?Chapter 1251:


    Her words prompted a wave ofplex emotions to pass across everyone’s faces.


    “You even had the test done at a differentb this time,” Johnson said thoughtfully. “And the result still confirms the match. That leaves no room for doubt.”


    “I just can’t wrap my head around it,” Bethany muttered, shaking her head. She couldn’tprehend how Baker and Holley could treat their own daughter that way.


    “Some people are born cold, or they’re just very selfish,” Vincent said after a moment of silence.


    No one added anything after that.


    After dinner, the group began gathering their things, preparing to leave the restaurant.


    But just then, the door to the private room flew open with a loud bang, startling everyone, and a man stormed in with a look of desperation on his face. As soon as they recognized the man, everyone’s expression shifted subtly. Without a word, Ryan closed the door and fell to his knees in front of Lucas, his posture radiating remorse.


    The unexpected act stunned the entire room.


    “Lucas, I realize now that I mishandled everything regarding Verena,” Ryan said, his voice strained. “I admit I was wrong. But for the sake of the years we’ve stood side by side as friends, I’m begging you—could you please not be so cruel? Please, don’t sever all business ties with my family.”


    His plea carried not only regret but also panic, and beneath it all, a faint undercurrent of bitterness.


    He had assumed that losing Lucas’s friendship was the worst oue.


    But that had been only the beginning…


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    Lucas had gone further, cutting all business ties with his family’spany and publicly announcing that the rk Group would never again coborate with the Adams Group.


    That sent a clear signal to everyone that the two families hadpletely fallen out.


    And in a world where crossing the rk family meant destruction, Ryan’spany immediately felt the blow.


    Within hours of Lucas’s announcement, a lucrative deal Ryan’spany had been close to finalizing fell through.


    When Ryan’s father had heard the news, he had kicked Ryan out and threatened to strip him of his position as general manager if he didn’t resolve the situation at once.


    Ryan was truly scared.


    That was why, as soon as he had tracked Lucas down, he had rushed over to see him.


    Naturally, it was humiliating for Ryan to kneel before Lucas in front of everyone. But when weighed against losing his position in thepany, enduring this shame seemed a small price to pay.


    “Ryan, what are you doing? Get up and speak properly,” Vincent said, his brow creasing.


    “I messed up, so I owe Lucas an apology,” Ryan replied, still kneeling.


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