It's Your Turn To Cry and Beg, Dear Uncle
Chapter 25: En Route

Chapter 25: En Route

The two men locked eyes, their intense gazes colliding in the air, covering the whole room in an oppressive atmosphere. Neither flinched nor looked away, stumbling into a cold stalemate. Yet, it was this very collision that accurately expressed all they needed to say.

Oliver’s glare was filled with accusation, while James leveled his with inexplicable contempt, as if to say, At least I was there when Kyra fell while you were nowhere in sight.

Finally, James broke eye contact, letting out a sneer before turning away. But Oliver was already seething and didn’t wish to let go so easily.

"What a wonderful girlfriend you have," Oliver scoffed, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The biting remark cut through the air, instantly drawing everyone’s attention. It was hard to miss the underlying meaning.

Jane’s frown deepened as she turned to Oliver. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.

She didn’t care much for Lila, but Oliver’s tone wasn’t just disapproving, it was outright hostile. Oliver had always been a kind and respectful boy in Jane’s eyes, so for him to suddenly speak like this could only mean that he had been in conflict with Lila before.

On the other hand, Cressida quickly understood his implication. Unlike Jane and Creighton, who stayed away from the internet, as a socialite, Cressida was always up to date with the recent gossip. So, she knew exactly what Oliver was insinuating—and it wasn’t good.

The first time Cressida heard about the scandal, she was attending a tea party with her peers. She remembered it clearly because Lila’s mother, a fellow socialite in her circle, had voiced her indignation right then and there.

Naturally, Cressida had jumped in to console her, especially since Lila was in a relationship with James. She had even promised to help, unaware at the time that "Kay Hammond," the subject of the scandal, was actually Kyra.

The truth came to light later when Lila called her directly. She had spinned the story to her advantage, pinning all the blame on Kyra. She then went on to say that she wasn’t trying to stir a conflict but she was merely expressing her concern for the young Kyra. After all, the literary world was cutthroat and wouldn’t forgive such crime. So, she asked if Cressida could speak to Kyra on her behalf.

When she heard that, Cressida was absolutely irked and disgusted at how willful Kyra was. She quickly gave James a call but his response had been curt. He told her to stay out of it, cutting her off coldly. Faced with her nephew’s intimidating stance, Cressida had no choice but to comply, with the condition that he would deal with Kyra appropriately.

But things escalated. The scandal reached the level of a lawsuit, and instead of backing down, Kyra had challenged Lila to prove her authorship through a public contest of skill.

Cressida became doubtful of Lila’s story when she heard this but was determined to protect her. So, she called James again, pressuring him to protect Lila from public disgrace.

Now, standing in the room with everyone, Cressida realized Oliver knew about the incident and, unsurprisingly, took Kyra’s side. Besides James, he was the second person who doted on Kyra heavily.

She had even once speculated about his feelings for Kyra, though her husband had admonished her almost immediately. Miller Weiss, Oliver’s father, had always been merciless toward outsiders, so it was best to avoid gossiping about his family. That old man was not one to be tested.

But this wasn’t the time to address Oliver’s stance or the scandal itself—it would only fuel Jane and Creighton’s growing dislike for Lila.

"Oliver, how can you say that?" Cressida intervened gently in an attempt to defuse the situation. "Let’s not get ahead of ourselves and jump to conclusions. The most important thing right now is Kyra."

Her words successfully redirected the focus, but Oliver’s dangerous gaze shifted to her. He already suspected that it was Cressida who had advocated Lila right from the beginning. If not, how could she be so fearless?

Before he could respond, Jane had interjected first. "What can’t he say?" she snapped, her eyes narrowing at her daughter-in-law. "I see you’re still defending that outsider. Why? Is it because you don’t want anyone speaking ill of her? With how you’re acting, one might think she’s your secret love child."

"W-What?! It’s not like that, Mother!" Cressida’s voice wavered under the pressure of Jane’s overwhelming gaze. "It’s just that we don’t know the whole story..." Her voice trailed off as she caught the warning glare from her husband, silencing her protests.

"Why are you talking so much?" Vincent whispered from the side, his annoyance barely contained. He had already told Cressida to drop the subject related to Lila, yet here she was defending her again.

There was no point in prolonging this argument, especially in such a sensitive moment. It would only bring unnecessary attention to their side. A family member was currently hospitalized, and yet his wife chose to side with an outsider.

Jane scoffed, her sharp eyes fixed on Cressida as she watched her son reprimanding his wife. She didn’t want to escalate the matter in public but couldn’t resist leaving her daughter-in-law with a warning.

"You’d better hold your tongue," Jane said icily. "I don’t want to hear that woman’s name again or don’t blame me if I bring up your son."

Cressida’s face turned pale. Even Vincent’s expression darkened at the veiled threat, but he didn’t dare to retaliate, knowing his wife had been the one who started this argument.

"M-Mother..." Cressida stammered, her voice faint.

Jane cut her off coldly. "From now on, mind your own business. Stop meddling with this matchmaking nonsense. There isn’t a single decent person in that socialite circle of yours."

Cressida pressed her lips into a tight line and finally held her tongue. She sank into the couch, pretending to busy herself with her phone.

Meanwhile, Oliver took a deep breath to calm his rising frustration. As much as he despised the mention of Lila, Jane was right—this wasn’t the time to be arguing. With Kyra still unconscious, they needed to focus on her recovery instead. Moreover, Oliver still held deep respect for Creighton.

After all, Creighton had been a guiding figure in Oliver’s career. He had not only taught Oliver but also invested in his company during a critical time.

Back then, Oliver couldn’t turn to his father, Miller Weiss, for help. He had wanted to prove himself, but without Miller’s backing, investors didn’t even take him seriously. They only regarded his business as a second-generation kid experiencing life. It was Creighton who had helped him at that time. Hence, Oliver didn’t want to continue upsetting the old man.

As Oliver steadied his emotions, James abruptly stood up. "Grandma, Grandpa, I need to leave and take care of something urgent. I’ll be back as soon as I’m finished."

Creighton’s sharp eyes met James’. He studied his grandson’s solemn expression and quickly deduced the nature of this ’urgent matter.’ It likely had to do with Killian’s unexpected appearance at the restaurant earlier.

"Go," Creighton said, waving his hand dismissively. "Take care of it properly." His gaze, however, was heavy with an unspoken message: Make sure that woman pays.

James nodded solemnly, understanding his grandfather’s meaningful gaze. Without further ado, he turned and walked out.

However, James wasn’t the only one who understood what James was insinuating. Oliver had an inkling as well. So, when James headed out, Oliver quickly excused himself and chased after him. He could read the urgency in James’s body language from his brisk pace to the determination in his steps as if he was marching into a confrontation.

"James, hold on!" Oliver called out, his voice echoed through the quiet hallway.

The man’s footsteps came into a halt. As he turned around, his expression was a mixture of frustration and impatience. "If you’re here to lecture me, don’t," he said exasperatedly. "I’m not so blind or heartless as to protect a criminal—even if that person is my girlfriend."

Oliver raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "I’d hope not. But I’m coming with you, just in case. After all, you did choose Lila over Kyra in that recent mess."

James tightened his jaws. He knew Oliver had every reason to doubt him. Even though his choice to side with Lila had been a calculated move to shield Kyra from further scandal, it still hurt to be accused. Still, he held back his anger and continued to head toward the lobby. Henry, his driver, was already waiting by the car.

"To Paradise Dynasty," James instructed curtly before sliding into the backseat.

Oliver followed, narrowing his eyes at James. "Why are we going back there? Don’t tell me you suspect—"

James cut him off. "Enough. I told you, I don’t doubt Kyra. We’re going there to review the evidence Killian retrieved. If we’re going to sue Lila, we’ll need solid proof."

Oliver’s expression softened, his suspicion replaced with an understanding one. He knew Lila’s family wielded significant influence, and convicting her wouldn’t be easy. With that, the car sped off, and the two men sat in silence until they reached the restaurant.

Unlike the bustling atmosphere a few hours ago, Paradise Dynasty was now empty. The intricately-built palace felt almost eerie in the silence of the night. As Oliver and James arrived at the front door, they spotted Killian waiting at the entrance with the manager. Without wasting a moment, he led them to the monitor room.

Inside, a security guard monitoring the CCTV feeds greeted them. Killian nodded at him and the manager. "Please step outside," he instructed, his tone firm but polite.

James and Oliver exchanged a confused glance, not understanding why there was a need to chase the employees away. Oliver couldn’t help but wonder if Killian was trying to shield Lila from further scrutiny. But Killian’s next words wiped away their doubts.

"Apologies, Sir. I ask everyone to leave because I believe it is wiser not to let anyone see it. After all, this..." Killian hesitated.

"What?" James raised an eyebrow.

Killian sighed. "This is about Miss Kyra."

Both James and Oliver felt a pang of anxiety at his words. Their hearts raced as they watched Killian pull up the footage. Noticing the change in their expressions, Killian didn’t tarry any longer and clicked play, the screen illuminating the room with the evidence they had come for.