Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)
Chapter 821

The incessant buzzing from within Agnes' purse finally caught Ryder's attention. He frowned, determined not to answer, but the persistent ringing of two back-to-back calls made him reconsider. Sighing, Ryder opened Agnes' purse and retrieved the vibrating phone. The incoming call was from a string of digits that, despite the lack of a saved contact name, Ryder recognized immediately it was Jared's number.

Agnes hadn't bothered to save Jared's contact details. Perhaps she knew it by heart, no need for a label. The phone continued its relentless dance in Ryder's hand, and after a moment's hesitation, he answered.

"Where are you? When are you coming back?" Jared's voice was terse on the other end.

There was a pause before Ryder called out, "Uncle, it's me."

Silence fell on the line, and Ryder could almost picture Jared's furrowed brow.

After a brief wait, Jared spoke again, "Why do you have Agnes' phone? Where is she?"

"She had too much to drink, and now she's at my place. You should come pick her up," Ryder replied.

Jared's response was a chilling silence. Even through the phone, Ryder could feel the cold disapproval emanating from the other side. Finally, Jared said, "I'll be right there."

Once the call ended, Ryder sat motionless for a long time, his heart clenching in waves of pain. Even if Agnes was inebriated, it wasn't his place to harbor her. This was the quandary he found himself in.

Jared arrived quickly, within twenty minutes-half the time it would take to drive from the Tim Group headquarters under normal conditions. It was clear how fast he must have driven, unwilling to waste a single second with Agnes in Ryder's presence.

As Jared entered Ryder's house, he wore a stern expression. Ryder had changed into casual home attire by the time he opened the door. Jared walked straight to the couch where Agnes lay, checked her forehead to ensure she was alright, then turned to question Ryder, "What exactly happened?"

Ryder's voice was cool and detached, "Are you asking how she got drunk, or why she ended up here?"

Jared's tone grew even icier, "I want to know both."

"Then you can wait for Agnes to wake up and ask her yourself," Ryder said.

"Don't lose sight of who she is. She's my wife, and concurrently, your aunt by marriage," he reminded.

Ryder replied calmly, "Uncle, I don't think it's set in stone that you two will end up together. Who she belongs to in the end is still up in the air." His tone was steady, as if he was certain of his stance. Jared's fingers tensed and then relaxed, "What are you trying to do? After all this time, why persist in this madness?"

"I know you want me to let go, but have you ever considered that in the years you weren't by her side, I was the one who accompanied her through every tough decision? I watched Nocturne grow up, his health gradually improving. I've invested so much; why should I give up? Didn't you always teach me to hold on to the things I love by any means necessary? That nothing is impossible in this world?" "You're speaking of rebellion. That's not what I raised you to do," Jared replied, his voice laced with finality.