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

Chapter 32: When Nyla first joined the Brooks family, she believed Ryland had genuine feelings for Vicki. It was only later she learned it was because Vicki was pregnant with a son, crucial for the inheritance that traditionally went to males. Ryland seemed indifferent to Nyla being an extra dependent, a trivial concern compared to securing the inheritance. "Don't play ignorant. Vicki's been covertly funding your ailing sister-in-law and your incarcerated brother. Reject my terms, and the Brooks family will withdraw their support," Ryland replied coldly.

Nyla hesitated, and then turned to Vicki, who appeared too ashamed to meet her gaze. The absurdity of the situation struck Nyla as ridiculous. "If I make peace with Trevor, will you ease off on my brother and his wife?" "Yes." "Then I'll do it." The dramatic exchange reached its conclusion. As Ryland retreated up the staircase, he paused to throw a derisive look back at Nyla, his eyes gleaming with scorn, mocking her presumptions about her own influence. "Nyla, it wasn't my intention to..." Vicki's voice trembled faintly.

Turning, Nyla observed Vicki, who, despite her simple long dress, wore a luxurious white mink shawl, radiating a cultivated air of elegance. Since her marriage to Ryland, Vicki had spared no effort in maintaining her youthfulness, making regular visits to the beauty salon. Though in her forties, she managed to appear decades younger. The situation dripped with irony. "You didn't intend to? You didn't intend to lure me here by leveraging Dad's incident? You didn't intend to inform Ryland about my sister-in-law and brother's situation?

Or you didn't intend to send me into the arms of a rogue?" At that moment, Nyla's remaining faith in Vicki shattered. Vicki grasped her hand, her voice laden with anxiety. "I swear I wasn't behind any betrayal. I didn't inform Ryland about your brother and sister-in-law. With the sums involved, Ryland would inevitably uncover the truth. And about the Fowler family, I never imagined Trevor would behave so reprehensibly. But realistically, considering our status, who else but the Fowler family would consider an alliance? Why not just apologize to Trevor and move beyond this?

I promise I won't push you into marrying him." gⱯlnσνℓs․cøm, your destination for tales The more Nyla heard, the colder her heart grew. She withdrew her hand sharply. "Do you truly believe that trading me in marriage is our only path to security? What if Ryland proposes a suitor in his forties next-will you urge me to accept him too?" "I never intended that. We need to think about survival, don't we? Have you forgotten our struggles before? Would you rather we return to those difficult times?" Tears welled up in Vicki's eyes, her voice trembling with suppressed emotion.

Back then, the Green family was buried under a mountain of debt. Vicki had sold everything possible to settle their dues, yet it was never enough. Ultimately, she took Nyla and went into hiding. Without Ryland's intervention, they might still be in hiding. . . .