My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 161: A Pawn

Chapter 161: A Pawn

Matilda thumped her cane against the marble floor, the sharp sound cutting through the silence. Her eyes turned to Regina, cold and unwavering. "I thought I trained you enough, but you failed. Failed badly."

Regina didn’t flinch. She stood still, expression unreadable. "If failing means protecting my kids, then I’ll wear that proudly."

"Protecting?" Matilda’s voice cut like a blade. "You call this protecting? You hid your son for three damn years, and you’re still living in fear because you haven’t even figured out who caused the accident!"

Regina didn’t say anything. For the first time since Matilda arrived, her confidence cracked, just slightly. Her lips parted, then closed again, her thoughts tangled. Maybe Matilda was right. Maybe hiding Lucas had only bought them time, not safety.

Eryx stepped forward, standing a little closer to his mother. "Stop it," he said sharply. "You’ve done enough damage with your words over the years. Don’t stand there and pretend you know what it’s like to be in her shoes."

Matilda’s eyes narrowed. "I raised her."

"Yeah," Eryx said, his voice steady but firm, "you raised her to be terrified of failing you. That’s not strength. That’s control. And now you’re gaslighting her into thinking that protecting her son was some kind of crime."

The silence that followed was heavy.

Regina finally lifted her gaze, and for a moment, her eyes met Eryx’s. There was gratitude there. Quiet, but clear.

Matilda’s grip on her cane tightened. Her jaw clenched, but she said nothing.

Then Naomi’s voice broke in from the other side, softer now, but still laced with tension. "Maybe for once, just listen instead of commanding. We’re not kids anymore."

Matilda’s eyes softened a bit before she let out a weak sigh. "I came here just to..." She paused, as if realizing her words wouldn’t carry any weight with them. "Never mind."

She turned her head slightly, her gaze drifting toward Lucas. "Anyway... I’m glad you’re still alive."

Her words brought another wave of silence over the dining hall. Matilda Grantham—who never expressed emotion so plainly, who ruled every room with iron composure—had just let slip something real.

Lucas looked up slowly, unsure of how to respond. His fingers were still curled against his knees, but his expression shifted, something like recognition flickering behind his uncertain eyes.

Naomi glanced at him, then back at Matilda. "If you really mean that," she said carefully, "then try not to ruin it by turning everything into a war."

Matilda didn’t reply. She adjusted her grip on the cane, straightened her back, and muttered, "I’ll have the driver bring the car around."

She turned to leave, but Regina spoke up quietly, "You can stay for lunch. No one’s forcing you to leave."

Matilda paused in the hallway. "Next time," she said, her voice cool. Then, she turned her gaze back to Regina. "But if you’re still looking for someone to suspect... try looking into Harlan Sterling."

The name dropped like a stone into the room. Eryx immediately arched a brow. "Harlan? What about him?"

Matilda adjusted her grip on her cane. "When I first suggested the union between our family and the Sterlings, three years ago, he insisted Lucas should marry Valerie. He never once considered you, Eryx. At the time, you weren’t involved in the company yet and to him, that meant you held no value."

The tension in the room sharpened. Even Naomi stopped mid-step, eyes locked on Matilda. Lucas sat quietly, but his gaze moved between the faces like he was trying to keep up.

Regina’s face darkened slightly, but she said nothing, letting Matilda go on.

"And tell me," Matilda continued, her voice laced with something dark and knowing, "doesn’t it all line up a little too neatly? The crash. The aftermath. Harlan’s company gaining favor while yours scrambled."

She gave a cold smirk. "His plans seemed to fall right into place after the accident... didn’t they? I mean..." Matilda’s gaze cut to Eryx like a knife. "Making you the CEO."

The words hung in the air like a slap.

Eryx stiffened, his jaw tightening. "What are you implying?"

But Matilda didn’t answer. She just offered a half-smile, like she’d already said enough and then turned and walked away, the echo of her cane tapping against the floor fading with each step.

Silence followed.

Regina looked stunned, her arms still loosely hung besides her, as if holding herself together. Naomi slowly reached out to squeeze Lucas’s hand under the table. Even he looked shaken, eyes darting between faces, as if trying to process what he’d just heard, if not remember anything that would make it make sense.

Eryx finally let out a slow breath and ran a hand down his face. "She’s not wrong about one thing," he said slowly. "Before the crash... my company collapsed and I... I was pushed forward. Fast. Too fast after the accident. And no one questioned it."

Regina’s expression tightened as she slowly sank into the nearest chair, her thoughts racing. Eryx remained standing, arms folded, jaw clenched, trying to piece together all the red flags they’d once brushed aside.

They looked at each other in silence, stunned and devastated at how blind they had been.

And stupid.

Both of them had been so focused on surviving the aftermath that they hadn’t even thought to question the smoothness of what followed.

"Do you think... Harlan was counting on the chaos?" Regina finally asked, voice low.

Eryx gave a humorless laugh. "He didn’t just count on it. He planned for it." His hand curled into a fist against the side of his leg. "Lucas’s accident made everything fall into place for him."

Regina stared at the floor. "God, how did I not see it?"

Eryx’s voice was low, bitter. "Because he didn’t come through the front door. He slithered in while we were trying to keep the house from burning down."

She let out a breath that shook. "I thought I was being careful."

"You were busy being a mother," Eryx said. "And I was too proud to admit someone might’ve used me as a pawn."

Regina met his gaze, regret deep in her eyes. "I never saw it coming," she whispered, her voice tinged with guilt.

Eryx’s expression softened for a moment. "Don’t worry, Mom," he said quietly, his jaw tightening with resolve. "I’ll make sure he gets what he deserves."