786 Chapter 785
Gavin was completely dazed.
He stared in shock at the woman he thought he knew—now crying uncontrollably, her face twisted in anger. Selena was nothing like the soft, gentle person he'd known. Her face was sared with tears and sared makeup, her usual warmth nowhere in sight.
He'd never seen Selena like this.
To him, she had always been calm, poised, and kind. She'd been his steady, kind-hearted wife, always supportive.
He looked at her in disbelief. "Selena… did you ever love ?"
Selena's sobs paused, and she looked up at him. For a mont, her expression was one of surprise, but then it turned to scorn. "Really, Gavin? At a ti like this, with everything going on, that's what you want to know?"
But Gavin's gaze stayed firm. "Yes, I want to know. Did you ever love ? Or was it just because I'm a Cobb?"
Selena laughed bitterly. "What do you think? Did you imagine I was drawn to your charm? Or your money? Or maybe your talent? If you weren't a Cobb, Gavin, why on earth would I have been interested?"
Gavin staggered, taking a step back as if the words themselves had pushed him.
Selena glared at him. "I told you already—I'm just the daughter of so random nobody. Ever since I was young, I dread of coming back to the Horton family and being seen as a real Horton. But my father? Sure, he spoiled with so gifts and attention, but he'd never give a proper status in the family. No, because his SON—his son can carry on his legacy! But I don't matter. Just a daughter to be handed a bit of pocket money, that's it. It didn't matter how much I tried to prove myself!"
Tears streaked down her face. "Why should Jake be better than ? Just because he's a boy?"
Her voice broke as she buried her face in her hands. "So I swore that I'd show them, make them see my worth. I was going to make the Horton family beg to accept back! You know how proud my father was when I told him I was dating soone from the Cobb family? Said he'd make sure I married back in as a 'Cobb daughter.' But then…" She shot a glare at Lewis. "Then Uncle Lewis had to co back and take over the Horton Group, and suddenly my father didn't think the Cobb family was such a big deal. And you, Gavin—you, what did you do for then?"
She turned on Gavin, seething. "I asked you to co ho with once—just once—to et my parents, and you said the Cobb family likes to stay out of outside affairs, that your 'brother' wouldn't approve! What are you, Gavin? A grown man or so boy still taking orders from his big brother?"
She turned on Gavin, seething. "I asked you to co ho with once—just once—to et my parents, and you said the Cobb family likes to stay out of outside affairs, that your 'brother' wouldn't approve! What are you, Gavin? A grown man or so boy still taking orders from his big brother?"
Gavin opened his mouth to explain, but his words failed him. "I… I…"
Ryan spoke up, coming to Gavin's defense. "That's how the Cobb family operates. If you'd used Gavin's influence, he'd have been kicked out of the family. The Cobb family has always stood apart."
"Standing apart? Give a break," Selena spat, looking more disdainful than ever.
Her crude tone shocked Gavin even further. He'd never seen her look so harsh.
Ellie, unable to hold back, snapped, "Who do you think you're talking about? If my father intervened in anyone's business here, who could stop him? The higher you are, the more you have to shoulder the responsibility that cos with it. I've never taken advantage of my father's power for personal gain. Why should my brother have to?"
Selena gave a mocking laugh. "So, what good are any of you to ? Gavin was never useful to ! How could there ever be love when he couldn't even help ?"
Gavin clenched his jaw. "Selena, I never realized that's what you thought..."
"Of course you didn't." She looked at him bitterly. "How could you know? You grew up in comfort, never doubting who you are, protected by the family na. No one ever looked down on you. You couldn't possibly understand what it feels like to be scorned, belittled, left out of what should have been yours."
Selena let out a sharp laugh, bitterness still strong in her voice. "I've fought all my life for a place at that table, resented people all my life, and look at what it got . Cancer. If you'd just told I had cancer, Gavin…"
Gavin looked down. "I didn't want you to go through that fear. The doctors said if I told you, it might… shorten your ti."
Selena's expression softened for a split second. Then she gave a defeated smile. "But maybe if you'd told , I'd have made peace with it. Maybe I would have used these last days better. It took this diagnosis to make realize just how little all those nas and titles mattered in the end."
She took a step forward and gripped his arm, looking at him with desperate eyes. "I don't want to die, Gavin. Please. You can save , right?"
Gavin blinked, stunned. "What… what could I possibly do?"
Selena turned to Erin, her voice hopeful. "She has sothing that could help hold on a bit longer. You could take abroad for treatnt, buy just one more month. Just one month to live like none of this mattered. Please, Gavin…?"
Following her gaze, Gavin turned to Erin, his eyes pleading. "Can you help? Can you give us the dicine?"
Erin sighed and shook her head.
Selena stumbled over to her, her tone turning frantic. "Why? Why won't you save ? I've confessed everything, every dark thought, every ambition… isn't that enough?"
Erin sighed deeply.
Selena turned desperately to Keira, then dropped to her knees before her. "Please, Aunt Keera, Uncle Lewis. I was wrong—I know I was wrong. I don't want to die. I want to live, please… let live."
Seeing her like that, Gavin slowly walked over and joined her, bowing deeply to Keira. "Mr. Horton, Ms. Olsen, please. Give her a chance. I'd spend the rest of my life repaying you if you'd just give her a chance to live."
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