“…”
Niamh was hurt when she heard it.
Sean was also feeling helpless. He comforted Niamh when he saw her being so sad. “Eveline, your mom is sick. She doesn’t mean it. Don’t take those words to heart.”
Niamh shook her head gently. Of course, she had no intention to blame Eloise. She was just upset and felt sorry for her mother.
“Eloise, we have a guest here. Didn’t you already prepare some snacks? If they’re ready, then take them out for our guest to try.” Sean tapped on Elosie’s hand gently and reminded. As if he was reassuring a little kid, he was patient in guiding Eloise to carry out her daily activities.
Eloise’s expression suddenly changed as she put on a smile on her face. She glanced at Niamh and smiled. “Please wait for a moment. I’ll go get you some snacks to eat.”
Niamh nodded, feeling her insides writhing with sorrow. “Alright, I’ll wait for you “
“Mmm,” Eloise answered with satisfaction. She then spun around and left for the kitchen.
Sean went over and held Niamh’s hand. “Eveline, come sit beside me.”
Niamh went ahead and sat down. “Dad, do you still remember about the fire that broke out at our house that day? Why are you and Mom suddenly in Y Country now?”
Sean recalled the incident that happened that day. His two brows furrowed as his expression became dark.
“Eveline, there are some things I don’t wish to tell you because I’m afraid you’ll be hurt.” Sean had a troubled look on his face.
“Dad, tell me, what happened? All these years, I’ve endured all sorts of hurt. I can take it.” Niamh was determined to know.
Sean stared at his daughter, heartbroken. Then, he decided to blurt out everything that happened on that day.
“Kendrick was the one who set the fire. I never thought that he’d obey Lana’s instructions just because he lost his memories and would carry out such a cruel move.”
Niamh felt a pinch in her heart when she heard the answer given by Sean.
She clenched her fists and faced the fact.
‘Although it was Lana’s order, it was still Kendrick who did it.’
However, after experiencing Kendrick’s ‘death’ and suffering terribly because of it, she chose to deceive herself and forget about all the upsetting incidents.
She kept telling herself that Kendrick was being used by Lana and he was a victim himself too.
Nevertheless, she was grateful that Sean and Eloise were safe.
‘Even though Mom is like a retarded kid, as long as she’s alive, there will still be hope.’
Sean noticed Niamh’s dilemma and tapped her on her shoulder, with a heartwarm feeling.
“Alright, let’s not keep thinking about it. As long as we can still reunite as a family, that’s all that matters to me.”
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Niamh apologized. “Kendrick did such a terrible thing and nearly cost you guys your lives, yet I—”
“You didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t have to apologize,” Sean cut her short. If anyone were to apologize, it would be Sean as he had let his daughter down.
Niamh could not think of any words to say to Sean. Deep in her heart, she still loved Kendrick, the man who burned down her house and made her separate from her family.
At that moment, she heard Sean say gratefully, “It’s all thanks to Mr. Jones. If it isn’t for him, your mom and I would’ve been buried in the sea of flames.”
Niamh’s expression changed suddenly as she was puzzled. “Dad, the Mr. Jones you’re talking about, are you referring to Ryan?”
As soon as she spoke, Ryan came walking in from the doorway.
Sean saw Ryan and immediately got up to welcome him with a smile. Niamh witnessed the grateful look on Sean when he welcomed Ryan.
“Mr. Jones, thank you for allowing our family to reunite.”
Ryan put on a gentle smile and spoke politely, “Don’t sweat it, it’s just a small matter.”
His attitude was like that of a gentleman, totally the opposite from when he was threatening and controlling her in the car.
Niamh looked at Ryan scornfully as she observed him walking to her side. He suddenly extended his arm around her shoulders.
“Well, Eveline is my lawfully wedded wife. You guys are also my family. For the sake of Eveline, it’s worth doing all this.”
His bright smile made Sean delighted.
Sean looked at Niamh for confirmation. “Eveline, it looks like it’s real? You’ve already left Kendrick to be with Mr. Jones?”
“Of course.” Ryan’s eyes, which seemed to be smiling, met Niamh’s cold gaze. “Right, Eveline?”
Niamh could not deny it, and at that moment, she could only agree to it quietly.
Sean sighed. “This is for the best, I guess. You and Kendrick had been going round and round for so many years and were never happy with your lives. Mr. Jones is a handsome and talented man who only appears once in a lifetime. He’s also mine and your mom’s savior. l feel reassured if you’re with Mr. Jones.”
“You’ve praised me more than you should, Mr. Montgomery. I’m not as good as you’ve made me out to be.”
“I’m just stating the truth,” Sean praised sincerely, then corrected himself. “Since you and Eveline have already received your wedding certificate, we’re all considered one family. You don’t have to greet me as Mr. Montgomery. You can call me ‘Dad’, just like Eveline.”
The smile on Ryan’s stunning face grew wider, and he said without being shy, “Dad.”
“Good, good.” Sean was delighted.
However, Niamh felt restless when she heard Ryan calling out the word ‘Dad’.
She forced herself to smile while looking at Ryan. “I have something to talk to you about. Could you please come with me for a moment?”
Niamh said, then spun around. “Dad, I’ll be back soon.”
“Alright.” Sean was not in a hurry as well. He just kept staring at Niamh’s back, afraid he might not be able to see his precious daughter again.
Ryan smiled at Sean, then caught up to Niamh as they strolled to the courtyard together.
Eloise took out the biscuits she had just baked and saw that Sean was alone in the hall. Disappointed, she scanned the surroundings.
“Didn’t you guys agree to wait for me? Why did she leave first?”
Sean quickly went over to comfort Eloise. “She didn’t leave. She’ll be back in a moment. Go prepare us some tea for the time being. When you’re done with it, she’ll be back.”
“Really?” Eloise was like a kid as she put a smile on her face. She was looking forward to it.
Sean raised his hand and brushed the hair that was scattered in front of Eloise’s forehead to behind her ears. Many years had passed, yet his feelings for Eloise only grew stronger.
Especially when Eloise ended up in this state, he, as her husband, felt very sad.
“Of course, hurry.”
“Okay.” Eloise nodded. She took two steps, then turned around to look at Sean. “Don’t you finish all the biscuits. Leave some for Eveline.”
“I know, I won’t finish them all,” said Sean with a smile. He had no choice but to comfort Eloise whose mind now was just like a kid.
In the courtyard.
Niamh glanced at the main entrance that was heavily guarded, then recalled Sean’s trust in Ryan.
She was feeling sorry for her parents, and at the same time, she was exasperated at Ryan’s attitude.
“Hmph,” Niamh sneered, “A man who nearly cost my family their lives and wants to control me has now become my parents’ savior? This is just a joke.”
Ryan was not bothered by Niamh’s scornful behavior. He walked to her with a smile. Under the halo of sunlight, his stunning face was radiant.
“Aren’t you supposed to thank me for giving you such a huge surprise?”
“Yes, I should be thanking you. Thanks for separating me from the person I love most. Thanks for keeping my parents here and making our family unable to reunite. I should be more grateful to you for injecting me with that reagent that’s slowly turning me into your puppet.”
She spoke in a disdainful tone, and her proud eyes kept staring at Ryan’s gloomy ones.
“Do you really think I’ll believe you’re sincerely trying to save my parents? I just never thought that you’ve already started gearing toward your plan since so long ago.
“You’re truly terrifying, Ryan.” Niamh could not see what was going on in the man’s mind. She felt that the man before her was more unpredictable than Kendrick.
Ryan stretched out his bony fingers. His fingertips landed on Niamh’s fair face. “You think I’m terrifying just because of these? If I tell you one more thing, maybe you won’t think I’m terrifying anymore. You’ll think I’m horrifying.”
Niamh saw Ryan’s eyes gleaming cunningly.
She did not wish to look at him any longer and coldly turned away.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me. I won’t harm you, but I’ll never let you return to Kendrick,” Ryan said scornfully with his eyes looking as sharp as a hawk’s.
“I’m guessing that right now, you must long to spend more time with your parents. I have things to attend to, so you’ll stay here.” Ryan twirled Niamh’s long hair with his fingers as he leaned nearer to her flirtatiously.
Niamh turned away from him. She wanted to take a step back, but Ryan grabbed her waist. “The things you’re not supposed to say, you’d better don’t tell your parents. You don’t wish to lose your family for good, right?”
His comment was obviously trying to threaten her.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.