He took a slow drag and replied calmly, “We do not have feelings for each other anymore, so we ended it."

"Bullshit! Do you really think I'm a fool?" Mark exclaimed, his frustration evident.

Edwin's demeanor shifted to a grave seriousness.

He walked over and locked the door, and then turned to Mark with a sharp whisper.

“What do you want me to say, Dad? That I'm only in love with Laura? That I want to be with her, have children with her, and that I have no interest in Vanessa? Or should I admit that marrying Vanessa would be a mistake, and I'd still end up longing for Laura?"

Mark's head throbbed with pain.

Lost in his emotion, he shouted, “Edwin, have you lost your mind?"

Despite his father's outburst, Edwin remained composed.

He met Mark's gaze calmly and said, “You're the one who brought her into my life. If it weren't for that, I might be happily married to someone else by now, not trapped in these feelings."

Mark's anger slowly subsided.

Closing his eyes briefly, he said, “We can't change the past. I didn't bring her into this house for you to use her or toy with her emotions."

"Dad, I'm not playing games," Edwin whispered, his voice soft but impactful, each word resonating like a note on a piano. Mark looked at his son, almost as if seeing him for the first time.

For years, Edwin had shown little interest in women, to the point where Mark wondered about his son's preferences.

But now, it was clear that Edwin, too, had fallen for someone.

Trying to control his rising temper, Mark countered, "I can't accept this. Not just for your sake, Edwin, but for our family's, and for Laura's too. Think about it. If she joins our family and clashes with your mother, how will they coexist? You know Laura's personality."

Edwin's gaze fell, his voice soft yet laden with emotion.

"And what about me, Dad? Have you ever considered that this might be the only love I'll ever have in my life?"

He didn't attempt to argue further.

His tone, even more composed than before, conveyed resignation.

“Let it be, Dad. I'll sort out my own issues after Laura's married.”