Real Heiress: Flash Marriage With Boyfriend's Uncle - Chapter 365

Chapter 365: Understanding others isn’t weakness
“Now, don’t start thinking about why Matteo chose Lucius,” Demitri said, watching Sylvia’s expression intently. “When your parents died, Matteo was devastated. He wanted revenge—he wanted to hunt down those responsible for their deaths. And Lucius stood by his side, ready to fight for him and with him.”

Sylvia’s grip on the armrest tightened as Demitri continued.

“Matteo didn’t just see Lucius as a friend,” he added. “He saw him as a brother—his family. That’s why he did what he did.”

Sylvia let out a sharp breath, her eyes darkening with resentment. “And my brother chose to sacrifice his life for Lucius,” she said bitterly. “While Lucius couldn’t even care for me.”

Her voice trembled slightly. “Now, I’ve begun to hate him. He is the reason my brother died.”

Demitri’s expression turned darker, his jaw tightening. “This is exactly why we didn’t want to tell you,” he muttered.

“Boss was unaware of all of this,” Roger stated, his patience began to snap. “You know that. You also know how he was hospitalized after that fatal car accident. So don’t put the blame on him.”

Sylvia’s eyes narrowed, but Roger didn’t give her the chance to argue.

“And what care are you even talking about?” he snapped. “For years, Boss made sure that no one in the States would harm you. Do you think that was easy for him? You always fought with him, always pushed him away, yet he still protected you from the shadows.”

Sylvia clenched her fists, but Roger wasn’t finished.

“He always treated you like a sister,” he continued. “What hurts him the most is that Matteo’s sister never even tried to understand him—not even an ounce.”

Sylvia looked away as tears escaped her eyes. She took deep breaths, trying to steady herself, but the weight of everything pressed heavily on her chest.

“I’m leaving. You guys handle her,” Roger muttered, his frustration evident as he stormed out of the apartment.

Demitri, unwilling to stay any longer, silently followed suit, leaving only Aiden and Sylvia in the tense silence of the living room.

Sylvia wiped her tears quickly and turned to Aiden. “Shouldn’t you leave too?”

Aiden met her gaze. “I wasn’t close to your brother,” he admitted, “but what I do know is that Matteo was confident in saving Lucius. And he wanted to save you, too, that night. Tsar knew about you. That’s why Matteo always kept things from you—at least in my eyes. He wasn’t trying to betray you, Sylvia. He was protecting you.”

Sylvia swallowed hard, her fingers tightening into fists on her lap.

“You don’t need to hurt yourself by thinking everyone kept you in the dark,” Aiden continued. “Matteo did what he did because he never wanted his sister to get hurt. You’ve grown into a fine woman, Sylvia. But don’t you think it’s time to start living up to your brother’s expectations?”

She looked at him, her emotions swirling in her eyes, but she stayed silent.

“None of us have families,” Aiden said. “But none of us have forgotten how to live. Without blaming others.”

Aiden had always been straightforward, never one to sugarcoat the truth. His words were blunt, but there was an underlying gentleness.

“When Lucius returns from his trip, tell him to see me once,” Sylvia said.

Aiden nodded. “Sure, I will. However,” he added, “you must not hurt him. Lucius has already suffered two of the greatest losses in his life. Layla was the third—Tsar and Vladimir Romanov targeted her, too. He was ready to leave all of us behind, especially her. You don’t know the extent of the pain he was in. For the first time, I saw him vulnerable. Heartbroken.”

Sylvia’s gaze turned softer to hear that.

“So, whatever you have to say to him, be gentle. That’s the only request I have,” Aiden continued. “If you have any anger left, take it out on me. I won’t mind.”

With that, he rose to his feet. He started walking toward the door but then hesitated. Turning back, he walked toward her and gently placed his hand on her head, giving it a light pat.

“Forgive all of us,” he murmured, his voice softer than before. “For never understanding your perspective.”

Then, without another word, he withdrew his hand and turned away, heading for the door.

Aiden took a deep breath as he stepped onto the ground floor, where both Roger and Demitri were waiting for him.

The moment he slid into the passenger seat, Roger asked, “Did she yell at you?”

“No.”

“Then she must’ve hurt you with some harsh words,” Demitri murmured, glancing at him through the rearview mirror.

Aiden shook his head. “Well, our task was to tell her the truth. How she perceives it is up to her,” Demitri added, leaning back in his seat.

Aiden let out a sigh, his fingers tapping lightly against his knee. “Did either of you actually listen to Luca this morning? Sylvia is hurt because no one ever truly understood her. She was just a young girl, left alone with no answers, no one to turn to. And even now, she may have grown into a woman, but her heart is still carrying the wounds of that girl. She never healed.”

His words hung in the air, and for a moment, neither Demitri nor Roger spoke. They hadn’t considered it from that perspective.

Roger exhaled sharply, gripping the steering wheel. “Tch. Are you getting soft on us, Aiden?”

Aiden chuckled, though there was no humor in it. “Maybe. But after everything that happened—after getting kidnapped, after seeing the lengths Boss went to for me—I’ve realized that understanding others isn’t weakness. It’s what makes us stronger.”

Interestingly, the ordeal Aiden had endured had changed him. He had always been sharp and practical, but now, there was something deeper—an empathy that hadn’t been there before.

“Well, Sylvia doesn’t deserve your understanding. She will never change and keep blaming the others. It’s the kind of person she has become,” Roger stated. He started the engine and drove out of the parking lot.