Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 1317

"I noticed something strange the other day. You and the Quinns don't exactly get along."

Logically, Sebastian Quinn hadn't spent much time with his nephew and niece.

Owen Lance cut straight to the chase, genuinely oblivious to the underlying tension.

Neither Ethan nor Mira answered immediately. Instead, Mira leveled a look at him. "You told Master Ellis never to accept a disciple named Mira. Care to explain why?"

Though phrased as a question, her tone was laced with absolute certainty.

No matter how deep Sebastian's grudge ran against Mira, he simply didn't have the connections to reach Master Ellis. And Master Ellis was notoriously stubborn—he only listened to his most prized pupil, turning a deaf ear to anyone else.

Mira was a hundred percent sure of this.

In truth, the moment she saw Owen at the Quinn estate, she had wanted to confront him.

You aren't a time traveler, and your engagement is your own private business. You can make whatever choices you want, and none of it has anything to do with me.

Just because they shared a bond in a past life didn't guarantee one in this lifetime.

But he had crossed a line. Regardless of his reasons, he had no right to poison Master Ellis's mind against her.

Mira's direct confrontation made Owen stiffen in embarrassment. He realized his mistake instantly, and lying simply wasn't in his nature.

Beside them, Dominic West was stunned. "Did you really say something like that to your master? But you didn't even know them back then, let alone have any bad blood between you!"

Hesitating for only a fraction of a second, Owen closed his eyes and chose total honesty. "I admit it. I did say that."

The others stared at him in disbelief.

Owen wasn't a time traveler, but he was highly perceptive. From the moment he met the Mercer siblings at the Quinn estate, their sheer poise and character were obvious.

He knew right then that his fiancée and father-in-law had been lying to him.

Furthermore, Sebastian's hostility toward them during that visit had been palpable. Why would a man despise his own flesh and blood, especially when they were visiting his home for the very first time?

"I'm sorry, Mira. I listened to their lies without bothering to find the truth for myself," Owen said, his voice heavy with regret.

"It doesn't matter. Me not becoming his apprentice is his loss. You could even call it a massive loss for your entire discipline, rather than a setback for me."

Mira's voice was utterly confident. "As you can see, my martial arts are already formidable. With relentless training, I'll only get stronger."

"And as for my medical expertise... it's already on par with Master Ellis's. Do you believe that?"