Love On Ice: Don’t Leave Me, My Charming Liar

Chapter 288: The weather was dreary, perfectly mirroring the mood in the air. By afternoon, the sky had darkened completely, heavy clouds hanging low, bringing with them a biting chill. Vicki watched the trees sway softly in the wind, her hands clutching Nolan's shirt. If the fabric hadn't been twisted almost beyond recognition, one might have mistaken her for calm. "Are you not going to check on your daughter?" Ryland's voice cut through the silence as he walked down the stairs, a sneer twisting his face. Vicki flinched at the sound of his voice.

She turned around slowly, reluctant to meet his gaze. "N-No... I don't need to," she stammered. Ryland scoffed, his gaze narrowing at her with utter contempt, as if she were nothing more than trash. If Vicki hadn't been of some use to him years ago, he would have never allowed such a foolish woman into the Brooks family. "Didn't you want to send her away? Here's your chance. You can take her back to the villa." Vicki's eyes widened in shock, her hands, once resting in her lap, clenched tightly. Her lips trembled. "Ryland, please... let Nyla go," she pleaded.

Ryland's irritation flared at the sight of her panic. He lifted his hand, as if to strike, but froze mid-motion when Nelson walked in, his eyes locked on them with sharp intensity. "What are you doing?" Nelson asked, his voice steady and demanding. Ryland stiffened, lowering his hand and stepping back. Step into fiction with g Ɐ ln σ ν ℓs․com Nelson had grown increasingly rebellious in recent years, especially after piecing together a vague understanding of the truth behind past events. This knowledge made Ryland wary, and he knew better than to lay a hand on him.

Vicki took a couple of hurried steps back, stammering, "I'll go check on Nolan." Flustered, she quickly ascended the stairs, her body trembling with fear. Nelson watched her go, his expression unreadable. Ryland, still cautious, said nothing more and turned to leave. "You think you can use the same tactics you used on my mom? Don't even think about it," Nelson said coldly, his words leaving a lingering chill in the air. Ryland was clearly uncomfortable with Nelson's words, but he refrained from any backlash.

Originating from Jouver, not Ulares, Fatima Brooks, Nelson's mother, had entered the Brooks family due to a business-aligned marriage that surprisingly evolved into genuine love with Ryland. Ryland's proposal was so lavish it became the envy of all in Ulares, celebrated as the epitome of romantic gestures. Initially, Fatima's integration into the Brooks family was joyous. However, as problems emerged within her own family, leading them to withdraw financial support from Ryland during his financial difficulties, their relationship began to wane.

Consequently, Ryland started to eye the wealth of Fatima's family more keenly. Despite the trouble in Fatima's family, they still surpassed the Brooks family in wealth at that time. In fact, the Brooks family only flourished after Ethan took over. . . .