She Turned Her Grief Into Wings novel Chapter 76

Seeing this, Helga immediately reached out to rub her back, pouring a glass of water and bringing it to her lips while gently chiding, "Alright, Caden, just drop it. Don't make her angrier and cause a real health issue."

Finch, the family butler, also stepped in to mediate. "Mr. Hayes, please don't say any more. Just offer her a soft word."

Looking at her perfectly flushed complexion, Caden knew full well she was completely fine. How could the formidable eldest daughter of the Hayes family be brought to her knees by a couple of sentences?

He had seen this exact trick played out between her and his cousin countless times.

Standing up, Caden's expression remained dark. "I have some work to take care of, so I'll be leaving. I wouldn't want to ruin your appetite."

With that, he signaled to Aiken, who was standing by the door, and walked out.

"Ungrateful child! What an ungrateful child!" Rowena furiously pounded her fists against the sofa.

Dewitt Hayes had listened to the entire exchange from the second-floor study, but by the time he came out, Caden was already gone.

"Dewitt, look at your precious son! He's completely lost his mind over that seductress!"

Dewitt lowered his eyelids, his face devoid of any excess emotion. His tone was measured but firm. "She is still a member of this family. Mind how you speak of her from now on."

"You..."

Helga patted Rowena's back, taking a soft breath, a deep sense of unease settling in her eyes.

She wasn't stupid—she could clearly hear the protective undertones toward Shera in both Caden and Dewitt's words.

So, even Dewitt wasn't on her side anymore?

—

Instead of going home, Caden inexplicably drove straight to Clearwater Villa.

He parked his car a short distance away from Shera's house. The lights inside were still on.

Truth be told, he had been half-skeptical of what Aiken had told him that night. Deep down, he hadn't fully believed his own family was capable of saying such things or acting in such a cruel manner. Today, he finally saw it with his own eyes.

He missed the scent of her. He missed the way she used to bury her face in his neck and act spoiled.

But his rational mind wrestled that impulse back into submission.

He told himself this was nothing more than withdrawal—a symptom of breaking a long-standing habit.

Just like when he had raised that stray cat as a kid, he had spent days entirely unable to eat or sleep when it ran away.

It wouldn't be long before he returned to normal.

Only when the trash can next to him was filled with crushed cigarette butts did he finally pull his gaze away.

"Let's go."

He opened the car door and slid inside.

The car drove off slowly, disappearing entirely into the end of the road.