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How could she be so heartless? He was just her senior brother–why would Stacy treat him as though he didn’t
exist?
If it had been only her senior brother, perhaps he could endure it. But what about the man standing in front of her now, gazing at her unmistakable love? One after another, these men appeared in her life, as if mocking him, pushing
him closer to madness.
Pat collapsed to the ground, his strength drained. He curled into himself, covering his face as tears streamed down “Stacy…”
Nate stepped forward, his presence radiating quiet intimidation. His voice was calm but firm as he warned, “Don’t come near her again. If you do, don’t blame me for being less than civil.”
For a fleeting moment, Pat hesitated, startled by Nate’s aura. But his stubbornness, born of pride and desperation, flared up. “Why should you say that? This is between Stacy and me. You’re just a third party interfering!”
Nate’s hand shot out, grabbing Pat’s collar tightly. Pat stumbled, losing his balance, and braced himself for the heavy punch that seemed inevitable.
One second. Two seconds.
But the blow never came. Instead, Nate smirked, loosening his grip and patting Pat’s shoulder. Leaning close, he murmured, “She’s going to be my wife. You’re nothing more than a passing memory.”
The words struck Pat like a hammer, shattering his last shred of hope.
The commotion outside soon drew the attention of those inside the banquet hall. The high–profile guests, well–acquainted with Pat’s reputation, chose to remain neutral. They knew better than to align themselves with a man whose name had become synonymous with scandal.
One guest finally broke the silence, his tone sharp. “Boss Taylor, today is meant to celebrate Mr. Morgan’s return. Bringing a woman here to cause a scene is bad enough, but fighting? Nate is a soldier–do you really want to follow your uncle’s path and end up in prison?”
Pat, who had once been revered, now stood as a shadow of his former self. Those who had once admired him now turned their backs. Bitterness surged within him as he pointed accusingly at the crowd, his voice trembling with frustration. “What if I do? So what if I fight him? is a flimsy title all it takes to decide right and wrong?”
The consequences were swift and severe. Pat was hauled away in a police car, his reputation tarnished beyond repair. Had Tara not fled to Canada and appealed to old Boss Taylor for mercy, Pat’s downfall would have been
absolute
Like a man stripped of purpose, Pat returned to the Taylor house, locking himself in his room during the day and drowning himself in parties at night Taylor’s company teetering on the brink of collapse, became a casualty
and drowning himself in parties at night. Taylor’s company, teetering on the brink of collapse, became a casualty of his negligence. His actions infuriated the board of directors, and even Mr. Taylor’s patience reached its limit. Disappointment gave way to action–Pat was dismissed without ceremony.
Anna, desperate to salvage her son’s future, begged Mr. Taylor for clemency But instead of granting Pat another chance, Mr. Taylor introduced his illegitimate son into the company.
For years, Anna had tried to safeguard her family’s interests, but the woman Mr. Taylor had brought home proved formidable. Ruthless and intelligent, she raised a son who quickly demonstrated his superiority. Within days, the company underwent a sweeping transformation. The stock market crash reversed, funds flowed back into the group. and Mr. Taylor’s satisfaction manifested in yet another property purchase for the woman,
While the Taylor family’s fortunes shifted, Anna’s health deteriorated. Pat, returning from a late–night bender, found her frail and bedridden in the hospital. Stricken with guilt, he stayed by her side, nursing her and listening to her whispered advice
“Pat,” Anna said one day, her voice barely above a whisper, “bring Tara back. I’ll only find peace with her around Stacy’s death wasn’t her fault. Stop punishing her.”
Even now, Anna spoke kindly of Tara. Pat, gaunt and weary, shook his head firmly. His tone left no room for argument. “No. Unless Stacy comes back, Tara must continue to atone. Do you even understand, Mom? Stacy was pregnant with my child! And yet, not a single person in this family, not even Tara, told me!”
