Chapter 172: No One Makes My Woman Apologize
Maya slowly turned her head.
Her beautiful eyes met Malrik’s.
There wasn’t the slightest trace of warmth in them.
Only coldness.
And unwavering stubbornness.
"...Apologize?"
She let out a faint, almost mocking laugh.
"Why should I apologize?"
Her voice wasn’t loud.
But every word was crystal clear.
Malrik’s expression immediately darkened.
From the moment he arrived...
He hadn’t asked what had happened.
He hadn’t asked who started the conflict.
He hadn’t even looked at the red marks left on Maya’s wrist where Durnik had grabbed her.
Instead...
His very first reaction had been to order her to apologize.
Maya’s heart turned colder with every passing second.
She had always been strong-willed.
Even under tremendous pressure...
She refused to bow her head without reason.
Why should she apologize...
When she had done nothing wrong?
Malrik frowned and spoke in a stern voice.
"Uncle Durnik has been one of my father’s closest friends for years."
"He has watched me grow up."
"No matter what happened..."
"He’s still your elder."
His tone became even more commanding.
"So stop being unreasonable."
"Hurry."
"Apologize to Uncle Durnik before you make things worse."
To anyone listening...
It sounded as though Malrik was merely trying to preserve harmony.
But only he knew...
There was another reason.
Tonight’s banquet was the most important event he had prepared in months.
Influential business leaders...
Media representatives...
And many of Silvermont’s wealthiest families were all present.
The last thing he wanted...
Was for an ugly scene involving Maya to damage the atmosphere before he publicly announced their engagement.
Keeping Durnik satisfied...
And maintaining the image of the Reid Family...
Was far more important to him than whether Maya had been treated fairly.
Hearing his unquestionable tone...
A wave of grievance surged through Maya’s heart.
He hadn’t even bothered to learn the truth.
Without hesitation...
He had already decided she was the one at fault.
Her chest tightened.
A bitter thought quietly surfaced in her mind.
Is this... really the man I’m supposed to marry?
If he couldn’t even distinguish right from wrong now...
What would happen after they were married?
Would she spend the rest of her life living according to his wishes?
Constantly watching his expression before speaking...
Before acting...
Before even breathing?
The thought alone made her feel suffocated.
Her fingers slowly clenched into fists.
She raised her head proudly.
Her voice was calm.
But absolutely resolute.
"...No."
"I won’t apologize."
The atmosphere instantly became tense.
Just then...
A hurried voice suddenly came from the crowd.
"Maya!"
Everyone turned toward the sound.
Pushing his way through the surrounding guests...
Alexander Laurent rushed over, his face filled with anxiety.
"Maya! What on earth is going on?"
Alexander Laurent’s anxious voice rang through the lobby before he even reached them.
The moment he arrived, he didn’t ask what had happened.
He didn’t ask who was right.
Nor did he ask whether his daughter had been wronged.
Instead, his face immediately darkened.
"When did you become so unreasonable?"
"Don’t you know what kind of occasion this is?"
"President Durnik is one of the Reid Family’s most distinguished guests!"
His tone carried unmistakable anger.
Without waiting for Maya to explain herself, Alexander hurriedly turned toward Durnik, forcing a respectful smile onto his face.
"President Durnik... I’m terribly sorry."
"I spoiled her too much when she was little."
"She’s still immature."
"Please..."
"I hope you won’t lower yourself to the level of a young girl."
"I sincerely apologize on her behalf."
He even bowed slightly.
"Please."
"Let’s not ruin tonight’s banquet."
"Why don’t we head inside first?"
Watching her father bow before another man...
Maya felt as though something inside her quietly shattered.
A chill spread through her heart.
She remembered the father who used to stand in front of her whenever anyone bullied her.
The father who once said,
"As long as Dad is here, nobody can make my little princess cry."
That father...
Seemed to have disappeared.
Standing before her now...
Was only the chairman of Laurent Group.
A man desperately trying to save his collapsing company.
A man willing to abandon even his own daughter’s dignity if it meant protecting the family business.
For the first time...
Maya truly understood something.
Perhaps...
Her father no longer saw her as his daughter.
He only saw her...
As the final bargaining chip capable of saving the Laurent Family.
She slowly lowered her head.
In her opinion...
Even if Laurent Group truly collapsed...
So what?
She was still young.
She could start over.
She could work.
She could build a new future with her own hands.
She truly believed that one day she would become successful enough to let her parents live comfortably again.
Money...
Could always be earned again.
But dignity...
Once lost...
Could never truly return.
Yet...
Alexander couldn’t let go.
He couldn’t abandon the company he had spent decades building.
He couldn’t accept falling from the top of Silvermont’s business world back into ordinary life.
And because of that...
He was willing to sacrifice his own daughter.
Maya slowly closed her eyes.
When she opened them again...
They were filled only with disappointment.
Disappointment in her father.
Disappointment in Malrik.
And disappointment...
In the future that seemed to have already been decided for her.
For the first time...
She felt as though she could already see the rest of her life stretching endlessly before her.
Gray.
Lifeless.
Without hope.
Seeing Alexander humble himself so completely, Durnik finally looked somewhat satisfied.
However...
He still made no move to leave.
Instead, he folded his arms and smiled coldly.
"I’m not in a hurry."
"I simply want to ask Maya one more question."
He looked directly at her.
"So..."
"Do you still think..."
"That little job of yours is somehow better than becoming a streamer under my company?"
There wasn’t the slightest trace of kindness in his voice.
Only mockery.
Durnik had always enjoyed doing this.
Nothing pleased him more than trampling on people who had already fallen.
Especially when they still had a little pride left.
Destroying that pride...
Was far more satisfying than making money.
He deliberately chose to embarrass Maya in front of her father...
Her fiancé...
And nearly every influential guest passing through the lobby.
He wanted everyone to watch her surrender.
Maya’s eyes gradually became moist.
She clenched her fists so tightly that her fingernails dug into her palms.
Her lips trembled slightly.
Yet...
She still refused to lower her head.
Seeing her stubborn silence, Durnik laughed contemptuously before turning toward Malrik.
"Look at her."
"Does she look like someone who knows she’s wrong?"
"Malrik..."
"I know it’s not really my place to interfere."
"But if your fiancée doesn’t even know how to respect her elders before she’s married..."
"What do you think will happen after she officially joins the Reid Family?"
He shook his head dramatically.
"I’m only helping discipline her for your sake."
Malrik immediately smiled flatteringly.
"Uncle Durnik..."
"You’re absolutely right."
"I appreciate your guidance."
"I’ll make sure she learns properly after we’re married."
After speaking, he stepped beside Maya and grabbed her arm.
His grip wasn’t painfully tight...
But it was firm enough that she couldn’t pull away.
"Maya."
"Stop being stubborn."
"Apologize."
"Now."
His voice was no longer gentle.
It had become an order.
A command.
Almost as though he wanted to force her to kneel if necessary.
At the same time...
Alexander also stared at her.
Although he said nothing...
The meaning in his eyes was painfully obvious.
Just apologize.
End this.
Don’t make things worse.
At that moment...
Maya suddenly felt utterly alone.
Not a single person beside her...
Was standing on her side.
Everyone...
Wanted her to bow her head.
Everyone...
Expected her to sacrifice herself.
Just as the overwhelming pressure threatened to crush the last of her resolve~
A calm voice suddenly echoed across the lobby.
"...That’s enough."
The voice wasn’t loud.
Yet...
It somehow carried through the noisy surroundings with perfect clarity.
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