The Contract Said No Strings Attached (Charlotte) novel Chapter 275

She stood up and addressed the old man, her voice calm but resolute. “Father, my son Dylan is a man with ambition. In my view, career should always come before women. How can a successful man allow himself to be shackled by domestic obligations?”

Turning to Dylan, she softened her tone. “Dylan, you should head back for now. There’s work waiting at the office, and that takes priority. Once Rebecca returns, we’ll talk to her properly. A woman should learn to be understanding, after all.”

Her words cast a heavy silence over the hospital room. The old man’s expression darkened.

Mrs. Thomson, who had long been irritated by Mrs. Austin’s attitude, finally spoke up. “Mrs. Austin, what kind of nonsense is that? My daughter has always been obedient and considerate. Since when did she become a burden in your eyes? And let me remind you: no matter how successful a man is, if he can’t even care for his wife and children, then what’s the point of all that success?”

Mrs. Austin’s voice turned sharp, barely hiding her disdain for Rebecca. “With all due respect, Mrs. Thomson, Dylan has his own dreams and goals. He’s a grown man—how could he possibly give up his career for family? And if your daughter is as perfect as you claim, shouldn’t she be the one supporting him?”

Mrs. Thomson let out a cold, mocking laugh. “Mrs. Austin, I remember quite clearly that when you first married Mr. Austin, you spent an entire year on an extravagant honeymoon, burning through millions. It was the talk of the whole city—everyone knew about it. The newspapers even wrote stories about how Mr. Austin was so devoted to you, he didn’t step foot in the office for a year. Even after you two returned, he was constantly taking days off.”

She sighed, then continued, “Meanwhile, poor Dylan was barely grown when he was thrust into the family business and burdened with restoring the family’s fortune. If you’re as gracious as you claim, why did you keep Mr. Austin so close to home, instead of letting him pursue his own ambitions?”

Her pointed words landed like sharp stones, each one striking Mrs. Austin. There was a glint of mockery in Mrs. Thomson’s eyes—her dissatisfaction was clear.

Mrs. Thomson straightened, refusing to back down. “That’s fine. But by the same logic, Dylan and Rebecca’s marriage is their business, not yours.”

“I—”

Mrs. Thomson pressed on, her gaze unwavering. “Rebecca and Dylan’s engagement was arranged by both our families. Rebecca is a good girl, and the two of them make a perfect match. As their elders, shouldn’t we be supporting them, not tearing them apart?”