The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 130

"Rachel, there's no need to feel wronged about apologizing," Stella said calmly.

But Rachel ignored Stella and turned her attention to Haynes, desperation in her voice. "Haynie, I didn't, I really didn't push him..."

Haynes was about to say something when Marvin's young voice cut through the tension first.

"Stella, let it go. Don't let this affect your relationship with Ms. Pearce or Mr. O'Brien," Marvin said, his tone wise beyond his years. "I chose to help Keen. No matter how badly I got hurt, it's nobody else's fault."Dad says helping people isn't a transaction," Marvin added, wiping dirt from his scraped palms. "If I get hurt doing it, that's my choice. Doesn't mean they owe me anything."

"Rachel is an adult. It's not common for adults to apologize to kids, is it?"

Coming from an innocent five-year-old, Marvin's words had a sharp irony to them. Everyone in the room, apart from Marvin, was someone deeply connected to Keen. Rachel, especially, always acted like she had Keen's best interests at heart. Yet, as Keen's savior, Marvin was neither thanked nor apologized to by Rachel or Haynes, who seemed to side with her.

It was utterly absurd.

side, he couldn't bully a child. After a brief silence, he finally spoke, "Rachel, just apologize to

widened in disbelief. If she chose to apologize on her own, that was one thing.

with tears. "Haynie, I really

For Keen's sake, thanking him or apologizing is

you really unwilling to say

jaw clenched before she could stop it. The weight of their stares felt eerily familiar. It was a tactic she often used

Marvin. This kid... was a

him, Marvin looked at her with wide, innocent

understood how Stella felt—caught between indignation and frustration.

sorry. I was just so worried in the moment that I pushed you. Please don't hold

Pearce didn't mean