The Wealthiest Heir's Vendetta

Chapter 0004

4

Darius was momentarily lost for words, his heart pounding and emotions swirling chaotically. When he finally found his voice, Howard had already seized the initiative, his tone oozing with a crafted innocence and a veneer of kindness.

"I was merely concerned and wondered if there was any way I could be of assistance," Howard started, his hand lightly touching his jaw, "when unexpectedly, Darius reacted quite strongly."

Lydia's gaze flickered between Howard and Darius, her expression clouded with confusion, her voice cool and detached. "Darius, is what he's saying true?" she inquired, seeking clarity in the rapidly escalating situation.

Darius's fists clenched as he struggled to contain his frustration. "Lydia, you must understand," he implored, his voice tinged with both desperation and anger. "He was about to take the last thing I have from my parents. I couldn't just stand by."

Howard shook his head with a sigh, as if disappointed, yet not surprised. "Darius, let's be honest here. This isn't about any amulet. It's about you finding someone to blame for your own sorrows. Lydia has made her choice for a brighter future, and it's difficult for you to accept."

He turned to Lydia with a look of gentle concern. "I can empathize with his feelings. It's hard watching someone you care for move on. If expressing his frustrations on me helps him find some peace, then I'm willing to overlook it."

Lydia's expression remained impassive, though her voice carried a hint of warmth as she considered Howard's words. She then looked back at Darius, her eyes still searching for some sign of remorse or misunderstanding.

Darius felt a tightening in his chest. Howard's act was convincingly noble, making any further protest from him seem churlish. "Lydia, you must believe me. It's not about our past. It's about him," Darius pointed at Howard, "and his deceit."

Lydia's voice, though devoid of visible anger, was icy and sharp. "How dare you?" she said, each word cutting into the silence. "You resort to violence against Howard?"

Darius, though shaken, held his ground. "He was going to take something very precious to me," he explained, his voice a blend of defiance and appeal.

Lydia's skepticism was palpable in her cold reply. "And so? It's merely a piece of metal. Howard meant no harm. You're being utterly unreasonable, Darius."

Howard, the focal point of their disagreement, subtly feigned injury, his voice dripping with insincerity. "Indeed, Darius, there's no need for such hostility. My interest in the amulet was merely out of curiosity."

Darius let out a bitter chuckle. "Curious? By attempting to take it without my consent?"

Lydia's chilly demeanor remained, as she stepped closer to Darius, her voice frosty. "You owe Howard an apology," she stated firmly.

Darius, feeling cornered not just by Lydia's physical approach but by her cold expectation, glanced at Howard's barely hidden smugness, then back to Lydia. "Apologize?" he echoed, incredulous.

"Yes," Lydia affirmed, her tone unyielding. "Your behavior was uncalled for. Apologize to Howard. Now."

Darius looked from Lydia to Howard, seeing through the latter's facade of innocence. "You can't be serious," he protested. "He was trying to steal from me."

Lydia's voice remained cool but firm. "That doesn't excuse your actions. Apologizing is the least you can do."

Howard, seizing the opportunity, added with a calculated tone of moderation, "Yes, Darius. An apology would indeed be appreciated. We must acknowledge when we've gone too far."

Darius, caught in a maelstrom of frustration and disbelief, looked between them once more, then settled his gaze on Lydia, his expression hardening. "You want me to apologize? I will not apologize for defending what's rightfully mine."

Lydia's voice was cold, her anger evident only in her tone. "Unbelievable, Darius. Truly," she remarked sharply.

Howard, still playing the role of the aggrieved party, added, "An apology seems minimal. But if you insist on this stance, for Lydia's sake, I can forgive your behavior."

Howard's words ignited something in Lydia, not visible anger but a cold resolve. The thought of Darius refusing to apologize was one thing, but Howard's offer of forgiveness, as though he were the magnanimous one, chilled her to the core.

Her anger, cold and calculated, pushed her to a drastic measure. She stepped closer to Darius, her voice a venomous whisper. "You think you're above reproach, don't you?" she hissed, locking eyes with him. "Let's see how righteous you feel when I tell everyone you raped me last night."