NOVGO.NET Chapter 816 Toxic Household
Villain Ch 816. Toxic Household
For a few minutes, Allen’s mind felt blank. He could only stare at the guest list in silence. The rest of the world seemed to fade away. He wasn’t even interested in checking the time. His thoughts spiraled into a series of bad scenarios, each one more dreadful than the last.
What if his stepdad found the invitation and decided to embarrass Allen? The image of his stepfather crashing the event, flashed in his mind. He could almost hear the man’s mocking laughter, see the sneers and the whispers from the crowd. His chest tightened at the thought.
What if his mother came and accused Jordan of false accusations? She could show up and start hurling accusations, making a scene that would be impossible to control. The guests would be horrified, the whispers of scandal spreading like wildfire.
He imagined the board members shaking their heads in disappointment, investors pulling out, and the media having a field day with the drama. It would be a disaster.
Allen ran a hand over his face, the weight of his fears pressing down on him. The idea of his past colliding with his present, of his family’s toxicity seeping into the life he had painstakingly built, was almost too much to bear. He felt a mix of anger and helplessness, a volatile cocktail of emotions that left him feeling both furious and vulnerable.
It wasn’t just his reputation at stake. It was Jordan’s, the Goldborne Family’s, and the company’s. Allen couldn’t let that happen. He couldn’t let them win. Not now, not ever.
On the other hand, Allen knew that leaving Evan out of the party was unfair. Evan had always tried to maintain neutrality for the sake of family peace, but when it came to defending Allen from their stepfather’s unfairness, he would step up. Evan was the silent warrior, fighting battles in the shadows because he knew their parents would never let him openly support Allen.
He remembered the countless times Evan had slipped him a few dollars, a spare sandwich, or a reassuring pat on the back when things got tough. The small gestures meant the world to him, even if they went unnoticed by others.
That argument had been the only time Allen heard Evan openly and fiercely stand up to their parents. His voice, usually calm and composed, had been filled with raw emotion, anger, and desperation. Evan had shouted, pleaded, and fought for him, risking his own peace for Allen’s sake.
It was a moment that had left a lasting impression on Allen, a reminder that he wasn’t entirely alone in that toxic household.
Leaving Evan out felt like a betrayal of that bond, a rejection of the brother who had stood by him in the darkest times. But inviting him meant risking everything he had built. The conflict churned inside him, a storm of fear and guilt.
He sighed, rubbing his temples. “Why does it always have to be so damn complicated?” he muttered to himself. “No… I can’t leave him just like that,” he muttered, trying to find another idea. The thought of excluding Evan gnawed at him. But inviting Evan openly was a risk. If his stepdad or his mom found the invitation before Evan did, it could spell disaster.
Digital invitations seemed like a safer option, but they had their own set of risks. Since that explosive argument years ago, and Evan’s declaration that he would help Allen as much as he could, their step dad had become suspicious and snoopy. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire
Their stepdad had a habit of snooping through Evan’s phone. Allen remembered the tension, the way Evan would subtly delete their chat history after every conversation, leaving only a few innocuous messages to avoid suspicion. It was a constant game of cat and mouse. This was why Allen had minimal contact with Evan, despite desperately wanting to confide in his brother more often.
Digital invitations might work, but he’d have to ensure Evan received it without interference. He racked his brain for a solution, thinking of how careful Evan had always been.
“Evan deletes everything… maybe I could send it in a way that doesn’t seem suspicious,” Allen thought aloud. He needed to craft a message that looked harmless at first glance but carried the important details Evan needed. But even then, the chance of their stepdad intercepting it was too high.
An idea crossed his mind. “Maybe… I could send him a different invitation,” Allen muttered to himself, the glimmer of a plan forming. He could use the Goldborne Family as the sender, making the invitation look like a business official and formal, not a conference or party-type invitation. It would be addressed to Evan alone, ensuring that only Evan could attend and no one could replace him.
This way, the invitation wouldn’t look out of place if someone else happened to see it.
Allen’s thoughts raced. He knew he’d be inviting his childhood best friend, Geralt, to the event. Geralt, with his easy charm and knack for smoothing over difficult situations, might be able to help Evan attend without raising any suspicions.
“Yeah, that’s probably for the best,” Allen thought, nodding to himself. He had to admit, he harbored a desire to take revenge on his old family. He wanted to show them he had succeeded, that he had built a much better life and found a real family with the Goldbornes. But now wasn’t the time for petty vindication.
The conference was critical, with important business allies attending, and everything needed to run smoothly. His vengeance could wait.
He stood up from his bed and went to the table, his legs feeling heavy as if they carried the weight of his past. His hand snatched the pen with a sense of urgency, and he began writing a note.
“Need a different design for this guest,” he scribbled, his handwriting shaky but firm. “It should not mention my name at all.”
He paused, staring at the note, making sure it was non-ambiguous.