Chapter 123 No Feelings
For Me
William had no idea who Laurie was, but the surname Chadwick hinted she was likely the daughter of Austen Chadwick. If his memory served him
right, Austen’s daughter had just turned 18.
“Dad, you expect me to marry someone almost a decade younger than me?” William questioned, his voice laced with disbelief.
Eric’s expression remained stern, his voice unwavering. “In the past, no matter how reckless you were, I never interfered. You wanted to marry Renee, and despite the enormous societal pressure, we humored you. Her behavior was indiscreet, and when I asked you to divorce her, you refused. I still didn’t force you. Then you suddenly applied to leave the army and went into business. William, tell me, wasn’t that taking things too far?”
William knew deep down that if he hadn’t secretly submitted his application to leave the army, his transition into the business world would never have been as smooth as it had been. His rebel had always been a sore point for Eric.
“Now look at what our family is facing,” Eric continued, his tone growing sharper. “I’ve already decided on your marriage to Laurie. If you disagree, fine; but know that you’ll never be a Mitchell should you refuse.”
“William, please, Just listen to your dad. I’m begging you!” Esme cried, nearly on her knees in her desperation.
Sylvia sat silently beside Esme, her head lowered. Her thoughts were unreadable, and in that moment, no one seemed to care.
Though Esme adored Sylvia, the Mitchell family’s current need to form strategic alliances outweighed anything else. The Payne family was no
12-10
longer what it once had been, and for that reason, Sylvia was no longer a worthy match for William. Sylvia understood this well, but that didn’t make the reality any easier to accept.
William closed his eyes, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. After a long pause, he said quietly, “Alright.”
Sylvia’s heart shattered at his words. The pain felt like it was ripping her apart, more unbearable than when she had witnessed William marry Renee.
At least then, she had believed William had married Renee for the sake of the Payne family.
But now?
Even without Renee, she still wasn’t his choice.
With those final words, William turned and left the room, adding, “Do whatever you like.”
As he walked out of the Mitchell family estate, he pulled a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a deep drag.
Standing beneath the eaves, he smoked half the cigarette. Just as he was finishing, Sylvia emerged. She stopped when she saw him still standing there, lost in thought. She said nothing but remained in place, silently watching as he finished the cigarette.
“I’m such a big loser, aren’t I?” William’s voice was low, filled with self-
resentment.
Sylvia’s heart ached as she watched his expression, but she forced a smile, shaking her head. Tears ran silently down her cheeks, though she was grateful that she was hidden in the shadows. Even if he had seen her tears, she knew he wouldn’t hold her the way he used to. He wouldn’t gently wipe them away as he did when they were children.
She couldn’t remember when he stopped comforting her. Maybe it was during the two years when Renee had relentlessly pursued him, and Sylvia had become a distant figure in his life.
“Not at all. William, you’ll always be the best in my eyes,” Sylvia said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
William turned his head and stared at her for a few seconds, the weight of his thoughts unreadable. Then, without another word, he extinguished the cigarette and his expression hardened back into indifference. “Go back,” he said coldly, his tone dismissive.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
After a few steps, Sylvia’s voice broke the silence. “William…”
He paused briefly but didn’t look back. He said nothing, and without waiting for her to continue, he kept walking.
It wasn’t until he had walked out of sight that Sylvia murmured to herself, “You really have no feelings for me at all, don’t you?”
