Chapter 536 Texting

“The Bells have always handled things like this. Whoever causes the mess has to clean it up on their own. The rest of the family just looks the other way. Nobody comes after you when you’re down, and that’s about the best you’ll get from them. Asking for help is nothing more than a fantasy.”

“At dinner, Uncle Marcus and his crew couldn’t even keep themselves in check. They tried to drag Uncle Ryan into it, and it ended with Grandpa blowing up in front of everyone.”

“Uncle Leonard and his family went straight to the hospital the moment they heard what happened to Daphne.”

Jude didn’t even bother looking at Devin. He chose to ignore him completely.

After their mother died, Devin had stopped caring about everything.

Even when something this big came crashing down, he stayed silent.

He sat there, ate his meal, and once he was done, he gave a polite goodbye to Abram before leaving.

It was like nothing in the world could ever matter to him again.

He moved through life like a hollow man with nothing left inside.

Jude had never understood Devin’s behavior.

For a long time, he believed Devin held him responsible for their mother’s death.

That was why Devin had kept his distance, watching him from the sidelines with cold indifference.

Jude couldn’t deny there was hatred in his heart.

But that changed when he met Tilda.

He realized that if he had lived through what Devin had endured, his own spirit would have withered even faster.

He would have wanted to follow Tilda into the grave.

Only then did he understand what his uncle must’ve felt.

Losing the woman you love most, being forced to watch her fade away while powerless to stop it, can strip a man’s pride until nothing remains.

If a man never felt that kind of ruin, it meant his love was never strong enough.

“Leonard… he’s Jarrett’s father, right? If he raised a son like Jarrett, then Leonard and his family must be as harmless as you said.”

“Being born into the Bells family is both a blessing and a curse.”

Jude knew that Tilda’s Comet had been absorbed into the government, and Jarrett was now among them.

He had been jealous for a long time, even picking fights with Jarrett over nothing.

Jarrett had been pushed to the edge by it. But since he didn’t dare offend Jude, he had no choice but to endure, miserable and silent.

The truth was that Jude respected Jarrett’s skill.

He wanted him in the DY Group as one of his strongest allies.

But without Jude realizing it, Jarrett and Tilda had grown close.

“My love, I think I’m beginning to understand why my father became the way he is. The anger and resentment I’ve carried toward him feel lighter now.”

“Today I really looked at him for the first time. I saw how fragile he has become, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the weight he must carry inside.”

“Because of you, I’ve found a weakness that could ruin me. But without you, my life would be frozen, empty, and without warmth.”

Jude paused, then let the words spill from his heart.

Even though he had told her countless times before, he never grew tired of saying it.

He needed her to know, deep down, how much she meant to him.

In Jude’s heart, Tilda was worth more than everything he owned.

Worth more than life itself.

Tilda pressed her lips together and typed a single line on her phone.

“I’ll find a chance to meet your father.”

She pressed send.

When Jude saw her reply, his heartbeat raced.

Her words carried weight for him.

But then his thoughts wandered to Devin, and his gaze lowered, sorrow shadowing his face.

In the end, he only replied with one word.

“Okay.”

Since it was what Tilda wanted, Jude would agree.

If she asked for the stars or the moon, he would find a way to bring them down for her.

Later that night, when bedtime drew close, Tilda was still in her room, chatting with Una.

Knock. Knock.

A gentle knock rapped against the door.

“Tilda, are you asleep?”

It was Mystro’s voice.

“No. Come in, Mystro.”

The door opened, and Mystro stepped inside.

Tilda set the hair dryer down, ran her fingers through her damp hair, and let a faint smile soften her face. “So why are you still up?”

“Uh… Dane and Liam are probably still dealing with treatment. Rain was worn out, so he’s already asleep.

“I… I just wanted to talk with you for a while.”

His eyes shifted uneasily, stealing glances at her as if searching for courage.

It was clear he had something to say, but he was holding back.

“Mystro, we haven’t bonded over years, but since we’re disciples of the same master, our bond runs deeper than time. If you have something to say, ask me straight. There’s no need to hold back.”

Tilda’s voice cut through the silence.

“Alright… Today we saw the news about the collapse at Sunlight Plaza. They released the list of the injured.

“One of them was your mother, Blair …”

As Mystro spoke, his eyes never left Tilda, watching every flicker of her face.