Chapter 325 Another
Chance
Renee carried Felix into the room and noticed William standing on the balcony. His face was grim, and he held an unlit cigarette between his fingers.
She set Felix down and whispered, “Felix, be a good boy and go play downstairs. Mommy and Daddy need to talk.”
Felix nodded but lowered his voice like he was sharing a secret. “Is this a
secret talk between Mommy and Daddy?”
“Yes, a secret talk. So you can’t eavesdrop, okay?”
“Okay! I won’t listen!” Felix even raised his hand like he was making a
solemn vow.
His innocent expression made Renee smile. She bent down and placed a
kiss on his forehead.
Once Felix ran downstairs, Renee stepped further into the room. Her footsteps weren’t particularly quiet, yet William didn’t seem to notice until she was standing right behind him.
She didn’t say a word.
Instead, she reached for the cigarette between his fingers, placed it between her lips, and flashed him a teasing smile. “Got a lighter?”
William was caught off guard. He studied the woman in front of him, so familiar yet suddenly different. His thoughts tangled in ways he couldn’t quite name.
He pulled a lighter from his pocket, flicked it open, and a small flame
flickered to life. The glow illuminated their faces, casting shifting shadows in the dim light.
Renee leaned in to light her cigarette, took a deep drag, and let the smoke settle in her lungs before exhaling a slow, swirling ring. Then, without hesitation, she placed the cigarette between William’s lips.
Whether it was because of Renee’s lingering scent, he wasn’t sure, but he swore there was a faint trace of sweetness in the smoke.
“If you want to smoke, then do it. I won’t stop you,” Renee said, her voice steady, though a quiet ache hid beneath her words.
William’s eyes darkened for a moment. “I don’t need it.”
Renee didn’t push. She turned away, staring at the city lights in the distance. Minutes passed in silence before she finally spoke. “William, I’m not the same person I used to be. Whatever is weighing on you, you don’t have to carry it alone.”
William parted his lips, but the words felt trapped in his throat. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and strained. “You know how the Mitchells and Paynes have always been close. Since we were kids, I treated Sylvia like family, like a real sister.”
His gaze stayed locked on the skyline, the glow of the streetlights casting soft shadows across his face. His mind wasn’t just on Sylvia. It was on Damir too. The memories unraveled in his mind-the laughter, the friendship, the unshakable bond they once had.
He never imagined the day would come when Damir would betray him.
Renee’s expression sharpened. “So, all of this was it the Payne family’s doing?”
William’s jaw tensed, and his voice dropped. “Damir sold us out. He joined forces with those people to bring down the Mitchells.”
His hands curled into fists, knuckles turning white. The betrayal cut deeper than he cared to admit.
Renee’s eyes turned cold. “He’s lost his mind if he thinks he can take you down just like that.”
She let go of William’s hand, her voice quiet but resolute. “And he’s going to pay for it.”
William reached for her, gripping her hand tightly. “Nene…”
The look in his eyes said everything.
“I know what you’re thinking. And if there’s a way to avoid it, I’d rather not push them into a corner,” he murmured.
Renee met his gaze. Despite his seemingly distant demeanor, she knew him well. Since childhood, he had always held onto his sense of justice, no matter how cruel the world became. She exhaled softly. “Alright.”
