“She sent me a lot of things, and I need you to sign them.”
Thomas was silent for a long time before letting out a sigh. “You have such a friend, huh?”
“Of course.”
Bethan shut her eyes and leaned back on her chair. She suddenly felt that her long hatred for Thomas was slowly diminishing after he apologized to her.
“She was the one who helped me with my face back then. I’m sure you know about this, right? Seven years ago, Malcolm destroyed my face.”
Upon hearing Bethan mention Malcolm, Thomas paused for a while before rubbing his glabella. “What type of autograph does your friend want? Also… I have caused you and Brettley troubles recently. Is there anything I could do to compensate?”
Bethan furrowed her brow and thought for a while. “There is, but I don’t know if you’ll agree to it or not.”
The sun had set.
When Bethan returned to Brettley’s house, Brettley was on the sofa hugging Nellie, looking at her latest design.
Nellie was dressed in a white billowy dress, fit for a royal, and had a huge bow on her head with her hair slightly curled. She was nestled in Brettley’s arms, smiling. “Daddy, what do you think of my design? Will Mommy like it?”
“She will.”
Brettley looked at Nellie’s designs seriously while smiling and ruffling her head gently. “Your Mommy will like anything you make.”
Nellie pursed her lips. “Daddy, you’re brushing me off! You think it doesn’t look nice!”
Brettley smiled a little. “I am not.”
“You are!”
Nellie puffed her cheeks.
Neil, who was by the side, helplessly looked at his father and sister bickering before looking at Nigel, who had his head buried in a book. In the end, he pushed his drink to Nellie. “I’m sure you’re thirsty after quarreling with Daddy, right? Drink up.”
Nellie pouted. She took the drink and looked at Neil unhappily. “You must think I’m noisy.”
Neil smiled. “I don’t.”
“You do!”
Nellie pursed her lips. She was about to have another go at Neil, just like how she did to Brettley previously.
Brettley leaned back on the sofa. He looked at Neil and Nellie before helplessly looking at Nigel, who was reading
It was a coincidence that Nigel was looking at him too. Their eyes met and they smiled at the same time. Then, they looked away. Nigel continued reading while Brettley continued admiring Nellie’s design sketches.
In the middle of the sofa, Nellie and Neil were bickering on and off. Nellie was making a fuss and Neil was accompanying her. Bethan stood by the door, looking at the scene unfold, and the sadness she felt for Riley and Yannie leaving instantly dissipated.
She looked at the three children and Brettley. These were the people closest to her, the ones that she missed the most. As long as they remained with her, what more could she want?
Everyone wanted to feel blissful. Perhaps, that was what she was feeling at that moment.
She stood by the door, watching for a long time until her phone rang. The sudden ring attracted the gaze of Brettley and the children in the living area.
“Mommy?”
Nellie’s eyes widened. “Since when did you return?”
Bethan, who was caught sneaking behind them, smiled awkwardly and immediately answered her call.
It was from Yannie. She was saying goodbye to her.
“Bethan, it’s a little sudden, but Thomas suddenly told me that he needs to film a television series back in Saigen City. The filming will take a long time, and he wants me to take my mother along because it’ll be more than six months. I can’t leave my mother here, so…”
Yannie, on the other end of the line, sighed wearily. “You have to find someone else to care for Nigel, Neil, and Nellie. I can’t let my mother stay in Merchant City. Also, the things between Thomas and me have been announced, as well as my previous medical records. Many people know about me and my mother. If Thomas and I aren’t in Merchant City, I’m afraid that she’d be harassed or sought revenge by others. I can’t possibly trouble you and Mr. Morrison to always care for her, so…”
Hearing how apologetic Yannie sounded, Bethan smiled a little. “It’s fine. I’ll find someone else, but…”
Bethan paused for a while. She looked at the four of them in the living area. She gestured at them before turning and heading out of the mansion.
Walking to the courtyard in front of the mansion, the cool night breeze cleared Bethan’s mind up a little.
She sat on the bench by the side and said calmly, “Yannie, I want to know your thoughts about Thomas.”
She already knew about Thomas’ feelings toward Yannie. However, she did not know if Yannie was willing to give birth to Riley for Thomas back then because she liked Thomas or because she just liked children.
Perhaps Yannie did not expect that Bethan would suddenly ask her about her love life that she fell silent. The quietness lasted for a long few seconds before Yannie depressingly replied, “
Bethan, why are you… suddenly asking me this?”
Bethan leaned back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the night breeze, “I’?n just curious. Now that you know that Riley is your child with Thomas, what are you planning to do next? Thomas isn’t going to let Riley go, and if you don’t want to give Riley up, it seems that you can only…continue to be with him. Which is why, Yannie, I want to know your thoughts.”
Bethan asked this not because she wanted to play matchmaker. It was that Riley did not have a long time to be with her anymore. She wanted to see Riley have a family of her own and grow up happily, and she would then feel relieved.
In other words, since she could not find her child, she could only put her hopes on Riley.
IL… If her fourth child with Brettley was no longer around, seeing Riley living happily would at least give her some comfort.
“I…”
Yannie’s voice trembled. “I don’t know. Actually, L…”
Truth be told, she…began falling for Thomas a little already.
No. Perhaps she should say that she had always liked Thomas, ever since that night more than a year ago. From not knowing who Thomas was, to becoming his loyal fan, to joining his fan club and being the leader of his fan club…every step she took made her fall deeper for this man.
Back then, when she found out she was pregnant with Thomas’ child, she was over the moon. She never thought of getting close to him or having him for herself. It was more as if liking himn has given her satisfaction in life.
It was until she met him in real life.
Her feelings for him started from liking him, to being disappointed in him, back to slowly liking him “Actually, I do want to raise Riley with him.”
Pausing for a long time, Yannie finally said, “Bethan, I also know your feelings toward Riley. I know you can’t let her go, so, if it’s possible, I’ll try my best to stay with Thomas and take good care of Riley. If Thomas and I really end up together, in the future, I’ll often take him and Riley to see you.”
Upon hearing Yannie’s words, Bethan smiled. “Great.”
She had asked Thomas the same question. His answer was more or less the same as Yannie’s.
Riley had her family at long last.
At that thought, Bethan hung up the call as a lone tear streamed down her face.
Riley was going to be happy. What about her child?
“Bethan.”
Suddenly, a low man’s voice rang out in her ear. At the same time, a large hand gently wiped away her tears.
Bethan did not open her eyes. Instead, she cradled the hand that wiped away her tears and buried herself into that person’s arins.
She did not need to look at him to know what he looked like and what his expression was at that moment.
Brettley hugged her tightly. His voice was rather hoarse. “You heard about it?”
He meant about Thomas leaving with Riley and Yannie.
“Yes.”
Bethan nodded and said, her voice cracking, “Riley is leaving. That’s good, too. They’re actually related and are a family, L…I’m only with her for a short while.”
She understood this, but…
She thought that if she could not find her daughter, raising Riley would be good too. Alas, this would all be mere wishful thinking
She should wish Yannie and Thomas well. She should be happy for Riley, but she felt empty inside.
Brettley sighed. He hugged her tightly and said calmly in a low voice, “I know what you’re thinking, so…”
Brettley smiled and said, “I plan to take you along to Saigen City next week.”
Bethan’s eyes instantly widened at that. She looked at him in disbelief. “We’re going to Saigen City?”
“Yes.”
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.