Broken Oath: I Left, He Regretted-Chapter 168: This Is the Last Chance

And I stayed at the Sinclair Family for less than an hour.

Seeing Julian Sinclair made me feel much more at ease.

As I was about to leave, Madam Sinclair held my hand and advised, "It’s already midnight. Stay here tonight, and let Julian take you home tomorrow morning."

I gently refused, "Grandmother, Sharon and Doris are still sleeping at home. If they wake up and can’t find me, they’ll surely be worried."

In truth, I feared being secretly watched by paparazzi or Timothy Xavier. If it were discovered that I spent the night at the Sinclair Family, who knows what trouble might arise?

Julian Sinclair must have understood my concerns, and he said to Madam Sinclair, "I’ll take her."

Madam Sinclair was still worried and asked, "Then what about Timothy’s plan to marry Zoe? What are we going to do?"

Instinctively, I turned to look at Julian Sinclair, my eyes lacking certainty.

Earlier in the study, I only sat with him for a while, speaking of things from grandmother’s final moments, but nothing else.

Because I knew Julian Sinclair was not in a good mood due to grandmother’s sudden passing, I didn’t want to bring up any unsettling matters.

Yet, faced with Madam Sinclair’s doubts, Julian Sinclair calmly said, "I have a way; the concerns won’t happen."

...

The car drove into the night, the cabin silent.

Even though Julian Sinclair responded that way to Madam Sinclair earlier, I thought it was just a way to reassure her, so I didn’t take it seriously.

Halfway through, Julian Sinclair suddenly said, "Since he insists on marrying you, then just agree."

I quickly turned to look at him, my pupils slightly contracting, the disbelief evident in my tone, "What?"

In an instant, countless thoughts flooded my mind.

So, is he also tired and ready to let go?

Even though I know I could never agree to Timothy Xavier, to avoid causing Julian Sinclair trouble, I still softly uttered an "Mm."

Julian Sinclair’s lips curved a bit, saying, "Why do you look like a wilted eggplant? Telling you to agree to him doesn’t mean for you to reconcile with him."

I silently glanced at him, "Is there a difference? Agreeing to marry is basically reconciliating."

"Of course there’s a difference."

His tone was calm yet exuded absolute assurance, "Lately, whatever requests he makes, as long as they’re not too unwarranted, just go along with him. Leave everything else to me."

I grew more and more confused, just about to question what he intended, but the car slowly stopped—already down at my apartment building.

Julian Sinclair helped unfasten my seatbelt, his voice softer, "Hurry back, don’t overthink. Just trust me."

His gaze was gentle yet firm, suppressing all my doubts, and I nodded, saying "Okay."

...

Back home.

My phone suddenly rang, I saw Timothy Xavier’s call.

I took a deep breath and answered, hearing Timothy Xavier’s low voice with a hint of command, "Grandmother passed away, I assume you know already?"

Even though Julian Sinclair had already announced it, everyone knew, yet he remained steady, clearly hinting at something.

He must think that Julian Sinclair and I conspired, deliberately announcing grandmother’s death to disrupt his wedding plans.

My grip on the phone tightened, not denying nor bothering to explain, only coldly retorting, "What’s up?"

"The day after tomorrow is grandmother’s funeral."

Timothy Xavier said, "The Kendall Family and the Sinclair Family will set up the altar. As her grandson and granddaughter-in-law, not attending would be inappropriate."

I knew too well his intentions—to use the funeral to solidify our "spousal relationship" before everyone, mainly for Julian Sinclair’s sake.

The instinctive rejection rose to my lips, but Julian Sinclair’s earlier advice suddenly came to mind.

Reluctantly, I agreed, "Understood."

The other end paused momentarily before his slightly satisfied voice followed, "Good, I’ll come to get you then."

...

Meanwhile.

Timothy Xavier hung up the phone and stared at the darkened screen.

How did Zoe Ellison agree so readily just now?

Given her resistance towards him, anything he said before would be directly pushed back, let alone the "granddaughter-in-law" status that binds almost eternally.

Yet, just now, she agreed.

Timothy Xavier kept replaying Zoe Ellison’s tone during the call.

Though she agreed, the coldness in her tone wasn’t feigned—without compromise’s softness, only a kind of indifferent hardness.

As he tirelessly mulled over this, a steady sound of footsteps came from outside the hospital room, unhurried.

Timothy Xavier sharply looked up, yet before he could react, the door opened.

Julian Sinclair stood at the doorway, his black suit enhancing his stature even more.

His face was expressionless, only a hint of coldness in his eyes, exuding an imposing presence.

Timothy Xavier was initially taken aback, then he sneered with a sarcastic smile, "Uncle’s here? Are you personally inspecting your achievements? Or... intent on continuing to steal my wife?"

Julian Sinclair didn’t engage, walked slowly to the bedside, his gaze skimming over the untouched porridge and medicine on the nightstand, speaking in a voice as deep as water, "Heard you drank until you bled in your stomach. Came to see you."

He paused, his gaze returning to Timothy Xavier’s defiant face, and his tone became cooler, "Without the CEO position, there’s still more to pursue; but if you lose your life, there’s nothing left."

"Don’t mention the CEO position!" The words ignited Timothy Xavier. He lost his composure, clenching his teeth, "Julian Sinclair, don’t think I don’t know what tricks you’re pulling! Do you think I’m unaware of Ethan Xavier’s real abilities? If it weren’t for you stirring things up behind the scenes, how could the West City project fail?"

Julian Sinclair looked at his flushed face due to agitation, not angry at all, rather curled his lips slightly, the smile filled with disdain, "So even now, you don’t understand the gravity. Seems like you haven’t lost enough yet."

"Don’t get cocky!"

Timothy Xavier’s eyes were full of unwillingness, one word at a time, "In the end, you just want to force me into giving up Zoe Ellison! But let me tell you, Julian Sinclair, give up on that!

"His tone carried a hint of reckless stubbornness, "Help Ethan Xavier as much as you want! I won’t fall in Xavier Group that easily, Ethan Xavier’s CEO position won’t last long!"

Julian Sinclair’s face was cold and grim, saying, "I can give you another chance, to stop your childish behaviors, and honestly divorce Zoe Ellison. It’ll be good for you, for her, and for us. If you continue posting those things online, I can’t promise I’ll speak to you as kindly as now."

Timothy Xavier’s heart skipped a beat, yet quickly, he sneered, "Julian Sinclair, who do you think you are? Seeing netizens support me and Zoe Ellison, you’re getting impatient? Do I need you to give me a chance?"

Julian Sinclair’s gaze darkened, saying, "Before she passed, my mother held my hand, asked me not to be too harsh on you. I’ve given the chance, whether to take it, that’s up to you."

Timothy Xavier’s eyes momentarily softened, but soon he retorted sharply, "Stop pretending! Do you really take grandmother seriously?"

At this point, his voice rose, glaring intensely at Julian Sinclair with deep hatred, "If you truly cared, you wouldn’t have treated me this harshly! It’s you, it’s Zoe Ellison, you two teamed up to infuriate grandmother to death!"

"Timothy Xavier!" Julian Sinclair’s voice suddenly pierced the air, fiercely interrupting him, "Once again, this is your last chance."

His gaze was frighteningly deep, the surrounding pressure dropping to its limit, clearly out of patience.

"No way!"

Without thinking, Timothy Xavier refused, staring at Julian Sinclair, "All your self-righteous talk, in the end, it’s just about getting Zoe Ellison replaced with you, isn’t it? It won’t happen!"

His tone was a frenzy of reckless abandon, "Not only will I throw the grandest wedding for Zoe Ellison, but I’ll also spend my life with her! I want you, Julian Sinclair, to forever watch the woman you can never have, by my side every single day!"

Looking at Julian Sinclair’s cold and ashen face, Timothy Xavier finally felt a sense of relief after the recent suppression. He chuckled softly, met Julian Sinclair’s eyes, and said word by word, "You’ll never have her in this lifetime!"

In his eyes, Zoe Ellison and Julian Sinclair were already in collusion, setting up traps to frame him!

Otherwise, he really couldn’t figure out how Ethan Xavier had managed to rise to power in such a short time, forcibly pulling him down from his position as the president of Xavier Group.

Timothy Xavier had always enjoyed smooth sailing since he was young, and had never suffered such humiliation. He couldn’t swallow this indignity.

The only thing that could now comfort him was seeing Julian Sinclair’s unfulfilled longing and unbearable pain.

As for the "opportunity" Julian Sinclair mentioned, it was just a trap to lure him into compromise, and he wasn’t stupid enough to fall for it!

...

On the day of Diana Caldwell’s funeral, Timothy Xavier wore a black suit, his complexion pale from a recent surgery.

Determined not to let anyone look down on him, he still stood with a straight back, holding my hand with one and embracing Doris with the other, intentionally slowing his pace, steadily walking into the funeral hall.

My fingertips were cold, and every step felt uncomfortable.

Especially when I felt the gazes from those around me, filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and even a few with a tacit sense of "rightful", they felt like thorns on my back.

If it weren’t for Julian Sinclair’s instructions that day, telling me to comply with Timothy Xavier, I would never have appeared at my grandmother’s funeral in such a manner alongside him.

Although I didn’t know what Julian Sinclair was planning.

Timothy Xavier greatly enjoyed the attention of this "family of three", frequently stopping to nod and greet those who came to pay their respects, his arm deliberately and nauseatingly affectionate as he leaned towards me.

Many guests were also friends of the Xavier Family, attending for their sake, so Timothy Xavier allocated a dedicated area under the Xavier Family’s name to entertain them.

"Zoe, you entertain Mrs. Lancaster while I take Doris to greet President Morgan."

His tone was natural, as if we had never been separated and were still that harmonious family.

I forced myself to swallow the discomfort and dealt with those who came to mourn.

Not far away, Julian Sinclair stood in the Sinclair Family guest area, slightly furrowing his brow while speaking in low tones with a few elders.

Occasionally, he glanced at the portrait in the center of the funeral hall, a trace of sorrow hidden in his eyes.

Between us was a distance of over ten meters, yet it felt like two worlds apart.

He was busy attending to the Sinclair Family’s matters, while I was trapped by Timothy Xavier in this fake "family".

At this moment, an elegantly dressed elderly gentleman walked in the wrong direction and entered the Xavier Family’s guest area.

Seeing this, Julian Sinclair immediately stepped forward to greet him, intending to guide the old gentleman to the right place.

Doris saw him and immediately called out politely, "Hello, Uncle Sinclair!"

Julian Sinclair’s face softened a bit and was about to respond when Timothy Xavier’s voice interrupted first.

He looked sternly at his daughter and said, "Doris, can’t you even distinguish the generations? Mr. Sinclair is your father’s uncle, so you should rightfully call him Granduncle."

My heart tightened, and I instinctively looked at Julian Sinclair.

The softness on his face froze, the curve of his lips gradually disappearing.

And Doris tilted her head in confusion, asking, "But Uncle Sinclair doesn’t seem that old? Why call him Granduncle?"

Timothy Xavier squatted down, pretending to be patient as he patted his daughter’s head, speaking just loud enough for those around to hear, "We Chinese have always valued hierarchy and ethics, and only those who are lesser than animals would disregard ethics and hierarchy, understand?"

My heart sank, fearing that Julian Sinclair might not endure such provocation from Timothy Xavier. What would happen if a scene broke out at my grandmother’s funeral?

But Julian Sinclair was more composed than I imagined.

He acted as if he hadn’t heard it, his face expressionless, and slightly nodded to the old gentleman who had lost his way, saying, "This way, please."

He then led the gentleman towards the Sinclair Family’s guest area without giving Timothy Xavier another glance.

Watching his receding figure, Timothy Xavier curved his lips into a cold smile.

Turning to me, his eyes full of provocation, he said, "What do you think, Zoe? Shouldn’t we teach our children to always put morals and ethics first in whatever they do?"

"Timothy Xavier, that’s enough."

My voice was cold as ice, and I said quietly, "If this continues, I’ll take Doris and leave."

Timothy Xavier let out a cold laugh, squeezing Doris’s hand and saying, "Come on, Dad will take you to apologize to Granduncle. Next time, make sure to address people correctly."

With that, he led Doris over to Julian Sinclair.

My heart fluttered with anxiety, and I quickly followed.

I saw him stand before Madam Sinclair, pushing Doris slightly forward in front of all the Sinclair Family relatives and friends, "Doris, say hello."

Doris pouted and reluctantly muttered, "Hello, Granduncle."

Julian Sinclair, standing next to Madam Sinclair, merely glanced indifferently and turned to head towards the entrance of the funeral hall to greet the newly arrived guests, without giving Timothy Xavier another look.

Madam Sinclair’s face was white with anger, glaring fiercely at Timothy Xavier, but considering the occasion, she merely huffed heavily without saying anything.

Timothy Xavier, half-smiling, said, "Madam Sinclair, take care of yourself! As you age, staying calm is the secret to longevity."

Unable to bear it any longer, I quickly stepped forward, reaching inside his arm and pinching hard, saying, "That’s enough!"

Timothy Xavier grimaced and hissed in pain, his expression changing slightly.

He met the coldness in my eyes and seemed to realize that further antics would bring no benefit, so he finally restrained his arrogance.

He rubbed his arm, turned, and walked towards the Xavier Family’s guest area.

I watched his back, letting out a long sigh of relief, and turned to look in Julian Sinclair’s direction.

He was standing in front of the portrait, back facing me.

As if sensing my gaze, his eyes deepened, unreadable.

My heart tightened, unable to understand what Julian Sinclair’s reasoning was for telling me to comply with Timothy Xavier lately?

Could it be that he was allowing Timothy Xavier to continue his madness?

Once Diana Caldwell’s funeral ended, guests gradually left, and the mourning music in the funeral hall also slowly stopped.

As I was helping to tidy the offerings, Madam Sinclair suddenly waved me over, her voice gentle yet a bit urgent, "Zoe, come here, Grandma has something to say to you."

I quickly walked to her side, lowering my head before she could speak, "Grandma, I’m sorry for the nonsense Timothy Xavier said today on his behalf."

However, the old lady gently shook her head, took my hand, patting it with a heart full of empathy, "Child, it’s not you who should apologize. What I want to ask is, why are you mixed up with him again?"

She sighed, filled with incomprehension, "In times like this, there’s no need for you to show up with him. You are my nominal granddaughter. Following me to pay respects to Julian’s mother is legitimate, why endure this humiliation?"

Clutching the old lady’s hand, I leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "It was Attorney Sinclair who told me to do this. He said to go along with Timothy Xavier for now and avoid conflict."

I paused, adding, "He must have his own considerations, but I don’t know what exactly he’s planning yet."

"Did Julian tell you to do this?"

The old lady suddenly looked up, her face full of surprise, and then a hint of confusion, "There’s no reason for this! Timothy Xavier, that bastard, is about to marry you, could it be... he’s really going to let you become that person’s bride?"

I helplessly shook my head, saying, "He hasn’t explained it clearly to me either."

The old lady said, "No, I must ask him later! What kind of trickery is this boy up to, keeping even me in the dark!"

But just as she spoke, her eyes filled with trust in her grandson, and she said, "Anyway, as long as Julian tells you to do this, follow his instructions! He operates with unconventional methods but never fights unprepared battles, so just trust his plan."

Listening to the old lady, my unease dissipated considerably.

But exactly what plan does Julian Sinclair have to stop this farce and help me escape?