My Cold-Hearted Husband Wants Me Back
Chapter 178: Beneath Loyalty

Chapter 178: Beneath Loyalty

Ryan sat stiffly, his gaze fixed on the floor as if it held all the answers he’d been searching for. His leg bounced under the table, but he didn’t dare move beyond that. Eryx sat across from him, arms folded, expression unreadable and unwavering.

"I just need a few minutes," Ryan had said earlier, voice calm but pleading. "It’s important."

Eryx didn’t flinch. "You’re not going anywhere."

That was ten minutes ago. And now they were still waiting though for who, Ryan wasn’t sure. All he knew was that Eryx had said, "Stay put. Someone’s coming." And that was that.

The silence stretched, only broken by the distant hum of the café’s machines and the occasional clink of plates and cups. Ryan could feel the weight of Eryx’s stare even when he wasn’t looking. Every second felt like a slow countdown to judgment.

"Sir," a voice interrupted, brisk and familiar.

Callum approached the table, standing upright like he was reporting in. But the moment his eyes met Ryan’s, something shifted. Both froze, their eyes widening in mutual recognition.

"You..." Ryan murmured, rising slightly from his seat. "What are you doing here?"

Callum’s throat tightened. "Ryan?"

Eryx leaned back in his chair, arms folded. He didn’t look surprised. If anything, he looked... disappointed.

"So," Eryx said coolly, "you do know each other."

Callum swallowed hard, the weight of Eryx’s stare sharper than usual. "I—yes, sir. He’s... he’s my cousin. From my mother’s side."

"You don’t say." Eryx’s tone was flat, but Ryan could feel the tension in the air shift.

Callum shifted uncomfortably, glancing between the two. "I didn’t mean to hide it—well, okay, I did, but not to cause trouble. I just... I didn’t know how to explain it without making everything worse."

Eryx’s brows lifted ever so slightly. "Worse?"

"I knew you’d look into Ryan," Callum admitted. "And if you knew he was the guy Naomi had been seeing... especially with how fresh everything still was... you wouldn’t have given him a chance to explain. You would’ve shut the door before he could knock."

Eryx stayed silent, his fingers tapping against his arm slowly. His silence said more than words could.

Callum exhaled. "I never thought he’d mess things up like this. But I also never thought I’d see him actually care about someone. I’ve never seen him like that. And yeah, I didn’t report everything. But I made sure he didn’t step out of line either."

Eryx finally raised his gaze. "You know what, Callum... I never realized you could talk this well."

"I—I was just trying to explain, sir." Callum’s face was visibly paler now.

Lunara, sitting quietly at the side, could see the subtle shift in Eryx’s expression. The stern look didn’t fade, but something behind his eyes changed as if he was processing more than he was letting on.

"How long have you been working for me?" Eryx asked, his voice calm but edged with disappointment. "What else did you lie about?"

"I swear, sir," Callum said quickly, his voice strained. "Only his age. And..." He paused, guilt thick in the air. "I didn’t report that he’s my cousin."

Eryx leaned back, staring at Callum for a long, heavy moment. "So you decided that I didn’t need the full truth."

"No, sir— I just... I was afraid you’d cut him off without hearing him out. Ryan’s not perfect, but I didn’t want him judged for the wrong reasons."

Eryx’s jaw tensed. "But you judged me?"

Callum flinched at the words. "It’s not that, sir. I just—" He hesitated, then forced himself to meet Eryx’s eyes. "I’ll take whatever punishment you think is fair." He knew he was guilty and explaining further wouldn’t change that.

Eryx tilted his head slightly, his voice low and edged with disappointment. "Is there anything else you’ve been lying to me about? Whatever it is, just spill it."

Callum swallowed hard, not out of fear but because he could see the hurt lingering in Eryx’s eyes. "I’m sorry, sir. That’s the only thing I lied about. I knew you wouldn’t believe me because I broke your trust, but I swear... it’s the only lie."

Eryx’s eyes darkened as he stared down at Callum, the weight of betrayal settling heavily between them. For a moment, the room felt colder, the silence thicker. He took a slow breath, fighting the urge to lash out more harshly.

"You knew how important this was to me," Eryx said quietly, his voice rougher than before. "And you still decided to keep the truth from me. To protect your cousin over your job."

Callum looked down, shame washing over his face. "I apologize once again, sir."

"So, you’ve decided not to explain yourself anymore, right?" Eryx asked, clenching his jaw, keeping his anger in check.

Callum could only stare at the floor before shaking his head.

"Great," Eryx said, standing up. "Send me your resignation tomorrow."

Lunara’s eyes widened in shock. "Wait—what?"

She instinctively reached for his sleeve, but before she could say more, Eryx gently took her hand and pulled her to her feet.

"Let’s go," he said calmly, not looking back at either Callum or Ryan.

Ryan, who had just caught part of the conversation, stood up in surprise. "Wait, no. It’s not his fault. I mean, he’s like my brother. You can’t do this to him."

"Keep your mouth shut," Callum said sharply, his eyes warning Ryan not to say another word.

"No, wait. I don’t understand. So... you’re his assistant, and when he asked you to do a background check on me, you lied to him?" Ryan mumbled each word carefully, trying to make sense of the conversation.

Eryx didn’t wait, he clasped his hand together with Lunara and walked out from the cafe.

"Wait, no! Stop!" Ryan’s voice cracked as he hurried after them. "You can’t just leave like this."

Eryx stopped and turned, his cold gaze locking on Ryan. "Why can’t I?"

Ryan swallowed, struggling to find the right words. "I—I really need to meet Naomi. Please..."

But Eryx’s stare remained cold and silent, not a single word escaping his lips.

Out of options, Ryan suddenly dropped to his knees. "Please, I really need to meet her."

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