Aurora gasped sharply, her expression darkening.
"Everett, you really know how to joke. I’ve got things to do—I’m leaving."
Without another word, she turned and strode off.
Old Mr. Langston squinted at her slender figure disappearing into the distance and let out a low chuckle.
"Well, would you look at that... Seems like she really doesn’t care for you. What a rare thing—there’s actually a girl out there who’s not into my son."
There was even a hint of amusent in his tone as he walked over and sat down on the couch.
Gianna pursed her lips.
"Sir, what woman wouldn’t like our Everett? That girl’s just putting on a show."
"Whose son is he, exactly? Miss Gianna, you’re disgusting."
Everett sneered.
"You’re not welco here. Both of you need to leave. Now."
"You little punk—what, your stepmother offend you or sothing?"
Old Mr. Langston almost stord over, but Gianna quickly held him back.
Everett looked at Gianna coldly—this seductive, polished woman who was all tricks and manipulation underneath.
"Miss Gianna, please excuse us. I have sothing to say to my father."
He thought about it. Kicking the old man out wouldn’t be right. After all, they were father and son.
And truthfully, taking his anger out on his dad because of her didn’t make sense either.
Gianna smiled sweetly, calm and gracious.
"Of course. I’ll leave you two to it."
She sashayed out, closing the door behind her.
Everett frowned, his expression icy as he faced the old man.
"Father, don’t even think about ddling in my marriage. You couldn’t even manage your own."
His serious tone only made Mr. Langston more annoyed.
"I’m your father. Why can’t I weigh in? And your stepmother’s been nothing but kind to you—what more do you want?"
"I’m not a three-year-old. I don’t need her kindness."
Everett’s face twisted with disgust.
"You know I can’t stand her. Seeing her is like seeing a cockroach. And deep down, you know it too. You’re sixty, Father. Stop lying to yourself."
"What did you say?"
Mr. Langston shot to his feet, furious, jabbing a finger in Everett’s face.
"You little brat, getting bold now? Think you can talk back to ? You ever seen a stepmother treat a stepson this well? You’ve seen all those horror stories online!"
Everett stared at him coolly. It didn’t matter how he tried to talk to his father—it always ended in an argunt.
He found himself doubting whether that warm, gentle father he rembered from childhood ever really existed.
Everett said nothing. No point in making things worse.
This old man—he’d never really known love his whole life. That was the real tragedy.
Mr. Langston looked at Everett in silence and noticed the trace of emotion in his son’s eyes. He let out a soft sigh.
He missed those days when Everett was little—when a single tear from his boy would have him scooping him up and comforting him.
Now, his grown-up son just kept pulling further away.
He knew what kind of woman Gianna was. But it was exactly because she was around that Everett showed concern.
"Father... you should divorce her."
Everett said it quietly, now calm.
After pulling Aurora out of danger, a wave of cold realization hit him—if sothing ever happened to him, his father would be left completely alone.
Gianna was not his father’s soulmate. She only cared about pleasure and appearances. She only showed up when it benefited her.
Everett knew exactly what she was after.
"If she’s staying here, I won’t co around much. If she leaves, I’ll co by twice a week."
He looked directly at Mr. Langston, his voice firm.
"I want you to find soone who actually loves you. Not just so woman to fill the house."
His words left Mr. Langston stunned. The earlier heat between them had dissipated.
Truthfully, their argunts always blew hot and cold. They’d fight, then quickly cool off.
It was a pattern: one step forward, one step back, and then silence.
But this ti, Everett had said sothing real.
"You an that?"
Mr. Langston looked at him skeptically. They’d been father and son for 28 years, and this was the first ti Everett spoke like this?
"I’ve got no reason to lie. You don’t love her either."
Everett t his gaze calmly.
"Don’t assu I’m worried about you just because you’ve got a woman around. You’re not a child. If you don’t love her, then don’t keep her. End it."
This marriage ant nothing.
Mr. Langston opened his mouth, but no words ca out.
Everett was right—he didn’t love Gianna. He’d married her just to avoid coming ho to an empty house. He never thought his son would loathe her so deeply.
"What—your aversion to won still not cleared up?"
Mr. Langston frowned.
"But that girl just now—why did you let her stay here?"
"She’s not just anyone. She’s different."
Everett’s gaze drifted to the ceiling.
"I’m not like you. You have terrible taste. If you’re going to keep a woman around, at least find one with class and a decent heart."
Mr. Langston chuckled.
"You brat. So now you’re finally telling how you feel? What, too good to talk to before this?"
"You talk too damn much."
Everett scowled.
He didn’t want to drag it out. He’d said what he needed to say, and that was enough.
Mr. Langston looked at his son’s handso face and couldn’t help but walk over and sit on the edge of the bed.
Just then, Tobias knocked and entered the room, bringing a backup phone.
"Give the other one to Miss Wilson," Everett said calmly.
Tobias looked a bit surprised.
"But... Miss Wilson might not accept it."
"If she doesn’t, toss it in the trash," Everett said without a hint of concern. He clearly didn’t care about the money.
Tobias nodded, gave a polite nod to the old man, and left.
Mr. Langston seized the mont.
"Back when I was planning to marry Gianna fifteen years ago... was it because of your mother? You didn’t think she was worth replacing—is that why you were so against it?"
He had to ask.
Because when he first brought up marrying Gianna fifteen years ago, Everett had pushed back hard.
But Gianna had gotten pregnant, and he felt he had no choice. From that mont on, thirteen-year-old Everett started pulling away from him.
Even when they did see each other, Everett would barely speak to him.
Later, when Everett started high school, he moved out.
His half-sister had just been born, and Mr. Langston didn’t want the baby’s crying to disturb Everett’s studies.
So he let him live off-campus—but the distance between them only grew.
Every visit after that was the sa: cold, distant. Everett avoided als at ho, and once he graduated and took over the company, he beca even busier.
They barely had ti for a real conversation anymore.
"No, Father. But I think you already know the real reason," Everett said flatly.
"You were against it just because you didn’t like Gianna?"
"Old man, has your brain started to rot?"
Everett didn’t want to get into it. His face grew even colder.
"Either way, I don’t want you marrying so actress. I don’t care how pretty she is or how nice her voice sounds!"
Mr. Langston’s expression darkened as he thought of Aurora.
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