At that moment, Arnold’s expression turned ice-cold, a flash of murderous intent flickering between his brows.
He had made his fortune in the import-export trade, navigating the most cutthroat foreign markets. In his early days, he was a man who danced on the edge of a knife, unafraid of bloodshed.
I pressed down on his hand, giving him a subtle nod before rising to my feet. Without a word, I strode toward Hyacinth and Zavier, stopping right in front of them.
Zavier pointed at me, saying, "What, feeling exposed now? Embarrassed that I called you out?"
Hyacinth’s glare was sharp. "Tobias, do you not trust me?"
Even now, she dared to ask about trust.
"Trust?" I exhaled slowly, loosening my tie as my gaze turned glacial. "That’s irrelevant."
I looked directly at Zavier. "The real issue now is that you need to apologize to Arnold."
"Me?"
Zavier scoffed, tilting his head in amusement. "Apologize to him? Tobias, I’m Hyacinth’s special assistant, and he’s just a client of yours, a mere sales manager. Does he even deserve my apology?"
"I’ll make sure you apologize."
I nodded once as if considering his words. Then, without warning, I grabbed his hair and flung him aside with minimal effort, like tossing out the trash.
Before Zavier could regain his footing, I drove my foot into the back of his knee, forcing him to collapse onto the floor, kneeling before Arnold.
Without hesitation, I grabbed a wine bottle, shattered it against the table, and pressed the jagged edge against his face. My voice was dangerously calm. "This is your last warning. Apologize, or I’ll ruin you."
"Sorry, Mr. Tucker!"
Zavier stammered, his entire body trembling. His fear was so overwhelming that he lost control of himself, and to my utter disgust, he even wet his pants.
Arnold remained silent. He merely stood, adjusted his suit with precision, and cast me a look of admiration. "Mr. Gibson, my offer stands. Call me whenever you’re ready. I’ll leave you to settle your family matters."
With that, he left.
"Ah!"
Hyacinth shrieked and rushed to Zavier’s side, crouching beside him with wide, frantic eyes. Fury burned in her gaze as she glared at me. "Tobias, have you lost your mind? How dare you hit Zavier? Even if you’re jealous, this is too much!"
"Jealous?"
I exhaled slowly, sinking back into my chair. Taking my time, I picked up a silk napkin and wiped my hands, my movements calm, unhurried, completely indifferent.
"You misunderstand, Hyacinth. I’m not jealous. I hit him because he disrespected my client. Every connection I make is valuable, and I protect what’s mine. Nothing more, nothing less."
Even now, I felt nothing. Not a flicker of emotion.
Did I not love Hyacinth?
Of course, not.
Otherwise, why would I step aside after years of struggle, handing her the presidency of the company I built from the ground up just to preserve her pride?
But I was a rational man. The moment a marriage became tainted, I severed it without hesitation.
"Why aren’t you jealous?"
Hyacinth’s voice wavered, her expression dazed as if she couldn’t grasp the reality before her.
I cast her a cold glance. "Hyacinth, when I loved you, you were the moon in my sky. But the moment you became dirty, you were nothing more than filth in a ditch. And no one gets jealous over filth."
Her face paled. "You’re calling me filth? No, are you saying… you don’t love me anymore?"
Fear flickered in her eyes.
I lit a cigarette, exhaling as I crossed my legs. "Hyacinth, we’ve been together for seven years. You should know me by now. Even if my younger brother wore my clothes, I wouldn’t want them back. Do you think I wouldn’t be disgusted by a woman who’s been touched by someone else?"
With that, I stood up, done with this farce.
"I haven’t been touched by anyone!"
She lunged forward, wrapping her arms around me from behind. Desperation seeped into her voice. "Husband, you misunderstood! Zavier and I didn’t do anything. I was just drunk; he was only helping me!"
A wave of revulsion rolled through me. My fingers slackened, letting the cigarette slip.
The ember landed on the back of her hand. With a sharp gasp, she let go.
