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Novel Catalog
Chapter 91
Victor’s words struck like a sharp rebuke, and the atmosphere in the room grew heavy with tension. Mrs. Clement, still holding her composed demeanor, looked at Victor with a sharp, almost calculating gaze, though her grip on the situation was clearly slipping.
Victor didn’t bother to soften his tone. He knew that an arranged marriage between the Clement and Alwynn families had always been a subject of speculation, especially since Mrs. Clement had made her intentions clear for years. But it was no longer a matter of convenience or family ties for him—it was about what he wanted, what he valued, and what he could control.
“Victor,” Mrs. Clement started, her voice controlled but strained, “I understand your position, but Haven is not just anyone. She’s been through a lot, and—”
Victor interrupted her gently but firmly. “Aunt Clement, I understand your affection for Haven. But if it’s marriage you’re after, I am not interested in fulfilling the role that you’ve envisioned. I have my own path to follow, and it doesn’t align with the one you’re hoping for.”
Haven, who had been sitting quietly, her fingers clenched into fists on her lap, suddenly looked up, her face a picture of barely contained frustration. “Victor, you can’t just dismiss me like this. You know as well as I do that I could be a great partner for you.” Her voice, though still composed, trembled with the weight of her emotions.
Victor looked at Haven, his eyes cold and distant. “Haven, it’s not about what you could be for me. It’s about what’s best for both of us. You deserve someone who sees you for who you truly are, not just as a means to an end.”
Mrs. Clement’s face grew darker, but she forced a smile. “I know you’re strong, Victor, but Haven’s future isn’t something to be dismissed so easily. She’s part of our family, and I—”
“I’m not dismissing her, Aunt Clement,” Victor replied, his voice dropping to a tone that made it clear he was finished with the conversation. “But you need to understand that you can’t dictate my choices, just as much as I cannot dictate hers. The matter is settled.”
There was a moment of silence, and Mrs. Clement’s eyes flickered with frustration. She had raised Haven with this idea of a future intertwined with Victor, believing that the two would one day become an unshakable union. But that dream seemed to be crumbling in front of her.
After a long, tense pause, she stood up, signaling the end of the conversation. “I see,” she said, her voice laced with an icy calm. “Victor, you’re a grown man now. But don’t think that your refusal has gone unnoticed. Family matters will have their time, and the future will always have a way of aligning things when the time is right.”
Victor’s expression remained impassive. “I’m sure it will, Aunt Clement. But it won’t be on your terms.” He stood up from his desk, signaling that the meeting was over.
Mrs. Clement, seeing that there was no room left for negotiation, turned to Haven, who was still sitting on the sofa, visibly upset. “Come, Haven,” she said softly, though her words carried a slight edge. “Let’s go.”
Haven stood up slowly, her face a mixture of hurt and anger. Before she turned to leave, she glanced at Victor one last time. “You’ll regret this,” she muttered, though there was more uncertainty in her voice than she intended.
Victor’s gaze followed them as they left, the door clicking shut behind them, leaving him standing alone in the quiet office. He sighed deeply, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. But there was no turning back now.
As for Mrs. Clement, her frustration was palpable. She had gambled on Haven’s future and lost. But she wasn’t the type to give up easily. This was far from over.