Too Late to Hold Me Back novel Chapter 664

"What do you mean ulterior motives? Isn't it a good thing that I plan to cherish Mira for the rest of my life?"

Owen said with a grin.

"She won't be happier with anyone else."

"Stop flattering yourself.

Let me tell you, I'm going to get to the bottom of this. It's late now, but I'll ask her first thing tomorrow morning."

"Don't..."

Owen barely got a word out before Dominic hung up on him.

He silently cursed his own big mouth. Why did he have to brag? Wouldn't it have been better to just keep it quiet?

For the first time in years, Owen didn't receive his best friend's blessing but got a challenge instead. It left a bitter taste in his mouth.

If he had kept his mouth shut until Dominic found out naturally, his relationship with Mira would have been rock solid by then. No one would have been able to tear them apart.

Owen lay in bed, silently praying. "It won't matter if he asks. Mira won't say yes to him. She won't..."

He had originally planned to tell their mentor and his grandfather...

But he quickly scrapped that idea. His recent experience proved that when it came to love, even the closest people couldn't be trusted.

Moving forward, he only had two priorities. First, nurture his romance with Mira. Second, manage their joint business flawlessly.

He was going to win in both love and business.

Oh, and he needed to take out the trash who had wronged her as soon as possible.

The next morning, right in the middle of breakfast, Mira received a call from Dominic. His opening line was, "Mira, I like you."

Mira's brain short-circuited for a second, completely caught off guard.

Once she recovered, she asked, "Dominic, what exactly do you mean by that?"

She had to clarify. What if he just meant it as a friend?

"I mean exactly what it sounds like. I'm in love with you."

Mira took a deep breath before replying. "Dominic, unfortunately, I already said yes to Owen last night."

"I know you're incredible and extremely successful, but I don't want to be a politician's wife.

You know as well as I do that lasting love requires the right practical conditions, and we just aren't a good fit.

Dominic, you've been a mentor to me. Moving forward, I hope we can just remain friends. Great friends, forever. Deal?"

"Haha, don't worry. I'm ten years older than you; I'm not petty enough to cut ties just because we can't date.

You can't force love, and there's more to life than romance anyway."

Dominic's graciousness eased the worry lingering in Mira's mind. "Thank you, Dominic."

But on the other end of the line, Dominic wasn't nearly as unfazed as he sounded.

He was the mature older man; he couldn't let himself become a burden to her. But that didn't mean his heart wasn't aching.

He had risen to a high position at a young age, riding a wave of professional success thanks to his brilliant organizational and decision-making skills.

Yet in love, no one had ever managed to catch his eye.

Now, nearing thirty, he had finally met someone he truly wanted, only to discover his best friend was in love with the exact same woman.

It was a cruel twist of fate.

He was swallowing his own pain to protect her feelings, but who was going to comfort him?

Mira, on the other hand, was in a fantastic mood today.

The dozen or so detained students had thrown Luna Lance under the bus to save themselves, insisting she was the one who forced them to frame Mira.

I also heard a girl named Luna Lance was sentenced to thirty days in detention."

"Yes. She orchestrated the whole thing. She got exactly what she deserved."

"Mira, look. She's been punished, and she's definitely learned her lesson.

You're all young students. You should give people a chance to correct their mistakes.

It's not that I'm taking her side, but her grandfather came to me yesterday to plead on her behalf, asking if I could talk some sense into you.

He's an elderly man, and he doesn't swallow his pride easily.

He said that if you agree to drop the charges, you can name your price."

Mira stayed silent, prompting him to continue. "Of course, I know you've had friction with the Lance Family in the past, but making enemies isn't good business.

You're going to be operating in Aethelgard's high society eventually. You'll have to deal with these people. Cut them some slack, and it'll benefit you in the long run."

"Uncle Sebastian, it's not that I don't respect you, but the Lance Family and I are sworn enemies. There is no negotiating."

With that, Mira hung up.

On the other end, Sebastian turned to Gwen Quinn. "That kid is too stubborn. There's nothing I can do."

"But by doing this, she's offended the biggest power players in Aethelgard. How is she going to survive here?"

"Our priority is to draw a line in the sand with her. We need to smooth things over with the Lance Family. We can't let her drag the Quinn Group down."

Sebastian looked thoughtful.

"But as her uncle, wouldn't it be pretty cold of me to just cut her loose?"

"You can't blame us. You can't save someone who's hellbent on destroying themselves. What else are we supposed to do?

We have to protect the Quinn family first. That way, when she and her mother inevitably hit rock bottom, we'll actually be in a position to throw them a lifeline."