The Last Time I Cried Your Name novel Chapter 327

Sebastian paused, his expression tightening. “Vance and Bonnie died when Franco was still a little kid. If I tried to use their names to beg for Owen, what kind of person would that make me?”

That thought had never even crossed his mind.

Owen was his son, Franco his nephew. Both belonged to the White family, both were his to protect. There was no way he’d ever hurt Franco, a boy who’d lost his parents, just to help his own son.

“You’re always like this!” Nanette’s voice rang with frustration as old memories came flooding back. “It’s because of you that Owen turned out this way!”

“Me?” Sebastian pointed at himself, his hand shaking.

He knew he’d let Owen get away with too much, and he couldn’t deny having some responsibility. Still, hearing Nanette say it hurt like a needle to his heart.

Nanette’s eyes were sharp and cold. “Ten years ago, when Franco came back from serving, if you hadn’t handed over the White family business to him—if you’d just held on to it—Owen wouldn’t have tried so hard to fight for the top spot in the White Group. You sent him down the wrong path!”

“Your stupidity, your blind loyalty, your foolish sense of duty... That’s what ruined Owen!”

Sebastian slammed his palm on the stone table, his face flushing with anger. “That’s ridiculous.”

“Vance worked day and night to grow this family’s legacy. He left it with me when he passed because Franco was too young. What’s wrong with giving it back to Franco when he was old enough?”

He jabbed a finger toward Nanette. “You’ve never let this go, not all these years. I think it’s you who’s been fueling Owen’s anger and pushing him in the wrong direction.”

“Don’t blame everyone else for your own weakness, Sebastian!” Nanette shot back. “If you don’t want to deal with your son’s mess, just say so. Stop making everything my fault.”

She turned away in a rush, stopped after a few steps, and looked back over her shoulder, her voice ice cold. “Marrying you was the biggest mistake of my life.”

Petty froze, hand in mid-air. She hadn’t even knocked yet. How did Malcom know she was there?

“You heading out?” she asked, noticing that he was wearing his mask again.

He nodded, tilting his chin toward her.

Petty explained, “I forgot my phone and didn’t realize until I was halfway down the block. Give me a sec, I’ll grab it and we can go down together.”

She dashed into the living room, snatched her phone off the coffee table, and hurried back. “Didn’t I say you shouldn’t be going out by yourself right now? Where are you headed? Let Aaron and me come with you.”

The man pulled his phone from his pocket and typed out a reply, then showed her the screen. Just a simple message. Taking a walk after dinner.