CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99: CONFRONTATION

In the evening, Ethan Sterling sat on the window seat drinking wine. Suddenly, Leon Sterling pushed the door open and entered the room without knocking, looking stern and aggressive.

"Why." He looked at Ethan, his words more like venting without reason than a genuine question, lacking any tone.

Ethan raised an eyebrow, seemingly not understanding him, or perhaps pretending not to understand anything at all.

Leon took a few steps forward, towering over him, his clenched fist stiffly pressed by his side, as if restraining himself with great effort from hitting Ethan in the face.

"You don’t love her, so why marry her?"

Ethan nonchalantly swirled his wine glass, continuing to gaze out at the usual night view, "This is our business."

Leon bit his lower lip, took a deep breath, seemingly trying hard to hold back, but in the end, his eyes reddened. He grabbed Ethan’s loungewear collar, spilling red wine all over him, the faint fragrance spreading, as if trying to intoxicate people.

The air was filled with a tension like an arrow on the string. Ethan was forced to look up, his chilly gaze piercing Leon, "My patience is limited."

Leon laughed coldly and punched him hard in the face.

Even though he was being held by the collar, Ethan was still sent flying, his head hitting the double-glazed window, dizzying him.

"Ethan, is it that anything I fancy, you must take away?" Leon stepped back a few steps, shouting at him in a frenzy.

Leon’s thin and weak frame seemed somewhat fragile, like if he exerted any more force in his venting, his body wouldn’t be able to support it.

Ethan, looking at his appearance, momentarily forgot his anger, frowning without speaking.

Putting aside his identity as the elder brother, he owed Leon, so no matter how many punches Leon threw at him, he couldn’t fight back.

"I won’t let Ruby jump into the firepit again. You don’t deserve to be with her." Leon threw this sentence down and slammed the door as he left.

Rachel Lawson bumped into Leon who was leaving at the door but couldn’t stop him, instead getting pushed aside and hurting her arm.

She watched Leon hurriedly run downstairs, becoming even more anxious and hurriedly chased after him, "Charles, Leon, Leon, wait, where are you going so late... ah!"

In her haste, Rachel misplaced her foot, stumbled several steps, lost her balance, and fell down the stairs.

"Mom!" Hearing her shout, Ethan rushed out of the room, only to see Rachel already collapsed at the foot of the stairs.

Leon, about to leave in his impulse, also ran back, holding Rachel in his arms, "Mom, are you okay?"

Rachel sighed, "Look at you two sons by my side, are you trying to drive me to my grave?"

Seth, who hadn’t yet fallen asleep, also ran out from his room, saw Rachel injured, and hurriedly ran downstairs. He had vaguely heard his uncle’s shouting just now and originally didn’t want to come out because of the principle that kids shouldn’t meddle in adult matters, but Rachel’s scream made him particularly worried.

At this moment, Seth obediently stayed by Rachel’s side while Ethan fetched the first aid kit and handed over the job of applying the medicine to Leon.

Although Rachel usually took care of her health and was in good shape, she was getting older after all. This fall seemed to have loosened her bones; her ankle was sprained, and her arms had some scrapes. It didn’t look like a big deal, but it was still worrying.

"I’ll take you to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow," Ethan sat down on a single sofa next to her, saying gloomily.

Leon kept frowning, carefully applying safflower oil on her sprained ankle.

Rachel’s features twisted slightly, making Seth’s heart ache. He clutched her hand, worriedly asking, "Vivian, do you want some candy? Eating candy won’t make it hurt as much anymore." This was something Honey had told him, and he assumed it worked on all girls.

Rachel rubbed his head, watching her well-behaved and sensible grandson, and finally felt a little relief from her heart’s congestion, "Vivian is fine, Seth. Go to sleep, I have something to discuss with your dad and uncle."

Seth looked at his dad and then at his uncle. Though reluctant, he knew he shouldn’t stay here, so he reluctantly returned to his room.

Once Leon finished applying the medicine and sat down on the sofa, Rachel sighed, feeling a bit worn out as she said, "Many things should have been said when you were young. It’s my failure as a mother that made you keep so much bottled up inside." She looked first at her younger son, "Charles, I’ve never stopped loving you. On the contrary, I’ve always felt I owe you, insisted on taking you with me as a form of compensation. In fact, back then, I could have taken your elder brother with me, but considering your situation at that time, I left him with The Sterling Family."

She then looked at Ethan, full of guilt that she hardly dared to meet her eldest son’s eyes, "Ethan, I know about Leon’s situation, and you’ve always blamed yourself, so you’ve never complained about me leaving you behind. I know you’ve always worked hard to become a qualified heir and suppressed your nature. In your eyes, you exist purely for The Sterling Group. You are always guilt-ridden toward your brother, but I’ve always hoped you understand, you never owed anyone, the decision was mine. If there’s anything to owe, it’s me owing Leon."

Finally, she took a deep breath, coldly looking forward, "You are brothers by blood, flesh of my flesh, and now you’re turning against each other over a woman? Even saying it sounds ridiculous, doesn’t it seem absurd to you? Besides, Ruby is a smart person, if she didn’t agree, could Ethan force her to marry him?"

Ethan was shocked to hear this name from Rachel’s mouth, "How did you know she’s Ruby Sullivan?"

Rachel rolled her eyes at her son, "Leon and I both recognized her. I’m very puzzled as to how you lived with her for three years yet didn’t recognize your own wife." After saying this, she sighed, "It’s no wonder Leon felt injustice for Ruby."

Ethan was left speechless, lowering his head, feeling particularly ashamed for the first time.

Leon’s face showed a sorrowful expression, "Ruby agreed to marry you only to save Honey. I will go for a bone marrow match test. If I can save Honey, you must let her go." He stared fixedly at Ethan, growing even more certain in his heart about this matter.

Rachel’s heart tightened, yet knowing talking was futile.

"No!" Ethan rejected unequivocally, "You cannot go for a marrow test; it’s too dangerous! Don’t worry about Honey. I’m not getting remarried because of her, as I said, it’s my choice with her."

"Then it’s not up to you to decide my matters." Finishing his sentence, Leon stood up, "I’m going out for a walk; I heard Ariston’s nightlife is quite vibrant, and I haven’t experienced it since coming back."

Ethan sighed. After Leon left, he immediately called Howard. All his cars were equipped with trackers, and at a time like this, he could only have Howard deal with it.

Rachel tilted her head, calming her emotions before hoarsely asking Ethan to help her back to her room.

As he was about to leave, she spoke with mixed emotions, "I know she came back to you with a purpose, and since you hurt her so much, it’s understandable to give more now."

"I understand." Ethan replied quietly, his voice so low that it was uncertain if she heard it, as if those words were meant more for himself.