Dear Ex-wife Marry Me novel (Maja) novel Chapter 1173

The moment Steve heard the gunshot, his heart lurched.

Realizing he had flung his coffee mug, hitting Ian, his fingers froze mid-air. He wanted to apologize but was at a loss for words.

Ian slowly withdrew his gun, casting a glance at Patric, then at Steve.

It was then he realized, the only person who truly loved him in the Raymond family was already gone, even aiding Eric until the very end.

His father held a soft spot for Eric too. It just wasn't apparent in the early years.

Ian wasn't disappointed. How could he not see the truth after all these years with the Raymond family?

Wasn't this spectacle of Eric's just to help him see the reality?

Without a word, Ian pocketed his gun and made to leave.

Steve didn't follow but merely sighed deeply.

"You’ve gone so far. He's still your brother, you know."

He said this with his back to Patric.

So he didn't see the malice in Patric's eyes, a malice Ian saw all too clearly.

Patric gave him a smile, slowly mimicking a slit-throat gesture. His intention was clear--he intended to kill Ian upon his return.

Patric wanted to kill not just Eric, but Ian as well.

Originally, his hatred was reserved only for Eric. He despised sharing a body with someone else. But after witnessing Ian's kiss with Maja, that hatred grew also for Ian. He hated them both, wishing they'd both drop dead.

Ian gave him a piercing look before walking out.

When Steve turned back around, Patric had returned to his gentle demeanor.

Upon Steve saw the myriad needle holes in Patric's arm, his eyes welled up.

Patric curved his lips, his tone gentle.

"Dad, it's my duty. If I hadn't been working for the higher-ups back then, the one suffering would have been Ian. I'm his older brother, it's my responsibility to bear these for him."

Steve patted him on the shoulder.

"When you have time, pay a visit to your grandpa."

A scoff passed through Patric's eyes, to the cemetery for that old man?

When he was with Holden, he repeatedly mentioned how he’d been through in the research base, and how they kept him in a glass room like a domesticated fowl for observation.

He was not a human being, just a test subject.

The old man couldn't bear it anymore, promising to help him. Hence, there was the setup at the cliff.