Chapter 529

"Rea, calm down. Let Matthew finish," Lindey tried, her voice soft but strained.

Matthew adjusted his glasses, looking almost... regretful. "Rea, if I told you I never intended for your father to die... would you believe me?"

Thorsten had already told me everything. And now Matthew wanted to rewrite the story?

Fine. I'd hear him out.

"Your father had a gift for distribution, something I couldn't match. But he didn't want to partner with me; he wanted to go solo. If he did, Seavora would've been his for the taking," Matthew paused, gathering himself. "People are selfish by nature—it's unavoidable.

"So yes, I was jealous. More than that, I resented him. It felt like his refusal to work with me was a judgment, like he was saying I wasn't good enough.

"And when he landed that contract with Thorsten—the one I'd been fighting for—it only proved his talent.

"I knew that contract was the key to everything I wanted. Fueled by jealousy and a need to win, I decided I'd take that project fr