The Billionaire's Silent Wife (Ryan and Eve) novel Chapter 161

Chapter 161 A Father Who Won’t Be Laughed At 3

Claims

Steven’s voice sharpened with cruel certainty. “Do you think he would have settled for you? A quiet girl

with nothing? Do you think he would have brought you into his world because he wanted you?”

Eve’s breath caught.

Camila’s voice cut in, sharp. “Don’t speak about her like she’s a bargain.”

Steven’s eyes snapped to Camila. “I’m speaking truth.”

Mitre’s voice came like thunder held back. “Truth? Or your own excuse?”

Steven’s jaw clenched. He turned back to Eve, voice thick. “You might think I’m a monster now.”

Eve whispered, almost against her will, “I do.”

The words hung in the air.

Steven went still.

For a moment, the anger in his eyes cracked, just a fraction.

Then it returned, harder. “Fine.”

His voice rose. “Fine. Call me a monster. Hate me. Throw me away. But don’t stand there and pretend you

don’t know what I did.”

Eve’s eyes burned. “I know what you did. You blackmailed. You lied. You threatened. You,

“I protected you!” Steven shouted, and the sound hit the walls like a slap.

Eve flinched.

Ryan moved, just one step, closer to Eve, and Steven noticed.

His eyes narrowed. “Always hovering.”

Ryan’s voice was low. “You will not shout in front of her.”

”

Steven barked a laugh. “In front of her? You mean in front of

your wife?”

The word wife dripped with mockery.

Eve’s chest tightened painfully.

Steven’s eyes burned. “You think you’re the hero now? You think you get to judge me?”

Ryan didn’t blink. “I’m not judging you. I’m telling you to leave.”

Steven’s gaze snapped back to Eve, and his voice softened, not gently, but dangerously. “Do you know what they did to me, Eve?”

Eve’s throat tightened. “Who?”

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Chapter 161 A Father Who Won’t Be Laughed At 3

Steven’s face twisted with hatred. “Leah Ashbrook.”

Camila’s posture stiffened.

Mitre’s eyes hardened further.

Ryan’s jaw clenched, but he didn’t interrupt.

Clas

Steven’s voice sharpened with venom. “That woman is a devil. A devil who smiles in silk and kills with a

signature.”

Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “Careful.”

Steven’s laugh was harsh. “Careful? Careful?” His voice trembled with fury. “Jonathan isn’t far behind her either. They’re not innocent, Eve. Don’t ever let them convince you they’re innocent.”

Eve felt her pulse thud painfully. “Why are you saying this?”

Steven stepped closer, his eyes burning into hers. “Because you’re standing in their world like you forgot

what they took from me.”

Eve’s breath went shallow. “What did they take?”

Steven’s mouth tightened, and for a second, something shifted, something deeper than pride.

Pain.

He swallowed hard, and his voice came out rougher. “If it weren’t for them, your mother would still be

alive.”

The sentence landed like a blade.

Eve’s body went cold.

For a moment, the house went silent except for the faint hum of electricity and the sound of her own

heartbeat.

Camila’s hand finally touched Eve’s arm, lightly, grounding.

Mitre’s voice was low, careful. “Steven,”

Steven snapped his head toward Mitre. “Don’t say her name like you knew her.”

Mitre didn’t move. “Then don’t use her death as a weapon.”

Steven’s nostrils flared. His eyes were wet now, not with tears, not fully, but with something hot and burning behind them.

“You think I enjoy this?” Steven’s voice cracked slightly. “You think I enjoy being the villain?”

Eve stared at him, chest tight, mind splitting in two.

One side hated him.

C

Chapter T61 A Father Who Won’t Be Laughed At 3

Cham

Hated the blackmail, the cruelty, the way he had treated her like a pawn, the way he had shaped her entire

life around fear.

The other side,

The other side remembered being small and wanting him to love her in a way that didn’t hurt.

Steven’s voice shook again, anger fraying into something raw. “Do you think I wanted to become this?”

Eve’s lips parted, but no sound came.

Steven’s gaze stayed on her, burning. “I lost her, Eve.”

His voice dropped, quieter now, but heavier. “I lost her, and they walked away like it was nothing. They walked away with their lives intact. Their money intact. Their reputations intact.”

He swallowed hard, and for a second, he looked less like a tyrant and more like a man who had been

dying inside for years.

“I buried her,” Steven said, voice rough. “And I buried myself with her.”

Eve’s eyes stung.

Camila’s voice was calm, but firm. “Grief doesn’t excuse cruelty.”

Steven’s head snapped toward her. “Don’t preach at me.”

Camila didn’t flinch. “I’m not preaching. I’m telling you what you already know.”

Mitre’s gaze stayed hard. “You didn’t protect her. You used her.”

Steven’s face contorted with rage again, as if the brief crack of grief had humiliated him.

He turned back to Eve sharply. “You stand there like my pain disgusts you.”

Eve whispered, voice shaking, “Your pain doesn’t disgust me.

Steven’s eyes narrowed. “Then what does?”

Eve swallowed hard. “The way you turned it into mine.”

Silence.

Steven stared at her, as if he hadn’t expected her to say it like that.

As if he had expected obedience.

Or comfort.

Or fear.

Not truth.

His jaw clenched. His eyes burned brighter. “So this is it.”

Chapter 161 A Father Who Wont Be laughed At 3

Eve’s throat tightened. “What?”

Steven’s voice rose again, wounded pride rushing back to cover the rawness. “You’ve chosen them.”

Camila’s mouth tightened. “She chose herself.”

Steven’s gaze snapped to Camila with fury. “You don’t get to speak for her.”

Mitre’s voice was low. “She doesn’t need you to speak for her anymore.”

Steven’s chest rose and fell hard, like he was fighting something inside himself.

Then he looked at Eve again, and the hurt in his eyes sharpened into anger.

“You’re enjoying this,” he said, voice bitter. “You’re enjoying watching me stand here like a fool.”

Eve’s voice broke’ slightly. “No.”

Steven’s laugh was ugly. “Yes. You want me to beg now. You want me to apologise.”

Eve shook her head quickly. “I want you to stop.”

Steven’s gaze hardened. “Stop? After everything? After everything I did?”

His voice lowered, deadly. “I won’t be laughed at.”

The words hit Eve with a familiar dread.

Because Steven’s pride had always been the most dangerous part of him.

Not his anger.

Not his greed.

His pride.

Mitre’s voice was calm but warning. “No one is laughing at you.”

Steven’s eyes flashed. “You are.”

He pointed at Camila. “You sit in her life and call yourself mother. You think you can replace me.”

Camila’s voice was steady. “We don’t replace anyone. We love her.”

Steven’s face twisted. “Love?”

Camila held his gaze. “Yes. Love.”

Clawn

Steven’s laughter was harsh. “Love didn’t pay for her school. Love didn’t buy her safety. Love didn’t force

the Ashbrooks to give her what she deserved.”

Eve flinched. “I didn’t deserve that.”

Steven’s eyes snapped to her. “You deserved more than you had.”

Eve’s voice rose slightly, shaking. “Then why did you treat me like I was nothing?”

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Chapter 161 A Father Who Won’t Be Laughed At 3

Steven went still.

For a moment, it looked like the question stabbed deeper than Mitre’s earlier one.

His jaw flexed.

His gaze flickered away, just for a second.

Then he snapped it back, pride hardening again. “Because softness makes you weak.”

Eve’s eyes burned. “No. Softness makes you human.”