The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 178

Adrian seemed terrified that Jocelyn might actually walk away for good, practically begging her for reassurance.

"I promise you, I'm not throwing you away. Once the family fortune is officially in my name, I'll be the undisputed head of the Lowell family. Nobody will be able to tell me what to do. And honestly, I'm sure Audrey won't mind if you come back."

Jocelyn felt a violent surge of nausea.

Did he actually think he was an ancient emperor? Did he actually think he could play patriarch and keep a rotation of 'sister-wives' tucked away under one roof?

Fighting the violent urge to rip her hand away from his repulsive grip, Jocelyn forced a weak breath.

"Adrian, I'm incredibly sick right now. Please, just let me get some sleep. Okay?"

Perhaps because his biggest crisis had just been effortlessly solved, Adrian immediately let go.

"Of course. You need to rest. I'll head out."

A few minutes later, Maria crept back into the bedroom.

"Miss Jocelyn, he didn't try anything, did he?"

Jocelyn smiled, a genuine, exhausted smile.

"He came to ask for a divorce."

Maria gasped in shock, before a massive grin broke across her face. "Thank God! It's finally happening! Once those papers are signed, you can finally live your life in peace."

But Jocelyn was still anxious.

"Let's just pray he doesn't wake up tomorrow, realize what he's doing, and change his mind."

"Oh!" Jocelyn suddenly remembered. "Maria, go tell Mr. Vance he can come out now."

"Mr. Vance left ages ago," Maria replied.

"He left?"

"Yeah," Maria nodded. "The second Mr. Lowell walked into your bedroom, Mr. Vance slipped out the front door."

"But I will say, he looked incredibly intense when he was leaving. I've never seen Mr. Vance look so terrifying. He's usually such a calm, polite gentleman."

Jocelyn let out a quiet sigh.

Given what had happened tonight, Julian was absolutely not going to let this slide.

Caleb Preston had absolutely no idea whose cage he had just rattled.

Downstairs, Todd saw Adrian walk out of the building and immediately scrambled out of the car to open the rear door.

Adrian slid into the backseat, rolled down the window, and lit a fresh cigarette.

Adrian's expression darkened into something incredibly calculating and paranoid.

"But he is also Caleb Preston's grandson. And Audrey's last name is Preston."

It took Todd a few seconds to connect the dots.

"Wait... are you worried Mr. Preston is going to try and steal the Lowell family fortune through Audrey?"

Adrian didn't answer, which was all the answer Todd needed.

"But sir, surely that's impossible. Audrey has always been in your corner. She would never betray you like that."

Adrian flicked his finger, sending the glowing cigarette butt flying out the window to spark against the pavement.

"Remember this, Todd. In this world, the only person you can trust one hundred percent... is yourself."

Hours later, as the first light of dawn began to creep across the horizon, a series of agonizing, blood-curdling screams echoed from a damp, windowless basement across the city.

The man who usually stood quietly behind Julian Vance, always offering a polite, easygoing smile, currently looked like an absolute psychopath.

Ethan swung the metal baseball bat again and again, slamming it ruthlessly into the man chained to the chair.

The man screaming was the driver of the getaway car.