The Heiress's Comeback-Chapter 404: [ Volume 1] Chaper 403- Only care about yourself.

Chapter 404: [ Volume 1] Chaper 403- Only care about yourself.

She turned slightly, her shadow stretching long against the alley floor.

"I never felt love for my children."

The words sliced through the air like a blade.

Ray sucked in a sharp breath, his body stiffening. Kai’s fingers twitched, but he said nothing.

"When they were inside you... I wasn’t excited. I wasn’t happy. I didn’t feel anything."

A gust of wind rushed through the alley, cold and unfeeling, much like the confession that lingered in the space between them.

Esme swallowed hard, her nails digging into her palms. "I’m not even worthy to be called ’Mama.’"

Ray’s jaw tightened, his golden eyes darkening.

Kai opened his mouth to speak but hesitated. There were no words that could fix this.

Esme let out another breath, her hands running over her face in frustration before falling back to her sides.

"I already know." Her lips curled into a humorless smirk. "I’m a monster."

Ray flinched, his fingers curling into fists.

"A monster who can’t even love her own children."

Her voice cracked, but her face remained eerily blank.

The silence stretched, thick with something unspoken.

Ray took a step forward. His breath was uneven, his shoulders tense. "How can you say that?" His voice was hoarse, raw. "How can you—" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Esme took a step back.

"Because it’s the truth, Ray."

The words echoed through the alley like a curse.

Her voice rose, frustration bleeding through. "Even if I’m gone, they’ll be fine! They have you, they have Kai, they have everyone! You’re all too damn excellent to be bound to me!"

Her breath came in ragged bursts, her chest rising and falling too fast.

"You can build the future you want." Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the sound of the wind rustling through the alley. "I’m not like that."

The words lingered, hanging heavy in the cold night air before disappearing into the silence.

The alley was thick with tension, the cold night air doing nothing to cool the fire raging between them. Shadows flickered under the dim streetlight, stretching along the damp pavement as if they, too, recoiled from the storm about to erupt.

Ray clenched his jaw, his breath ragged, his muscles coiled like a predator about to strike. Then, without a second thought, his fist shot forward.

Crack!

Esme barely had time to react before the impact sent her stumbling to the side, her body crashing against the rough brick wall. A sharp groan tore from her throat as she clutched her cheek, pain radiating from the point of contact. Even with her beyond energy shielding, Ray had hit her with everything he had. The force of it left a deep, angry mark on her face.

"Ouch...!" she hissed, her fingers trembling as she touched her jaw, assessing the damage. It felt like it was broken—or at least close to it.

Before she could fully recover, Ray grabbed her collar, yanking her forward until their faces were mere inches apart. His golden eyes burned with fury, with something deeper—something raw and uncontainable.

"I don’t care what you do," he growled, his voice laced with venom. "You’re right. You should die. Go ahead. Do whatever the hell you want. I don’t give a damn."

Esme barely had time to process the words before his grip tightened, his forehead nearly pressing against hers.

"But listen to me." His voice dropped to a low, menacing growl. "I am not raising my children without their mother. Do you understand me?"

The weight of his words settled between them, thick and suffocating, before he shoved her away. Esme stumbled but caught herself, wiping the blood from the corner of her mouth as she straightened.

Ray took a step back, his breathing heavy, his fists still trembling. "And this organization? Don’t act like you’re some immortal, or my mother, or my father, thinking you can tell me what to do. I will handle this myself. I’ll destroy it with my own hands. To hell with you."

With that, he turned to leave.

Esme swayed slightly, pressing her palm against the wall for balance before forcing herself to stand upright.

"You don’t understand how dangerous it is!" she called after him, her voice hoarse but firm. "I won’t let you do it!"

Ray halted mid-step, his body rigid. Slowly, he turned, his expression twisted with something dark and unrelenting.

"Maybe you’ve forgotten," he said, his voice eerily calm, "but I am the heir of the Aron Group. I am the master leader of Aron, and I am also a beast owner. Believe it or not, Esme, but my power is just as strong as yours—if not greater. And I will do whatever I damn well please, because it’s my life."

Esme’s frustration boiled over, her fists tightening at her sides.

"Your life?" she spat. "You have children, Ray! You have brothers! Who the hell will take care of them if something happens to you?"

Ray let out a sharp, humorless laugh. He sneered, tilting his head as if mocking her words.

"Huh? What did you just say? Say it again." His smirk widened, but his eyes were filled with something dangerous. "Brothers? Children?"

He took a step toward her, the alley shrinking around them.

"Don’t you also have husbands, Esme?" His voice was mocking, filled with bitter sarcasm. "Aren’t we your husbands? Or are they just my brothers and nothing to you?"

Esme stiffened.

"And the children?" Ray continued, his voice dripping with venom. "They were just born from me, alone? They’re nothing to you?"

His words cut deep, each syllable like a blade slicing through whatever fragile defenses she had left.

"Don’t you have friends? Don’t you have family?" His voice rose, shaking with rage. "If you don’t care about anything, then why the hell should I?"

He threw out his arm, gesturing wildly. "What’s the worst that could happen, huh?" His golden eyes gleamed under the dim alley light. "At most, I’ll die trying. Maybe Kai will die. Then Ryan. Then Jay. And after that, our children will follow us. That’s all. That’s what will happen. We’ll all be dead. Just like that."