Silas Thorne’s blunt, venomous words made Julian Griffin’s face flush with anger and embarrassment.
He had never been so openly belittled and couldn’t stomach the humiliation.
Besides, this wasn’t the Thorne Family’s turf, nor was it Northgate!
‘Even a mighty dragon doesn’t try to crush a local snake.
How dare he!’
Quentin Walsh and Felix Dalton stood guard outside the door, their expressions calm.
Mr.
Thorne had a deceptively refined and serene face.
But that mouth…
It was notoriously venomous.
‘Besides, trying to woo the boss’s girl?
He was just asking for trouble.’
“Mr.
Thorne, Joyce is indeed an outstanding woman, but what you just said is incredibly insulting.” Julian Griffin had never had to endure such humiliation.
“You just said you had a simple ’emotional entanglement’ with that other woman?
As far as I know, your involvement runs quite deep.
Because of you, she deliberately picked a fight on Joyce’s birthday, then went and caused a huge scene at her studio.
I’d wager almost everyone in Graymoor knows about it.”
“That was Ina Sutton’s fault.
What does it have to do with me?” Julian Griffin’s hands clenched into fists.
He was seething but didn’t dare raise his voice at Silas.
“Nothing to do with you?”
“She’s notoriously overbearing in Graymoor.
She makes trouble for anyone she sees me getting close to.
It’s…” Julian Griffin gritted his teeth.
“It’s not something I can control.”
“So, you knew full well Miss Sutton would make trouble, yet you sent flowers to Joyce before resolving things with her.
Do you actually like Joyce, or are you trying to get her hurt?”
“Why would I ever want to hurt her!”
In truth, he had deliberately leaked the information that sent Ina Sutton to cause that scene, so his conscience was screaming and he was starting to panic.
It was as if Silas Thorne could see right through him.
His gaze was mild, even carrying a hint of a smile,
yet it chilled Julian to the bone.
“You bought your way into college, and since graduating, you’ve just been coasting at your family’s company and wasting your days at nightclubs.
As for the women you’ve been linked with these past two years… you couldn’t count them on both hands.”
Julian Griffin’s composure completely shattered.
His expression stiffened, the corners of his mouth twitching.
“Mr.
Thorne, did you investigate me?”
Silas Thorne gazed at the burning cigarette in his hand, a slight smirk playing on his lips.
“Everyone in Graymoor knows about your little escapades.
You think I needed to specifically look into them?”
“Who do you think you are?
You think you’re worth my time to investigate?”
It was cold, contemptuous,
and showcased the utter arrogance of a man in a position of power.
“No career, no skills, a messy personal life, and a string of disastrous flings.
Other than the fact that your family has a little money, what makes you think you’re worthy of her?”
“I…” Julian couldn’t refute what Silas Thorne said, because it was all true.
“I can change.
Isn’t there a saying that a prodigal son’s return is more valuable than gold?”
“There’s also a saying: a leopard can’t change its spots.”
Julian Griffin gritted his teeth.
“Mr.
Thorne, this is our first time meeting.
It seems you have a deep-seated misunderstanding of me.
I admit, I was reckless for a time, but I can guarantee that I’ll clean up my act from now on.”
His words made Silas Thorne laugh out loud.
“You really are shameless.”
“…” Julian Griffin’s face darkened.
“Mr.
Thorne, I know I can’t compare to you.”
“Compare yourself to me?
You sure know how to flatter yourself.”
Julian Griffin gritted his teeth in frustration.
“But you can’t just humiliate me like this!
I can swear that if Joyce were with me, I would treat her right!
And—and besides…”
“This is between her and me.
It’s none of your business.”
Silas Thorne tapped the ash from his cigarette again.
“Do you know why everyone says I have a good temper?”
Julian Griffin was dumbfounded.
‘This is the first time we’ve met!
We have no grudge between us, and he’s calling me shameless!’
‘And he calls that a good temper?’
Still, he braced himself and asked, “Why?”
“Because if Kian were here dealing with someone as brazen as you, he would’ve kicked you out and told you to get lost by now.” When Silas mentioned Kian Jacobs, Julian immediately assumed Silas was humiliating him on Kian’s orders.
The man was famously overprotective of his sister.
“If he were here, trash like you wouldn’t even be allowed to appear in front of Joyce.”
“You know damn well what you’ve done, so don’t take us for fools.
This is the Monroe residence, and out of respect for Monroe, I’m holding back.
The fact that I’m not spelling everything out is already me being generous.”
The moment Silas Thorne spoke, Julian Griffin’s scalp went numb with dread.
He stood frozen, not daring to utter another word.
‘Could it be…’
‘Does he know that I was the one who deliberately leaked the information to get Ina Sutton to cause that scene?’
Silas Thorne just smiled faintly.
“Everyone is drawn to beautiful people and things, but there’s a prerequisite…”
“You have to see if you’re worthy!”
“And you…”
His gaze swept dismissively over Julian Griffin.
His fingers tightened, stubbing out the rest of his cigarette and crushing it in the ashtray before he dropped two humiliating words:
“Not worthy!”
The air conditioning was blasting, filling the room with a chill, but his eyes held the real warning.
Julian Griffin’s hands were clenched into fists, furious but not daring to speak his mind.
‘This Silas Thorne is too arrogant!
He doesn’t show a shred of respect!’
But his guilty conscience kept him from fighting back.
He had been completely shut down and could only bear it.
He set the clothes aside.
“Mr.
Thorne, please get changed.
I—I’ll head out first.”
Julian Griffin fled the room in a flustered, pathetic state, as if a hungry wolf were hot on his heels.
His retreat caused Quentin Walsh and Felix Dalton to exchange a knowing smile.
‘He’s so scared he’s gone pale.’
‘He doesn’t have the guts to stand up to our boss,’
‘and yet he still dares to go after Mr.
Kian’s sister.
Truly baffling confidence.’
When Julian Griffin returned to the living room, he went straight to the matriarch.
“Monroe, I just remembered I have something to take care of, so I won’t be staying for dinner.”
“Dinner is all ready.
Why don’t you eat before you go?” Confusion flickered in the matriarch’s eyes.
“I can’t.
I’ll come visit you another day.”
Julian Griffin was worried Silas Thorne would expose all his dirty laundry.
Besides, he didn’t dare dine at the same table as Mr.
Thorne, fearing the man’s glare alone could kill him.
‘He looks so refined and easy to talk to, but his glare just now… it was so cold and sharp, it felt like it could kill!’
‘Too terrifying!’
‘If I don’t run now, I’m worried I’ll meet my end right here in the Monroe home.’
Julian Griffin gave Joyce Monroe a hurried farewell and, ignoring the torrential downpour outside, beat a hasty retreat.
“That boy… It’s pouring, and he left in such a rush,” Monroe said helplessly.
Joyce Monroe, however, had a sharp sense that something was amiss.
‘This has something to do with Silas Thorne.’
The matriarch went to the cellar to retrieve a vintage bottle of wine herself.
Joyce changed her clothes as well.
Her hair, which had gotten damp in the rain, was now dry, and she’d tied it up in a messy bun.
She was now sitting on the sofa, sipping ginger tea.
She didn’t like the taste of ginger, finding it too strong.
After just one small sip, the spicy heat spread through her mouth, and she set the cup down.
“What are you drinking?
Why the frown?” a voice asked.
Joyce Monroe turned to see Silas Thorne emerging from the side.
Her brother’s oversized black T-shirt was a perfect fit on Silas Thorne.
His hair, damp from the rain, had been toweled dry into a fluffy, casual state.
Stray strands fell across his sharp brow, and stripped of his usual noble air, he seemed more carefree and roguishly handsome.
‘How could a simple change of clothes make someone seem like a completely different person, altering his entire aura?’
Joyce was reminded of when she’d seen him at the age of ten; he had looked just as free-spirited and untamed back then.
So languid and carefree.
It was just that now, he had shed his youthful rawness.
He was more reserved, more mature, and also more…
…captivating.
As Joyce stared in a daze, Silas Thorne walked over, casually picked up the cup in front of her, and brought it to his nose for a sniff.
“Ginger tea?”
“Yeah.
Grandma was worried we’d catch a cold from the rain, so she had it specially prepared.”
Silas Thorne nodded and took a sip.
Seeing this, Joyce’s breath hitched.
“That… I already drank from that.”
‘What does this count as?’
‘An indirect kiss?’