Their Villain, The Mogul's Beloved

Chapter 279

Chapter 279

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Howard said, “Mom, if you’d brought Zinnia back and had a proper talk with her, maybe even let her sweet-talk Grandma a little, wouldn’t that have solved the issue just as well?

“Not only that, but it could’ve been a chance to fix your relationship with her. Instead, you made this choice, and now you’ve pushed Zinnia even further away. You’ve completely broken her heart, Mom.”

Howard felt tightness in his chest as he listened to Maelis’s words, frustration bubbling up inside him.

He continued, “And pulling the post down so abruptly will only make the online chatter worse. We should’ve taken a different approach to minimize the damage.

“Betty could’ve issued a sincere apology, and we could’ve released a statement saying that she’s family in every way that matters. Letting everyone know we’re standing behind her would’ve worked just as well, wouldn’t it?

“Over time, people would’ve moved on, and this whole mess would’ve blown over. Zinnia isn’t the type to hold grudges forever. So why did you have to make this decision?

“And another thing-we haven’t even officially acknowledged Zinnia as our daughter. She’s our own child, and we owe her that much.”

Howard rubbed his temples, his headache worsened. He couldn’t understand why his mom always seemed to make things harder for everyone. Before coming home, he’d even wondered if Zinnia had exaggerated the situation.

But after hearing Maelis’s reasoning, Howard realized with a sinking heart that convincing Zinnia to come back home would now be nearly impossible.

The image of Zinnia’s cold, distant gaze from earlier that afternoon flashed in his mind, and it stung deeply. This was the second time she’d been abandoned.

Howard didn’t have a particularly close bond with Zinnia, given how little time they’d spent together. But even with that distance, he had never once thought of giving up on her.

He figured their lack of connection was due to the short time she’d been back. He felt that Zinnia might be a bit

deteriorate to this extent.

headstrong, but he never imagined their relationship woe

respond, hesitating. “I… Betty has been so upset about the online backlash. Jackson refuses

if I wanted the post taken down, I had to make a choice. I thought she

grievance, her voice trailing

she ever

had reached out to Zinnia multiple times, but Zinnia had

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Chapter 279

is wounded, it’s not something

after seventeen years apart. She hadn’t grown up with them, didn’t share deep bonds, and now, being treated like this, repairing their relationship in the future would be far

If they were, Zinnia wouldn’t

again and again.

her third brother, yet after all their encounters,

to take down the posts-Howard frowned. He thought, ‘Mom might not grasp

quiet, her thoughts tangled. In her mind, they

truly be severed.

Maelis snapped, frustration bubbling over. She’d comforted Betty, been pressured by Suzy, misunderstood by Zinnia, and Howard was questioning

such big decisions. We could’ve worked together to figure something out. Please, don’t be mad,” Howard said, his tone

own lives, and I’m left here dealing with everything alone. Only Betty stays by my side. I just wanted to make

with Zinnia and didn’t harm her in any way, so I thought asking Suzy

down was

went and complained to

up to me. She just stood there watching. If I hadn’t

Zinnia didn’t come to me to complain. We were arguing, and

mention that Betty was right, he frowned. He thought, ‘Did Betty say something to Mom about Zinnia?’ The thought

to you?” Maelis snapped, her tone tinged with frustration and blame. She felt hurt that her

Howard? What’s going on here?” Yosef’s voice cut through the tension as he entered

taking in

walking up to him

Yosef asked, his piercing gaze locking

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