Chapter 268:
"You bitch! I'll kill you!" Hoyt's face twisted with rage, his eyes blazing like scarlet flames. All pretense of civility shattered. Nova's heart sank. She hadn't expected Kellan to turn on them so publicly.
"Stop! You're taking this too far!" Nova looked at Kellan, her disappointment palpable. She had expected to see him suffering after everything she'd put in motion, but instead, he stood unscathed, unaffected. After all her efforts orchestrating the kidnapping, she was left with nothing but failure.
Gritting her teeth, Nova moved to support Hoyt as he struggled to rise. "Kellan, no matter what, you can't treat your brother like this."
Kellan's lips curled into a mirthless smile. "Brother?" He let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "What gives you and Hoyt the nerve to throw that word around?" His gaze swept over them, icy and disdainful. "Need I remind you that this is the Lloyd family estate? The one my grandfather left to me?" His tone was glacial. "Even my father wouldn't dare set foot here without my permission. So what makes you think a couple of parasites like you have any right to waltz in?"
"Y-You!" Hoyt's face flushed with indignation, but as he attempted to push himself up, Nova clamped down on his already swollen wrist.
"Agh!" Hoyt cried out in pain, but Nova ignored his whimpering, her eyes never leaving Kellan's. "You've got it wrong. We're not here to make trouble. We only came because we heard Lorna was kidnapped and wanted to check on her. Whatever disturbance we caused was unintentional."
She knew better than anyone that, despite having a son, she stood no chance against Kellan. He held most of the shares and controlled several successful enterprises. He was one of the top five wealthiest people in Ontdale. To remove him and pave the way for Hoyt, she'd need to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity to eliminate Kellan and make him disappear from this world forever. Or she needed to prove to Brook that Hoyt was far more capable than Kellan. For now, she had to keep up appearances.
"Kellan, I know you hate me, but you don't have to hurt Hoyt to prove your point. Your father and I got together, and that was it. If you need to blame someone, blame me. Our son is innocent." Every word was carefully chosen. She knew Brook had people watching the villa. One wrong move, one reckless word from Kellan, and she could use it against him.
Feigning a weary sigh, she lowered her gaze, as if wounded by his cruelty. "We're still family, whether you like it or not. You don't have to call me Mom, but bullying Hoyt like this… If anything happens to him, your father will never forgive you." Her tone held a thinly veiled warning. She shook her head slightly. "Let's just forget anything happened. We came here to check on you and Lorna, but since you don't want us here…" Her words were kind and considerate, accompanied by a warm smile, but her true motive was to irritate Kellan.
However, Kellan's expression remained calm, almost indifferent. His dark eyes were unreadable, offering no hint of his thoughts. It made Nova feel like a fool.
He tilted his head slightly. "Are you disappointed that we're still alive?" The casual cruelty in his voice made everyone shiver. Nova felt a cold sweat trickle down her back. It was as if Kellan had transformed into someone else—so distant and emotionless that it sent a chill down her spine. She thought back to Allison. The same cold, calculating aura surrounded both of them, making her want to instinctively step back. Her chest tightened as she realized today's plan had been a complete failure. Neither Kellan nor Lorna appeared injured.
Taking a deep breath, Nova softened her voice. "Kellan, how can you think of me like that? I'm still your stepmother… at least in name."