Louis's patience was wearing thin. This circular argument was getting nowhere. He took a step forward, intending to enter the villa, but Victoria moved quickly, stepping in front of him to block his path.She raised her hand in a dismissive gesture, and that was’s when he noticed it—a glint catching his eye.There, on her outstretched finger, sat his mother’s ring.The delicate silver band with its modest moonstone setting - the only piece of his mother he had left. He remembered the day he'd given it to Vivian, hoping she would treasure this small piece of his mom’s heirloom."That ring," his voice came out low and controlled."I'll be taking it back."Victoria instinctively covered the ring with her other hand. "This? Don't be ridiculous! You gave it to Vivian, which makes it hers. And since she gave it to me—""It's my mother's heirloom," Louis cut in, his tone leaving no room for argument."It was never meant to be passed around like a cheap trinket.""Heirloom?" Victoria's l
"Mom? What's going on here?"Just then, a man walked into the room while rubbing his sleepy eyes.Victoria's face lit up with obvious relief. "Jackson! Thank goodness you're here!"She immediately scurried behind her son, her previous intimidation morphing into renewed boldness. "This… this leech is trying to steal from us! He wants to take things from our home, and now he’s taken the ring your sister gave me!” She exaggerated, twisting the story to make Louis look like the villain and to ease her own guilt.She hoped Jackson would step up, put Louis in his place… and most importantly, get the ring back.“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll handle this pest,” Jackson Howard sneered, looking at Louis like he was nothing.His lips curled into a sneer as he sized up Louis. "Well, well. If it isn't our family's pet beggar. Missing the taste of our table scraps already?"Louis remained silent, but something dangerous flickered in his eyes.His fingers tightened around the ring in his palm."What's
In one fluid motion, Louis caught Jackson's arm, twisted—CRACK!Jackson's scream echoed through the foyer as the coat rack clattered onto his foot."AHHHHH! MY ARM! MY FOOT!""Interesting," Louis observed clinically. "I didn't know you could hit such high notes. Have you considered a career in opera?""You... you broke my arm!" Jackson wailed, cradling his twisted limb."Really? I thought I was just helping you wave goodbye." Louis's voice was desert-dry. "My mistake."Victoria rushed to her son, shrieking. "Monster! Beast! We'll have you arrested!""For what?" Louis adjusted his cuffs calmly. "Self-defense against a man attacking me with furniture? Please, do call the police. I'd love to hear you explain that to them."Jackson writhed on the floor, alternating between cursing and sobbing.Victoria was trembling with fear as well."I'll kill you for this! I'll destroy you!" Jackson threatened."You couldn't even destroy a coat rack properly," Louis observed."Though I must say
Her mind couldn't reconcile the Louis she knew with the man who just left."Let's go... we’ll figure out who he really is later."But as they made their way to his car, Victoria couldn't shake the sinking feeling that they had grossly underestimated the man.They'd tormented for years – and now they were seeing the consequences.An hour later, Vivian rushed to the hospital with Ben accompanying her. "Vivian! Thank goodness you're here!" Victoria wailed the moment her daughter rushed through the hospital corridor, Ben following close behind.Jackson, his arm now in a cast, seized the opportunity. "Sis, look what that bastard did to me!" He gestured dramatically at his injuries. "He's gone completely insane!"Perfect timing, Victoria thought, quick to feed the flames."He was like a different person, Vivian. So violent, so cruel! And he stole my ring!""Mother's ring?" Vivian's eyes widened. Louis would never dare... unless... "What exactly happened?"Victoria wrung her han
"Everything what? Everything you put me through?"Victoria and Jackson exchanged worried glances as Vivian's face turned scarlet. "Put YOU through? You ungrateful—""I have no time for rubbish, Vivian. Bye.""Don't you dare hang up again! Don't you—"Click.Vivian stared at her phone in shocked silence. No one... NO ONE treated her this way!"Did he..." Victoria gasped, "hang up on you again?"Vivian's scream of frustration echoed through the hospital corridors.When Vivian saw the call end screen, disbelief turned into rage.She slammed her fists down on the hospital room table, ignoring the curious glances of nurses passing by.Her face was flushed, her breathing shallow. Louis, of all people, dares to hang up on her?Without a second thought, she dialed his number again, her finger pressing the screen harder than necessary.She wasn’t going to let him get away with this. When he finally picked up, she could feel her anger simmering.“Louis!” she spat out, her voice cutting. “Y
"None of your business.""None of my—" Vivian sputtered, her face reddening. How dared he dismiss her like this? "Everything about you is my business! Now explain why you attacked Jackson!""Your precious brother?" Louis's voice turned cold. "He got exactly what he deserved."Victoria gasped from her seat. The audacity!"You worthless piece of trash!" Vivian exploded."You're nothing but a loser who got lucky enough to marry into our family. How dare you touch my brother?""A loser?" Louis's voice carried dangerous undertones."Tell me, Vivian, is your brother somehow untouchable? Does his Howard bloodline give him the right to attack others without consequences?""Of course it does!" Vivian declared without thinking. "You should feel honored that Jackson even acknowledges your existence!"Did she really just say that? Louis couldn’t help but sneered coldly."So I should just stand there and let him assault me?""Yes! That's exactly what you should do!" Vivian's voice rose
“How shameless of him! I have always treated him like a son, and now look at what he has done to my boy.”She paused, shaking her head as if heartbroken.“Honestly, I’m not surprised he’d stoop this low. He’s desperate.”Vivian sighed, her tension slowly melting in the face of her mother’s words.Of course, Mother’s right.Jackson was fiery, but he would never act so crudely, especially in their own home.The notion that he’d needlessly provoke Louis seemed absurd.And even if Jackson did provoke Louis, so what? Victoria’s eyes gleamed immediately. She took the card carefully, doing her best to maintain a look of modest reluctance.“Oh, Vivian, you’re too generous. I hate to take so much from you, but... well, if you insist.”Vivian smiled, feeling a small surge of satisfaction.This was how the rich handle things—effortlessly and with class. “Consider it a small price to pay to rid ourselves of Louis’s pathetic attachment to that ring.”Victoria’s smile was sly, though she masked it with a look of maternal concern. “Thank you, darling. But… there’s something else that worries me.”“What?” Vivian asked, her tone laced with impatience.Victoria leaned closer, her voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper.“I’m afraid Louis might not stop at just pestering you. He’s... well, he hinted he’d keep bothering us until you either marry him again or... compensate him.”Vivian’s eyes flashed with indignation.“Compensate him? He’s out of his mind. What does he think I owe him? I gave him everythinFROM DIVORCED TO BILLIONAIRE HEIR CHAPTER 23