Chapter 2179

A moment earlier, Miranda might have resisted. But when even her father-in-law demanded contrition, pride finally bowed to necessity.

She drew in a breath, her spine stiffening. “Nathaniel, I’m sorry. This mess is my fault. I was furious when I saw that assistant bully my child. I wasn’t targeting Cecilia personally.”

With practiced ease, she tried to scrub herself clean of blame, casting herself as nothing more than a wronged mother.

Nathaniel folded his arms, unmoved. “After all this trouble, you think a single apology clears everything?”

The incident had cost him hours of work, drained his patience, and chipped away at an already fragile trust.

Miranda had assumed a simple ceasefire would smooth things over. She hadn’t expected Nathaniel to keep his blade raised.

Now the consequences came crashing back—like a stone she’d hurled herself, swinging around to shatter her own ankle.

“Then what do you want?” she snapped, sounding more hurt than repentant. “My son was mistreated, and I’ve already apologized. Isn’t that enough? Why do you have to push me this far?”

Nathaniel’s gaze cut straight through her performance. “The security cameras at our villa tell a different story. Felix was the one who bullied and hit the other children. Charlotte only stepped in, yet you framed her. Spare us the self-pity.”

Faced with undeniable footage, Miranda’s arguments collapsed. All that remained was a hard, frustrated glare.

Discontent pooled in her eyes, dark and heavy, like storm clouds that refused to break.

Robert stepped forward, forcing a genial smile. “Nathaniel, a mother’s worry can cloud her judgment. Let’s all give a little, call it a misunderstanding, and move on. What do you say?”

“That’s right,” Adrian added quickly. “No need to drag this out.”

Neither man wanted to stand on the wrong side of Nathaniel’s temper.

Nathaniel kept his eyes on Miranda. “I want you to write an apology letter—and a letter of guarantee.”

“What?” Her voice cracked as disbelief washed over her, as if the hallway lights had suddenly flared too bright.

Nathaniel’s voice slipped into the quiet hum of the room, calm and deliberate. “If you don’t want to, then perhaps you’d prefer to speak with my lawyer.”

Miranda swallowed the last of her pride and nodded stiffly.

“Fine. I’ll write it.”

She had lived nearly her entire life without ever drafting a formal pledge—let alone a humiliating letter of guarantee.

“What exactly am I supposed to write in it?” she muttered, her fingers already trembling at the thought of putting pen to paper.

Nathaniel didn’t even blink. “Write that you framed someone today, and promise—on record—that it will never happen again.”

The words, delivered in that measured baritone, hurt far more than any slap. He was stripping her bare in front of everyone, layer by layer, until nothing but shame remained.

Miranda’s spine went rigid. “All right… I’ll write it,” she said, each word forced through clenched teeth.

Just you wait, Nathaniel. One day, I’ll repay every ounce of this humiliation—with interest.

Only after her reluctant agreement did Albert finally bring Felix back into the room. The boy blinked under the harsh ceiling lights.

With a genial, almost playful smile, Zachary crouched down to meet his eyes. “Remember this, Felix. Never lie. When you lie, you get needles—lots of them.”

Felix shrank in on himself. “I-I understand, Mr. Zachary. I won’t do it again. Ever.”

Only then did Zachary straighten, letting the matter drop. Still, a quiet sigh pressed against his ribs.

He’s a decent kid… but his mother has spoiled him and led him astray. What a pity.

Miranda shot Zachary a venomous glare before ushering her shaken son toward the exit.

Once Adrian’s family disappeared down the corridor, Nathaniel and Ernest prepared to leave as well.

Zachary covered a yawn with the back of his hand. “It’s pretty late, Nathaniel. You’re still heading home at this hour?”

Nathaniel adjusted his cuff links with practiced ease. “Precisely because it’s late,” he replied, his tone final.

If I don’t head back soon, Cecilia will start to worry.

Zachary clicked his tongue. “Married men really are different, huh?”

As he spoke, his gaze slid toward Ernest, curiosity flickering behind his lazy grin.

“It’s been a while, Mr. Ernest.”

Ernest inclined his head politely. “Indeed.”

Zachary’s grin widened. “By the way, my wife—Vivian—just gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy.”

The pride in his eyes gleamed brighter than polished silver, impossible to hide.

A faint ripple crossed Ernest’s calm expression, gone almost as soon as it appeared, leaving him once more the picture of composed neutrality.

“Congratulations,” he said smoothly.

“Thank you,” Zachary replied, his grin stretching from ear to ear.