Unexpected Marriage With Mr. Leighton: Rebirth of the Villain
Chapter 157: IT WAS FAMILIAR FOR HER

Chapter 157: IT WAS FAMILIAR FOR HER

Recently, Arlo had been very busy with matters at the factory and had also been dealing with his father, Jack, as they were planning something behind Arthur’s back.

He understood how crucial this moment was, which was why he had been preoccupied with his father.

Exhausted and longing for some sleep, Aubrey’s explanation made his head throb painfully. Her voice and tears irritated him.

"You have done what?" He demanded, his voice tense. "You told the media about the pregnancy. Do you think Ranon Leighton will not figure out that it was you who did it?" The fury in his tone startled Aubrey.

"But I didn’t do anything wrong! That’s the truth!" She protested.

"Aubrey, you really can’t read the room, can you? We don’t mess with Ranon Leighton. We don’t need unnecessary problems, but you have just created one!"

Aubrey wiped her tears angrily, taken aback by the harsh reprimand.

"What I have done is not something that will affect you. The Lozen family is already on bad terms with Leighton. Why do you think he cares?"

Arlo felt his frustration swell.

"Yes, but Ranon Leighton knows that I am with you!"

Aubrey still refused to acknowledge her mistake, and Arlo found himself devoid of the energy to argue any further.

"I don’t want to talk about this," he stated, raising his hand to silence her. "I am tired, and I want to sleep. I’d rather not be bothered."

With that, he turned towards the bed, lying down and placing his arm over his eyes, trying to tune out Aubrey’s cries.

At that moment, he questioned his decision to choose Aubrey over River. All he could see was the trouble that Aubrey had caused.

River wouldn’t have acted like this. She wouldn’t have caused such a mess. She knew what to do without needing instructions. He wouldn’t have dealt with such tantrums.

Arlo admired River’s independence, but it also troubled him. It bothered him that she could manage everything without him.

He yearned for a partner who still needed him, yet River was fully capable of doing things on her own. Deep inside, Arlo felt neglected.

***

Laurel decided to move from her apartment. Carl had been showing up uninvited, staying outside her door for hours, pleading with her to let him in.

"Mother, please! I want to be with you. Don’t abandon me!" He cried so hard until his voice was hoarse.

But Laurel knew that the moment she opened that door, she would give in. She would reconsider her divorce, and it wasn’t right.

Meeting Carl might sway her, but this was not the marriage that she wanted. She knew herself, and if she backed down now, she would resent Carl and James.

"Mother, please!" Carl called out, knocking relentlessly until security finally came to escort him away from the building.

This happened twice, and every time, it broke Laurel’s heart to ignore him. She cried into her pillow, remembering the times she had cared for Carl, thinking of him as her own son.

Even now, she still cared for him...

Once Carl was removed from the premises, he returned home and stormed straight to his father. His anger was boiling over.

He was upset not only with Laurel but also with James, and he placed the blame squarely on his father. Carl confronted James, pouring out his frustration.

"It’s all your fault! You cheated on her, and you should have known better!" He shouted, his voice raw with emotion. "What you have done to Mother is disgusting. I hate you! You don’t deserve to be called a father!"

The last words fell from his lips like poison, echoing painfully in the room.

Meanwhile, James was in the middle of a video call with his employees, and he was forced to halt everything when Carl burst into his study room, unleashing a torrent of anger.

His son was crying, cursing through his tears, feeling utterly lost.

James stood up from his seat, his own frustration boiling over. "What the hell do you think you are doing?!" he roared, cutting the video call abruptly before approaching Carl.

"You are a disgrace of a father!" Carl spat. The words ignited a raging fury within James, and in a moment of blind anger, he slapped Carl so hard that it sent him crashing to the floor.

Even so, the sting of the slap was eclipsed by Carl’s deeper pain; he couldn’t feel that physical suffering anymore. What hurt far worse was the way Laurel, his mother, abandoned him...

The slap from James did nothing to quell Carl’s fury; if anything, it only ignited more rage within him. His face flushed red as he stood up and landed another punch on his father.

This was the second time he had hit James, a man he once idolized and respected deeply. But at that moment, all respect had vanished.

"You ruined my life! You made Mother leave! You destroyed my family! I hate you! You are a cheater!" Carl shouted.

The intensity of the first punch took James aback; he caught his hand when Carl swung again and kicked his son instead, and within seconds, they were both rolling on the floor, brawling.

Frustration burned within James, and he hit Carl on the side of the face with a powerful punch.

"You ungrateful bastard!" James screamed, a harsh slap in Carl’s face punctuating each word, leaving an angry mark on his skin. "How dare you talk to me like that? Do you think you have done the right thing? Do you honestly believe Laurel will forgive you? Do you think you are better than me?"

With each pointed question, another punch landed on Carl, who struggled to keep up, overwhelmed by the onslaught. But the anger within him pushed back, and he kicked, punched, and even bit in retaliation.

Their fight escalated, and both of them were caught in a whirlwind of rage and pain.

"You hurt Laurel too with what you said!" James was enraged. "You said you didn’t think of her as your mother! I raised you better than this!"

For what felt like an eternity, they continued to exchange blows until they were both too exhausted to fight back any longer. Finally, in a fit of frustration, James kicked Carl one last time before the young boy crumpled to the floor, covering his face with his palms.

Silence hung between them as they both gasped for breath, feeling the sweat and tears of their battle mixing as they regained their composure.

Once Carl gathered enough strength, he fled the house, desperate to escape without saying anything. He had no clear destination in mind, only the fierce desire to be away from his father.

He longed for his mother, yet deep down, he knew she didn’t want him anymore, and he couldn’t blame her.

In a haze of desperation, Carl found himself wandering the streets until he came upon an abandoned storage area where his friends often gathered.

This was an old, huge garage, filled with old cars and motorcycles. He knew these were not the people he should seek refuge with, but at that moment, he was out of options and uncertain of whom to turn to.

At that very moment, Marcus arrived after several days of absence. He couldn’t afford to stay away; this job was his last chance to cut his ties with this place for good.

Despite what happened before, he had to come back, or else... He knew the consequences of it, and he didn’t want Olivia to get involved. These people were used to using the people they cared about the most.

The ongoing issues with Olivia loomed over him; he knew he needed to distance himself from her before he could even think about mending their relationship.

"Who is that?" Marcus asked Nelson, spotting Carl, a newcomer among them. The young boy stood out, especially given the bloodstains on his shirt.

Nelson walked beside Marcus, familiar with the scene. "He is a new recruit," he replied casually. "He has been here often for the last few days."

Marcus didn’t think much of it. New recruits came and went. He brushed it aside, focusing on completing his job.

***

Olivia was spiraling under the weight of her own unresolved issues with Marcus. They hadn’t discussed their problems, but she was scared to think about the ending of their relationship.

Just when things seemed to be going well, Marcus’s addiction reared its ugly head again. She caught glimpses of his drug use, a pattern she had foolishly overlooked, blinded by her love for him.

Despite knowing how detrimental their relationship was, Olivia found herself unable to let go of the familiarity and comfort it brought her.

Sitting in her apartment, she felt the weight of the silence since Marcus had left. She chose to sleep in the other bedroom, avoiding any potential confrontation.

’At least, he didn’t hit me. That’s good progress, right? He makes progress, right? I should stay a little bit longer...’

That was what Olivia said to herself to justify why she had not yet ended things with Marcus right there and then when she saw his withdrawal.

She was in limbo because of those ’what ifs.’

Days passed as they existed in the same place, without talking to each other, and Olivia hated every moment of it.

Now, with Marcus gone, the emptiness in the apartment felt overwhelming. It was hollow, amplified by her feelings of loss and despair.

It was a devil’s circle... She should know better.

But she was used to it.

It was familiar for her...