The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 315: [ Volume 1] Chaper - Lap dog

Katrina froze, her words caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected such a direct rebuttal, and it clearly threw her off balance. Ryan took a step closer, his expression hardening, and continued without missing a beat. "You see, we married our wife because we wanted to. There’s no ’lack of love’ here, no secret betrayal. And as for the property, every single one of us brothers has an equal share in everything. We’re equals in this—everything is split down the middle. And even if our brother was still alive, he would have willingly given us his share. It’s all in the power of attorney under our names. So whether he’s here or not, we can take what’s rightfully ours at any time."

His tone grew colder, almost biting. "And lastly, Miss Katrina, let me make one thing clear. I don’t care what you think of us. But I won’t let you or anyone else try to paint us as criminals. We are not suspects, and we are not some villainous family tearing each other apart for inheritance. So if you have any more questions about us, you’d better make sure you’re asking the right ones."

The room was heavy with tension. Katrina seated still, her expression shifting from surprise to a quiet unease.

Esme stared at Ryan, her normally composed exterior cracking just enough to reveal a flicker of astonishment. She had always thought Kai, with his mature demeanor and sharp tongue, was the ultimate force to reckon with—a man who could shut down any conversation with just a few cutting words. But now, as Ryan dismantled Katrina’s interrogation with the grace of a seasoned tactician, Esme found herself rethinking everything.

Her eyes remained void-like, as though unmoved by the situation, but internally? Esme was on fire. Her heart raced, her mind spun, and a voice in her head screamed, How did I not see this side of him before? How can my husband be so effortlessly brilliant?

Ryan hadn’t just shut Katrina up; he had rendered her speechless with a level of calm precision that left Esme awestruck. He didn’t shout, didn’t smirk, didn’t even seem fazed by the tension in the room. His words were like a scalpel—precise, cutting, and impossible to counter. And what’s more, he delivered them with a detached coolness that made it all the more devastating.

Esme’s fingers twitched slightly as she held herself back from betraying her emotions. But inside, she was practically doing cartwheels. This man, she thought, her inner voice laced with incredulous pride, is on a whole different level. I thought Kai was the sharpest, but Ryan just took that title without breaking a sweat.

Her gaze lingered on him for a moment longer. He sat there, composed, his shoulders relaxed as if what he’d just done wasn’t extraordinary. Esme felt an unfamiliar warmth unfurl in her chest. She had always loved Ryan, but this... this was different. This was admiration wrapped in awe, mixed with the kind of pride that made her want to stand up and declare to the world, That man is mine.

And yet, she kept her exterior calm, her expression betraying nothing more than mild surprise. But inside, she couldn’t help but marvel. Ryan just made someone eat their words without so much as raising his voice. How is he this amazing?

Her lips twitched, threatening to curve into a smile. Esme took a steadying breath, willing herself to stay composed. But as she glanced at Ryan one last time, she couldn’t help the thought that slipped into her mind, unbidden but undeniable: I am so incredibly lucky to call him my husband.

Katrina was stunned. She had never imagined a Mer would dare to speak to her in such a way. As a modern and educated woman, she prided herself on her progressive outlook, yet deep down, she still regarded Mers as inferior, unworthy of her full attention or respect. To her, they were beneath women in every conceivable way—submissive, meek, and compliant. That belief had colored her every interaction with them, including this one.

When Katrina had posed her question to Ryan, she hadn’t expected a meaningful answer. In her mind, he would either stammer and try to appease her or shrink back in fear, ready to submit to her authority. If nothing else, she thought his words would betray his guilt, giving her all the ammunition she needed.

But Ryan’s response? It had thrown her entirely off balance.

He hadn’t cowered, hadn’t stumbled over his words, and certainly hadn’t faltered in the face of her questioning. Instead, he had turned the situation on its head, dismantling her argument with cold, calculated precision. His tone, laced with subtle authority, left no room for doubt or debate. He had flipped her expectations so completely that she found herself rendered speechless, a rarity for someone like her.

It wasn’t just the content of his words that struck her—it was the delivery. Calm, detached, and unshakable. His confidence unnerved her in ways she couldn’t quite explain. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go.

And now, Katrina found herself in an even more precarious position. If she continued to press the matter, poking around the family dynamics or even hinting at suspicions, she risked more than just Ryan’s disdain. She could very well lose her job. These people weren’t ordinary—they were influential, powerful, and far beyond her ability to trifle with.

For a moment, panic threatened to creep in, but Katrina quickly suppressed it. Instead, she covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes gleaming with something unexpected. Excitement.

Her lips curved into a slow, growing smile, a spark of exhilaration lighting up her expression. How long had it been? How long since someone had spoken to her like this, challenged her in a way that left her simultaneously irritated and intrigued?

Katrina was someone who thrived on confrontation, someone who enjoyed the thrill of a verbal duel. And this—this was a rare treat. Ryan had not only held his own against her but had done so with an elegance and resolve that demanded her respect, whether she wanted to give it or not.