Chapter 1353

Ryan continued with righteous indignation, “Whatever, Quinn -I don’t want to keep arguing. I’m not the type who sweettalks people, and I’ll use words instead of actions to prove my feelings for you. I really hope you can understand my perspective.”

Quinn simply stared at him, feeling that he was a stranger for the first time.

If she played to his whims, he would still be kind, understanding, and brotherly.

If she did not, he would become self-obsessed, convinced that everything he thought was right and allowing no one to say otherwise.

Had she been looking at him through rose-tinted glasses all this while? It was certainly disappointing to see how far her idealized version of him was from the real thing.

On the other hand, Ryan took her long silence as her giving in.

He sighed, appearing disappointed and working hard to forgive her, as if he had been hugely tolerant of her.

Somehow, it annoyed Quinn.

He was somehow both using emotional blackmail against her and behaving like a pick-up artist at the same time!

Hence, she said, “I’m saying it one last time-it’s over between us, and there’s nothing left at all. I’m not upset, and I’m not behaving like this so you’ll comfort me. Right now, I really want to be with Sam.”

Ryan was incensed right then, unable to accept Quinn’s rejection at all. “What’s gotten into you?!”

“Also, you don’t get to talk to Sam like you did today,” Quinn continued calmly.

She had an epiphany—that she should not live under Ryan’s shadow and to behave the way he wanted just because he said it was good.

She had her life too, which was why she could completely ignore how he felt now!

“I admit that Sam hasn’t given your parents much, and he has definitely been playing around too much and not sharing their burdens,” she said bluntly. “However, only your parents get to scold him and be disappointed in him, not you.”

“Why not?!” Ryan bellowed. “I’m the eldest, and Dad’s hospitalized now! I’m the one keeping the family afloat, so I have the right to criticize anyone who’s lacking-“

“But you aren’t any better,” Quinn said, going straight to the point.

Ryan was left gaping, unable to believe what he was hearing.

At the same time, Quinn continued, “You told Sam that he never kept your parents company or shared their burdens, but what about you? You never did that either! You were always studying and never cared about your family, and you left the family to work once you graduated. You never ask after the family, and you barely spend any time at home.

That’s why you don’t get to criticize Sam from a moral high ground-not when you haven’t done anything for your parents.”

“Get your facts right, Quinn!” Ryan bellowed, growling every word as he glowered. “Is my career no different from Sam fooling around?! I serve the country while he goofs off every day, and you’re equating him to me?! He’s really been a bad influence on you!”

Quinn shrugged. “I never said you were wrong-your accomplishment is noble, but what I’m saying is that you don’t have the right to criticize others with your own moral standards when you can’t even do the same. In other words, don’t demand anything of others that you haven’t done yourself!”

“Shut up!” Ryan bellowed, but Quinn had certainly rendered him speechless.

Filled with impotent rage but having nowhere to vent, he could only glare viciously at Quinn so she would see he was angry and realize her mistake.

Even so, Quinn returned his gaze with composure.

She was very much aware that he was seriously upset, but she suddenly refused to compromise or cater to his whims.

“I know that I have been blunt,” she said, “but I hope you’ll properly think about this, instead of causing the family further discord as soon as you return.”

“Are you accusing me of starting arguments and causing discord here, Quinn?!” Ryan shouted at the top of his lungs.