Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man - Chapter 25: Chapter 25
You are reading Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man, Chapter 25: Chapter 25. Read more chapters of Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man.
Cassian watched Mara, whose lips curved into a gentle smile as she seemed to remember something, and emotions churned violently in his chest, as if something was about to break through the surface.
After a long silence, he stepped forward, moving right in front of her.
Cassian was tall, a full head taller than Mara. Standing before her now, his shadow completely enveloped her. He raised his hand as if to touch her, but ultimately let it fall weakly to his side.
"Mara, I'm sorry."
This apology was three years too late, but he couldn't help thinking—it was only three years, better than never seeing her again.
The out-of-the-blue apology left Mara momentarily stunned.
"What?" she instinctively asked, then seemed to remember something. Not knowing which particular incident he was apologizing for, Mara fell silent.
Across from her, Cassian had already begun explaining: "I didn't know my mother would force you to leave. I never wanted you to go..."
Before he could finish, Mara shook her head, cutting him off.
"Mrs. Whitmore didn't force me to leave. She just happened to suggest I go when I was already planning to leave anyway."
At those words, Cassian's heart ached even more.
During the years Mara was gone, he'd imagined many possibilities, especially after learning his mother had played a role in her departure.
He couldn't help hoping that Mara hadn't left willingly, but had been forced to.
He'd also imagined what their reunion might look like—would she be happy, or would she still be angry with him?
But he'd never considered that Mara had left of her own free will, or that she'd be this indifferent when they met, as if he were just some acquaintance from the past who no longer mattered.
His heart clenched painfully. He opened his mouth to say something, but felt like his breath was trapped in his throat, choking him speechless.
She was so heartless—so heartless that after years apart, she wouldn't even tell a lie to spare his feelings.
But if he were to just give up like this, a voice inside screamed in defiance. It insisted this wasn't right—at the very least, she shouldn't be this cold.
"I found out about everything that happened back then. Mara, I'm sorry. I was too narrow-minded then, always feeling like you'd seen me at my worst, and I couldn't face you. I was too young, too immature, treating my pride like it was everything, thinking that's what I wanted..."
As he spoke, his eyes began to redden around the edges. Before Mara could respond, he continued:
"And I later realized how many times I wrongly accused you. I'm sorry. I was too arrogant, always thinking what I saw was the truth. If it hadn't been for later..."
If it hadn't been for later, when he'd told someone to drive Juliette home but she'd run off on her own instead. In desperation, he'd had someone pack her belongings, only to discover poison purchase records and leftover poison she hadn't had time to dispose of.
That's when he'd learned that Mara truly hadn't poisoned Juliette.
Because of that discovery, he'd later checked the auction surveillance footage and realized just how many times he'd wronged Mara.
Unfortunately, the truth had come too late. He'd never had the chance to apologize to her face, and now that he finally had the opportunity, she seemed like she no longer cared...
Mara indeed didn't care much anymore.
The truth had arrived too late, and she was long past the point of caring about truth.
What good was a casual apology now? He couldn't return the pain she'd endured, and after so many years had passed, Mara didn't want to trap herself forever in momentary suffering.
"Mr. Whitmore, is there anything else? If not, I should go. My boyfriend is waiting for me outside."
After a long silence, he stepped forward, moving right in front of her.
Cassian was tall, a full head taller than Mara. Standing before her now, his shadow completely enveloped her. He raised his hand as if to touch her, but ultimately let it fall weakly to his side.
"Mara, I'm sorry."
This apology was three years too late, but he couldn't help thinking—it was only three years, better than never seeing her again.
The out-of-the-blue apology left Mara momentarily stunned.
"What?" she instinctively asked, then seemed to remember something. Not knowing which particular incident he was apologizing for, Mara fell silent.
Across from her, Cassian had already begun explaining: "I didn't know my mother would force you to leave. I never wanted you to go..."
Before he could finish, Mara shook her head, cutting him off.
"Mrs. Whitmore didn't force me to leave. She just happened to suggest I go when I was already planning to leave anyway."
At those words, Cassian's heart ached even more.
During the years Mara was gone, he'd imagined many possibilities, especially after learning his mother had played a role in her departure.
He couldn't help hoping that Mara hadn't left willingly, but had been forced to.
He'd also imagined what their reunion might look like—would she be happy, or would she still be angry with him?
But he'd never considered that Mara had left of her own free will, or that she'd be this indifferent when they met, as if he were just some acquaintance from the past who no longer mattered.
His heart clenched painfully. He opened his mouth to say something, but felt like his breath was trapped in his throat, choking him speechless.
She was so heartless—so heartless that after years apart, she wouldn't even tell a lie to spare his feelings.
But if he were to just give up like this, a voice inside screamed in defiance. It insisted this wasn't right—at the very least, she shouldn't be this cold.
"I found out about everything that happened back then. Mara, I'm sorry. I was too narrow-minded then, always feeling like you'd seen me at my worst, and I couldn't face you. I was too young, too immature, treating my pride like it was everything, thinking that's what I wanted..."
As he spoke, his eyes began to redden around the edges. Before Mara could respond, he continued:
"And I later realized how many times I wrongly accused you. I'm sorry. I was too arrogant, always thinking what I saw was the truth. If it hadn't been for later..."
If it hadn't been for later, when he'd told someone to drive Juliette home but she'd run off on her own instead. In desperation, he'd had someone pack her belongings, only to discover poison purchase records and leftover poison she hadn't had time to dispose of.
That's when he'd learned that Mara truly hadn't poisoned Juliette.
Because of that discovery, he'd later checked the auction surveillance footage and realized just how many times he'd wronged Mara.
Unfortunately, the truth had come too late. He'd never had the chance to apologize to her face, and now that he finally had the opportunity, she seemed like she no longer cared...
Mara indeed didn't care much anymore.
The truth had arrived too late, and she was long past the point of caring about truth.
What good was a casual apology now? He couldn't return the pain she'd endured, and after so many years had passed, Mara didn't want to trap herself forever in momentary suffering.
"Mr. Whitmore, is there anything else? If not, I should go. My boyfriend is waiting for me outside."
End of Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man Chapter 25. Continue reading Chapter 26 or return to Step aside, Uncle Pride：Your Nephew is My Next Man book page.