Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 177

"Of course, it's all because of you!" Adeline shouted. "Five years ago, if you hadn't broken your promise, I would never have ended up with him!"

Sebastian listened to her words like he was hearing a bad soap opera. Not a flicker of emotion crossed his face.

His fingers tapped lightly on the armrest as he looked down slightly, his voice cool and steady. "Broken promise?"

He asked quietly, then looked up, his gaze landing on Adeline's tear-streaked face. Despite her familiar features, she now seemed completely despicable to him.

"Graham came back because you tipped him off."

The casual remark made Adeline's face go pale. Her tear-filled eyelashes trembled slightly as she looked up, only to meet Sebastian's cold, indifferent eyes.

Her heart ached, and she quickly lowered her gaze to avoid his stare.

"He... he didn't come back on his own?"

She tried to distance herself from the situation, forcing a smile, but the twitch at the corner of her mouth wouldn't stop as she caught sight of Sebastian's cold, indifferent gaze.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. On the desk lay a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He leaned forward slightly, and with a click, lit a cigarette.

He held the cigarette in his mouth, and the smoke quickly blurred his face.

He exhaled slowly, his voice steady but cold. "Adeline, you're smart, but this time, you were too foolish."

He flicked his fingers, and the ash fell.

Adeline watched the ash fall, her heart sinking. The ash was like Sebastian's unveiled disdain, dull and lifeless as it hit the ground.

"I don't understand what you mean." She licked her lips and looked up at Sebastian. "I didn't come for Graham; I came for you."

Sebastian smoked silently, not responding.

"Yes, I've been in contact with Graham, but it was all for you!" Adeline quickly walked over to him, grabbing his hand and slowly kneeling, her eyes filling with tears again. "I told you so many of his plans! Didn't you know all of this?"

Sebastian looked down, his gaze falling on her hand tightly gripping his sleeve, then shifted slightly to her tear-streaked face.

"You've indeed helped me a lot, Ms. Morgan."

His voice softened, with a hint of a smile.

Adeline's face lit up, but the next second, Sebastian continued.

"However, you've also helped Graham quite a bit, or rather, you two have helped each other more often."

Adeline's smile froze instantly, her fingers gripping Sebastian's sleeve even tighter. Her fingertips turned slightly pale from the pressure.

Her tears hung on her lashes but no longer fell, leaving only the panic in her eyes that quickly spread, filling her eyes. "No, no, Sebi, Graham and I are just..."

She wanted to explain, but the words wouldn't come out.

And Sebastian had no intention of letting her continue. As he withdrew his gaze, he also pulled his arm away from her grip. "Ms. Morgan, there's no need to explain. I'm not interested in your relationship."

He paused, chuckled lightly, and looked at her again, his eyes filled with clear detachment. "I just wanted to remind you, Ms. Morgan, if you want to maintain your current life, it's best to distance yourself from Graham."

Maintain her current life...

Adeline's heart sank as a suspicion arose. "You never intended to marry me?"

Adeline's angry question only drew a cold laugh from Sebastian. He extended his arm, pressing the cigarette butt into the ashtray. The embers flared briefly under the pressure, then quickly extinguished at the bottom of the glass tray.

When Sebastian looked up again, his eyes still held that icy coldness. "Ms. Morgan, why talk about something that never existed?"

Adeline's heart sank even further.

"Then why did you let those rumors spread..." Her breathing quickened, her mind racing. She looked up sharply. "You did it to make a fool out of me! Didn't you?"

"I don't make a habit of making fools out of people." Sebastian withdrew his hand, flicking nonexistent ash from his fingers, his gaze sweeping over Adeline's tense face. "As for those rumors..."

He didn't finish, but Adeline quickly pieced everything together from his few words.

If Sebastian wasn't trying to make a fool of her, then he had a purpose.

What could that purpose be?

What kind of reaction would Sebastian want from the news of them being together?

Only the reaction of someone Sebastian cared about would make him go to such lengths.

Could it be Scarlett?

Adeline instinctively thought of Scarlett, who bore some resemblance to herself, but quickly dismissed the idea.

After all, this whole act seemed detrimental to their relationship.

If not Scarlett, then who?

Adeline quickly assessed the current situation. Since Sebastian had made his stance clear, it meant he had achieved his goal, and the act was over.

Graham was now detained at Eaglecrest Hill, surrounded by police and federal agents with search warrants.

This was likely the outcome Sebastian and George both wanted to see.

So... could this whole act have been for Graham?

Whether it was letting the engagement news spread or George's appropriate performance, the goal was to make Graham complacent and expose his flaws.

The recent car accident was a prime example.

They desperately wanted to get rid of the child Scarlett was carrying, but Sebastian guarded her too closely, leaving them no opportunity, so they resorted to orchestrating a car accident.

But who could have known Scarlett wasn't in the car at all?

Graham's actions this afternoon were impulsive, but Sebastian still managed to make quick decisions and relocate Scarlett.

All of this indicated one thing—Sebastian had anticipated all their plans and schemes.

Realizing this, Adeline suddenly felt a sense of helplessness.

"Going to such lengths just to get rid of Graham?" Adeline's voice trembled, her laugh filled with sarcasm. "With this, Ms. Seymour won't have peace, will she?"

Mentioning Scarlett made Sebastian's expression change slightly, but he didn't respond to her words, only speaking calmly.

"If Graham isn't dealt with, my uncle won't have peace."

Adeline snorted coldly, thinking of her conversation with Scarlett that day, her eyes darkening as she spoke coldly. "Aren't you afraid Ms. Seymour will leave you?"

Sebastian raised an eyebrow, a silent smile on his lips, showing no intention of answering her question.

At that moment, Mark knocked on the study door.

"Mr. Howard." He pushed the door open slightly, revealing half of his body. "Mr. Watson is here."

Sebastian nodded, stood up, adjusted his suit, and as he passed Adeline, he paused. "If you don't want to end up like Graham, you better know your place."

Adeline kept her head down, saying nothing.

She knew exactly what Sebastian meant—he was warning her not to mess with Scarlett.