Chapter 282: Make Peace
Tilda grabbed her ticket, swung her bag over her shoulder, and started to leave.
Russell didn’t even flinch at her cold sarcasm anymore. He was used to it.
Even though he felt angry, he forced it down and reminded himself why he came. “Tilda, I’m not here to fight. I’m here to make peace.”
“Peace?”
Tilda laughed like she’d just heard the funniest joke in the world.
She crossed her arms, finally giving him a little attention. “Russell, hearing that from your mouth is a real surprise."
“When you accused me of hurting Wade without even asking what happened, you sure didn’t sound this humble.”
Russell clenched his jaw. “I was wrong then. The court already punished me for it. I even apologized to you in public.”
“And what about all the lies Jenson Group spread behind my back? Don’t tell me you didn’t know about that. Is that your idea of a real apology?"
“Stop being so fake in front of me. If you’re a man, then own up to what you did. Don’t pretend it never happened. It’s disgusting.”
Her words shut Russell down completely.
His face flushed red.
It was almost laughable.
Russell had dominated the business world in Slosa for decades. Powerful people had fallen to him, and they all admitted defeat willingly.
But today, his own daughter had cornered him until he couldn’t even defend himself.
Over and over, Tilda had made him taste humiliation.
And it hurt in a way nothing else ever had.
He had to admit something to himself.
Tilda really had inherited both his and Blair’s sharpest traits.
Now she was bold, fierce, and proud.
Her words cut like a blade, pressing harder and harder.
It was exactly how Russell and Blair had been in their younger years.
So this was blood ties.
So this was that fatal pull of family.
If Tilda hadn’t broken away from the Jensons and stood on the other side, Russell might have raised her differently.
With her talent, he might have truly invested in her.
But…
There are no “what ifs.”
“Mr. Jenson, if that’s all, then Tilda and I have a flight to catch,” Simon said quickly.
He stepped in when the tension grew too thick.
“Professor Linscott, I’m sorry. I just need a moment with her. I won’t take long.”
Russell turned back to Tilda. “Even though I hate to admit it, you’ve already changed a lot of people in this family."
“Dominic, Howard, Wade, Justin, and Kayden—they all feel guilty now. They want your forgiveness."
“Kyla, too. After everything that’s happened, I know things can’t go back to the way they were when you first came home."
“But at least… I don’t want to be your enemy anymore. When we fight, the ones who end up suffering are my kids. And I can’t accept that.”
It wasn’t fatherly love that made Russell say this.
It was the pain of watching his sons break down one by one.
Tilda had already cut ties with the Jensons. He could act like she was never his daughter.
But he wanted his sons to return to how they were before.
So Russell was ready to let go of his grudges and start over.
“If you want to come back to Jenson Villa, the door will always be open."
“If you don’t, then fine. From now on, the Jensons won’t stand in your way.”
Tilda hadn’t expected him to say this.
In her past life, she had thrown herself in front of a bullet to save Russell.
She had spent days in the ICU.
Russell only visited her once. He never bowed his head to her. Not once.
But in this life, after she outshone him and crushed Jenson Group underfoot, he was the one backing down.
Ha.
It’s almost funny.
In this world, only power gives you status.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
The ones who grovel and sacrifice everything? They get crushed.
The obedient ones? They get destroyed.
The Jensons were nothing but a nest of snakes.
Every so-called “right” choice was actually wrong.
And the things everyone called “wrong”?
Those were the only choices that ever worked.
Not far away, the rest of the Jensons had been watching the whole time.
They were stunned. They never thought Russell would say something like this.
Blair lowered her head, hiding the storm in her eyes.
These last few days, she had watched her sons crumble because of Tilda.
At night, Russell would sit beside her, whispering his worries.
And she had no answers.
Their hatred for Tilda had already run too deep.
She didn’t feel like Tilda was their daughter at all.