Watching You Burn In Regret novel Chapter 79

Slater's gaze dropped, uneasy, as he avoided her eyes.

Before, when no one had ever stood up for Seren, it seemed natural to Slater to believe Seren was always at fault, and his own distaste for her felt justified.

The one time Lennon had spoken up for Seren, Slater chalked it up to Lennon simply playing favorites.

But now, with Susan weighing in—her every point logical and irrefutable— even Zena and Thurman were left without a word to counter her.

Slater had always absorbed Zena and Thurman's version of events. It wasn't until today, after listening to Susan and Nadine, that a slow realization crept over him:

Maybe not everything Seren had done over the years was wrong.

Like when Seren and Carla fought over things—Seren had every right to stand her ground, to want things for herself.

Seren didn't have to surrender everything to Carla.

After all, Slater didn't let Swain walk all over him, so why had he always expected Seren to yield to Carla?

It was like watching a drowning person's last hope sink before their eyes—Carla looked as if she'd been struck by lightning, her face going sheet-white.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Seren's cold, mocking smile, the hint of a smirk dancing on her lips.

The familiarity of the moment hit Carla, hard.

Countless times before, Seren had been the one surrounded and criticized, with no one to defend her. Carla had always stood aside, watching the spectacle with detached amusement.

Now the tables had turned. Seren was the one looking on, indifferent and quietly gloating.

The only difference? This time Carla was in Seren's shoes. Life's fortunes had shifted.

But what Carla truly couldn't understand was why even Swain's attitude toward her had changed—she could almost accept that. What really unsettled her was Slater. He had always defended her, no matter what, and today, for the first time, he'd stood aside.

Did that mean even he agreed with Susan? Did he really think Carla was in the wrong?

She knew that if she wanted to salvage her place in Swain and Slater's hearts, she'd have to back down—fast.

After making her case to Susan and Nadine, Carla lowered her eyes and turned to Seren.

Her voice was soft, contrite, almost painfully sincere. "Seren, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have asked. I just wanted that bracelet so badly.

I didn't think how hard it would put you, and I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

She sounded utterly humbled, her apology ringing with the clarity of someone who'd truly seen the error of her ways.

But only Carla knew the truth: she didn't feel the slightest bit guilty.

If anything, she'd tried to take everything and ended up losing more than she bargained for.

Now, burning with humiliation, she had no choice but to bow her head to Seren.