In response came Luke\u2019s voice. \u201cSure, Grandpa. Take\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing that familiar tone, Scarlett froze mid\u2013step.\u00a0<\/p>\n
your\u00a0<\/p>\n
After only a brief pause, she continued down the stairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
time.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke was slouched on the sofa, scrolling through videos on his phone.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing footsteps, he looked up. When he saw it was Scarlett, he rolled his eyes and let out a mocking laugh. \u201cIt\u2019s this late in the morning and you still haven\u2019t even started breakfast. Really acting like you\u2019re the lady of the house now, huh?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett ignored him and moved toward the door.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Luke wasn\u2019t finished. \u201cSome people just don\u2019t know how to act when they get a taste of the good life.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett stopped walking. She couldn\u2019t let it slide. Turning to face him, her voice was icy. \u201cWhen you talk like that, it only shows your own lack of class.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke had never liked Scarlett. Seeing her talk back now, his temper flared. \u201cSay that again!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett smirked. \u201cI\u2019ll say it as many times as you need to hear it. You\u2019re the one who doesn\u2019t belong here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
That was it for Luke. He tossed his phone aside and strode toward her. \u201cYou\u2019re asking for it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As he closed in, he raised his hand as if to strike her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before his hand could descend, a deep voice rang out from the stairs. \u201cLuke, enough!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
It was Vincent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Hearing Vincent\u2019s voice, Luke flinched and immediately lowered his arm.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent was dressed in light gray sleepwear. He descended the stairs step by deliberate step.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Each footfall seemed to land heavily on Luke\u2019s nerves.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Vincent reached them, Luke mumbled, \u201cVincent.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He hung his head, his voice rough and defensive, like a scolded child.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But Vincent wasn\u2019t letting him off easy. Without warning, he delivered a sharp kick to the back\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:09 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 324 A Brother\u2019s Defense\u00a0<\/p>\n
of Luke\u2019s knee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The force was enough to make Luke stumble, barely catching his balance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Once he steadied himself, Vincent asked coldly, \u201cIs that any way to speak to my wife?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A64\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke kept his head down, grumbling discontentedly, \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026 she\u2019s changed. She doesn\u2019t cook or help around the house anymore. Someone had to say something.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s voice dropped lower. \u201cAnd that someone is you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke hung his head, saying not a word.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent pressed on, his voice sharp with accusation. \u201cIs she a maid to the Stewart family?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke shook his head. \u201cNo.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThen since when,\u201d Vincent pressed, \u201cis she required to cook or clean for you?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke finally looked up at him. \u201cBut she used to do all that! She even made my favorite meals.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent\u2019s anger flashed. He raised his voice above Luke\u2019s. \u201cWell, she doesn\u2019t have to anymore. From now on, she doesn\u2019t have to do a single thing she doesn\u2019t want to.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re spoiling her, Vincent,\u201d Luke muttered resentfully.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent didn\u2019t engage. Instead, he changed the subject. \u201cWhy are you at Ravenshade Villa this early?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI haven\u2019t seen Vanessa in a while,\u201d Luke replied. \u201cCame by to visit her.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s upstairs,\u201d Vincent said flatly. \u201cIf you\u2019re here to see her, then go see her. Don\u2019t stand down here making a scene.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
With a reluctant \u201cYeah, fine,\u201d Luke headed upstairs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the moment Vincent had come downstairs, Scarlett had been watching him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She saw him defend her\u2013kicking Luke, speaking up for her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Yet none of it stirred any warmth in her heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
If anything, so he can stand up for me.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But what about all the times before?\u00a0<\/p>\n
He never did.\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
20:09 Wed, Jan 14\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 324 A Brother\u2019s Defense.\u00a0<\/p>\n
64\u00a0<\/p>\n
464\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0f23\u00a0<\/p>\n
Finished\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Luke was gone, Vincent turned to Scarlett. \u201cIf he bothers you again, tell me. I won\u2019t let him-\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scarlett cut him off. \u201cI need to get to work. I\u2019m leaving now.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Without another word, she turned and walked out.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vincent watched her go, an uneasy feeling settling in his chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n
*****\u00a0<\/p>\n
Upstairs, Luke went to Vanessa\u2019s room first and found it empty.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After glancing into a couple of rooms, he found her in the guest bedroom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa was already awake, lying on the large bed with a troubled expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke approached and playfully tickled her side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa didn\u2019t laugh. She just turned her head and said softly, \u201cUncle Luke.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke pulled her into a sitting position and gently pinched her cheek. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? You look kinda down.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Vanessa wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face against him. \u201cNothing\u2026 I just don\u2019t feel good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Luke sensed something was wrong, but he didn\u2019t want to push her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, he was sure Vanessa\u2019s mood had something to do with Scarlett.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Internally, he cursed Scarlett again. That witch. If she\u2019s upsetting Vanessa, she\u2019s really going to regret\u00a0<\/p>\n
1.1K\u00a0<\/p>\n
3\/3\u00a0<\/p>\n
Editorial Board: Our editorial team works behind the scenes to refine each chapter, maintain consistency, and deliver the best reading experience.<\/p>\n
Silent Dreams Never Die \u2014 Author: John Miller 324 In response came Luke\u2019s voice. \u201cSure, Grandpa. Take\u00a0 Hearing that familiar […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[81],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-impossible-condition-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27688"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27688\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}