The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 370

Keen spoke in a low voice. "It's no use telling Mom. When those men tripped me, no one stood up for her either. All they did was laugh at her—and not a single person defended her."

He hesitated, bitterness tightening his small features. "A mom like that... she just isn't strong enough to help me with any of this."

He went on quietly, "And earlier, when Sheldon's mom found out mine was Marvin's guardian, she made that mean boy get on his knees and apologize. She wasn't afraid of my mom at all."

His voice wavered. "If I'd been the one who broke the rules today, would I have had to kneel and apologize too?"

A heavy silence settled over the room. Haynes and Neville both turned to look at Mrs. Ayers.

Caught in their gaze, Mrs. Ayers went pale as a sheet. Her knees threatened to give out beneath her.

Keen's voice carried on, clear and unwavering. "And Grandma said I'm the future heir to the O'Brien Group, so I should handle these things myself—instead of always running to the grown-ups for help."

dark eyes glittered with a

who grow up without it. That much was obvious. The O'Brien family had invested a great deal in

Faced with something like this,

well of love he'd received from her.

in abundance are often taken for granted. But not for Marvin. He'd learned early that anything he wanted

hush over the room, a silence so deep

a mother is mocked and looked down on, the real reason-at the root-comes down to the weakness of her

let his gaze linger on Mrs. Ayers, whose face was

words were blunt, with no trace of courtesy. "Mr. O'Brien, have you ever heard this saying? Only a weak man lets his

she was making a big deal out of nothing, right? Never even considered that you might have

smile on Neville's lips, but every