My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 160: Backbone

Chapter 160: Backbone

"What the hell is happening here?!" Matilda’s voice echoed through the dining hall.

Everyone froze.

Regina didn’t flinch, but her hands curled into fists at her sides. Naomi stiffened, still standing protectively in front of Lucas. Even the maids, who had been lingering near the hallway, quietly backed away.

Lucas looked between their faces, anxiety creeping in. "Why is she yelling?" he muttered under his breath.

Matilda’s eyes darted from one person to the next, demanding answers. "Someone better explain—now. Is this a sick joke?"

Naomi drew in a breath. "I don’t think we owe you any explanation."

Matilda’s eyes instantly narrowed as she glared sharply at Naomi, "I never knew you can be so rude since getting pregnant?"

Naomi suddenly gulped then clearing her throat as she tried to hide a slight fear she had from Matilda’s glare, "This didn’t have anything to do with my pregnancy, my attitude is built on 23 years old being your granddaughter."

Matilda’s lips thinned. "Clearly, your mother raised you with too much freedom."

Naomi’s jaw tensed, but she didn’t back down. "And yet somehow, I turned out better than half the people you’ve had a hand in raising."

Regina stepped between them before the tension could snap any further. "Enough. Both of you."

Matilda shifted her gaze towards Regina, "Explain."

Regina held Matilda’s stare for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Fine. But you better sit down, because this is going to take more than a minute."

Matilda didn’t move. "I’ll stand."

Regina let out a breath. "Lucas survived the accident. But he was severely injured—barely breathing when we found him. I pulled him out before anyone else arrived. And I didn’t tell anyone."

Matilda’s brows drew together. "You’re saying you staged his death?"

"Yes," Regina said firmly. "I had to. Someone wanted him dead. I didn’t know who or why, but the way the crash happened—"

Eryx stepped forward abruptly, raising a hand toward Regina. "That’s enough," he said, his voice low but firm. "You don’t need to explain everything to her."

Regina looked at him, surprised by the sudden interruption, but Eryx’s eyes were on Matilda.

"She doesn’t get to act shocked now," he continued. "You think we forgot how you handled things after the crash? How fast you were to hold a press conference, to move on, to erase him like he never existed?"

Matilda’s jaw tightened. "I was protecting the family’s reputation."

"No," Eryx said sharply. "You were protecting your power. You didn’t even give us a day to grieve before you started reshaping the narrative."

Matilda’s eyes flicked toward Lucas, her lips pressed into a thin line.

Lucas looked uncomfortable, his gaze lowering, unsure of who to trust in the room.

"And now you show up," Eryx went on, "shouting like someone played a prank on you, when the only prank here is how you still think this family revolves around you."

Naomi blinked in surprise but didn’t interrupt. For once, she wasn’t the one speaking up.

Regina didn’t say anything either, letting Eryx take control.

Matilda’s voice was cold. "You have no idea the weight I’ve carried in this family."

"And you’ve done everything to make sure the rest of us feel it too," Eryx replied.

Lucas remained quiet the entire time, sitting at the edge of the dining chair, his fingers subtly gripping the fabric of his pants. His brows were drawn tight in a deep frown as the voices clashed around him, sharp, heated, and full of things he didn’t understand. He didn’t dare interrupt. He didn’t even know where he stood in this mess.

Timid and unsure, he kept his gaze low, stealing glances at each face, trying to match their emotions to a fragment of memory. A voice. A feeling. Anything.

Nothing came.

"Are you okay?" Naomi noticed the deep frown on Lucas’s face.

Naomi’s brows furrowed as she saw the confusion on Lucas’s face deepen. His shoulders were tense, and he looked like he was trying to disappear into the chair.

"Can we just...stop?" Naomi asked, her voice firm but calm. "Lucas is overwhelmed. We all are. Maybe this isn’t the time for a dramatic interrogation."

Matilda turned slowly toward her, her eyes narrowing. "Excuse me?"

Naomi stood a little straighter. "I’m saying maybe it’s better if you go back—for now. Let him breathe. Let us figure things out without turning this into a circus."

The room went still.

Matilda’s expression darkened. "So now you think you get to decide who belongs in this house? Who gets to speak?"

"I’m thinking about Lucas," Naomi shot back. "Someone has to."

Matilda took a slow step forward, her glare sharp. "You insolent little girl. I’ve run this family before you were even born."

"And look how great that turned out," Naomi muttered, before catching herself.

Eryx stepped in quickly. "Naomi—" he warned softly.

But Matilda had already heard enough. "This family is falling apart," she hissed. "And clearly, no one has the backbone to keep it together anymore."

"Clearly...you didn’t check the facts that this family will continue to fall as long as you are here," Naomi’s voice was firm, but before she could finish the sentence, Matilda stepped forward and slapped her across the face.

The crack of the slap echoed through the dining room. Everyone froze.

Naomi’s head turned slightly with the impact. She blinked, stunned, her cheek reddening fast. For a second, the whole room was quiet.

Then Eryx rushed towards them. "Are you out of your mind?!" he barked, stepping between them and holding Naomi by the shoulders. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"She has no respect," Matilda snapped, breathing heavily. "No shame. She speaks like a street girl—"

"She’s pregnant," Eryx cut in, his voice sharp and furious. "And she still has more grace than you ever taught any of us."

Naomi didn’t say anything. Her hand was still pressed to her cheek, but her eyes stayed steady on Matilda, even if they shimmered slightly. "You can hit me all you want," she muttered, her voice trembling. "But it doesn’t change the truth. You hurt this family long before I ever opened my mouth."

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