My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 125

Chapter 125: You’ve done enough damage.

“Lili…” Dylan put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her. “Go to your room.”

Lilianna hesitated, her lips parting to protest, but Dylan cut her off with a steady gaze. “Think about your baby,” he added gently. “Go and rest. I’ll handle this.”

With a reluctant nod, Lilianna turned and walked away. Dylan watched her until she disappeared, then turned back to face Lydia, his expression hardening.

“I’m not happy with you at all,” Lydia snapped. “How could you forget everything you went through? Two years, Dylan. You were in depression for two whole years. You even tried to take your own life—don’t you remember that?”

Her voice rose, the anger in her tone palpable. “All of it was because of that man—because of Thomas Williams! And now, because of that enemy’s daughter, you’ve gone and punished Erica. Wasn’t it enough to cast her out? You even went as far as to put Gianna in jail! Have you forgotten what her brother did for you? He gave his life to save you.”

Her words came fast and sharp, piercing him like shooting arrows. But Dylan refused to let it sway him.

“I haven’t forgotten anything,” Dylan shot back. “But things are clearer to me now, and I won’t act recklessly anymore.”

There was no regret or a hint of guilt in his face, which left Lydia momentarily stunned. Erica had told her that Dylan seemed to have softened toward Ava, but Lydia had dismissed it as a calculated game to keep Ava trapped in the illusion of love before ultimately crushing her. But now, seeing the defiance in his eyes, Lydia’s misconceptions dissolved.

The man standing before her wasn’t the same boy she had once controlled. Dylan had changed—and he was no longer under her thumb.

“Erica did something that I couldn’t ignore,” Dylan quipped, breaking Lydia’s trance. “She nearly got Ava killed. And yet, I helped her escape the country. If she weren’t my cousin, I wouldn’t have let her walk away without facing the consequences. And Gianna…”

He paused, his expression darkening with a mix of rage and disgust. “She crossed every line. I can’t overlook her actions anymore.”

“She was only trying to punish Ava!” Lydia’s voice rose with indignation. “What’s wrong with that? Ava is the daughter of the man who killed your parents!”

Dylan’s patience cracked, his eyes flashing with a dangerous warning. “Ava is my wife,” he thundered. “And I won’t let anyone hurt her. Anyone who stands against her will have to deal with me.”

He took a sharp breath, visibly reining in his anger. “Enjoy your stay here, Aunt. But stay out of my business—and don’t mess with Ava.”

With that warning hanging in the air, he stormed out of the house.

Lydia rolled her fists on her sides. Her face twisted with a mix of shock and anger as the door slammed behind him, his warning still ringing in the air.

“Dylan! You’ve fallen for that enemy’s daughter!” she hissed through gritted teeth. Her voice trembled with fury. “How could you? How could you forget the past? How could you betray everything we’ve suffered for?”

“Love isn’t something you choose.” A calm but firm voice cut through the tension.

Lydia spun around and saw Lilianna coming out of her room.

“Dylan loves Ava,” Lilianna continued as she crossed the room and stood in front of her. “He is choosing happiness over hatred. Why can’t you let him live in peace?”

Lydia’s face hardened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She had always disdained Lilianna’s defiance. Unlike Dylan, who had once followed her guidance without question, Lilianna had always been outspoken, challenging her authority at every turn.

“This is for his own good,” Lydia snapped. “You might be willing to forgive, but I haven’t forgotten what Thomas did. I won’t let Dylan make mistakes.”

Lilianna’s expression darkened with raw emotion as she retaliated, “You’ve been stoking his anger and manipulating his emotions since he was a child. Stop it, Aunt. Stop making him vengeful! You’ve shaped him into a person who is impulsive, aggressive, and consumed by bitterness. He was kindhearted, forgiving, and full of life before you poisoned him with your hatred.”

She choked with emotions but soon regained her composure. “Stop manipulating him,” she added sternly.

“I am manipulating him!” Lylia spat, her annoyance rising with each word that escaped Lilianna’s mouth. “I’m protecting him, reminding him of the pain that Thomas Williams caused. That man killed my brother. How can you forget? I haven’t, and I won’t let Dylan forget either!”

“I don’t know whether it is true or not,” Lilianna rebuffed. “All I know is Thomas was Dad’s friend and that he loved us. We have no issues with him. The only person who has problems with him is you, and I know the reason.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed into slits, her fury bubbling over. “What do you mean by that? What do you know?”

“You despise Thomas not because of what happened to Dad but because he rejected you,” Lilianna sneered. “You thought he’d marry you, but he didn’t. He chose someone else. That’s the root of all this hatred, isn’t it?”

Lydia’s eyes flashed in fury, her face turning red. The betrayal from the past resurfaced. She had always thought that Thomas would marry her, but he had fallen for a country girl. The sting of rejection had left a scar, which refused to heal over the years.

“You’ve held onto that bitterness for years,” Lilianna pressed on. “And instead of dealing with it, you’ve been poisoning Dylan’s mind. You filled him with anger, making him your pawn in this endless vendetta. It’s not about justice—it’s about revenge.”

“Enough!” Lydia’s voice cracked like thunder. She stepped forward, her hand swinging before Lilianna could react.

The sharp slap echoed through the room, snapping Lilianna’s head to the side. Her cheek stung, turning a vivid red, but she didn’t cry out. Instead, she slowly turned back to face Lydia, her eyes blazing with defiance.

“You’re always disobedient,” Lydia barked. “Always talking back, always challenging me. How dare you say such things to me?”

“That’s all you have left, isn’t it?” Lilianna sneered. “Violence. Control. You can’t handle the truth, so you lash out.”

“Watch your mouth, Lilianna!” Lydia’s tone turned cold and venomous. “I have already given up on you when you married that good-for-nothing doctor with no family name or influence. You’re no longer part of the Brooks family, so keep your nose out of matters that don’t concern you.”

The words hit Lilianna like a slap far worse than the one she had just endured. Her nails dug into her palms as she fought the urge to scream. She could tolerate anything but not her husband’s humiliation.

“Henry is one of the best heart surgeons in the country. I’m proud of him.” Lilianna’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “And let me make this clear: as long as I’m alive, I will not let you manipulate Dylan anymore. You’ve done enough damage.” She whirled and stormed back to her room.

“Lilianna!” Lydia rolled her fists. “You’ve crossed the line! You’ll regret this—you’ll pay for it!”