generously to signal the matter was closed. "Come on, let's head inside. Lunch is almost ready."

Elinor carried Finn into the house first to clean his scrapes and put bandages on him. Cora immediately reached down to pick up Miles, but he violently shoved her away.

"I don't want you!" he sobbed, hiccuping wildly. "I want Sylvie to hold me!"

His aunt hadn't believed him. She had tried to make him apologize.

Only Sylvie had protected him. From now on, he only loved Sylvie.