Thomas’ low voice rang out. “Will you be willing to accompany me to visit my parents at noon later?”
Yannie paused and instinctively glanced at the closed door. “I’m with Gwen-” “I need you, Yannie,”
Thomas interrupted before she could even finish her sentence. There was a hint of excitement in his tired voice as he said, “Because…this could turn out to be one of the most memorable days in my life, so I want you to witness it with me.”
Yannie bit her lip and fell silent upon hearing Thomas’ earnest request, then finally agreed.”
Alright, I’ll come with you.”
She agreed to go with him not because she was fine with leaving Gwen but because…
Gwen had Bethan and Rachel with her, but she was the only person Thomas had. Even though he was a world–famous celebrity with good looks, wealth, and good family background, Yannie knew better than anyone just how lonely he truly was.
Ever since his mother passed and his father remarried, Thomas had always felt abandoned and spent most of his time alone.
She and Riley were the closest people he had to a family.
Thomas rarely told Yannie things like this, so after some careful contemplation, she decided to go with him.
“Alright, I’ll go pick you up at noon.”
Thomas curled his lips into a smile and hung up the phone cheerily.
Yannie tucked her phone away, returned to the room, and explained what had just happened in Bethan’s ear. “Bethan, I… I have to go with Thomas.”
Bethan was an understanding person, so when she heard this, she naturally smiled and reached out to pat Yannie’s shoulder. “Go ahead; don’t worry. With Rachel and I around, Gwen will be fine. You can go ahead and be there for Thomas in his time of need.”
Yannie murmured a response and bade Bethan farewell before leaving. After coming out of the hotel, she stopped by the hospital to visit Riley.
Riley was sleeping soundly inside the specialized neonatal ward that Thomas had requested for her.
“Little Riley is getting stronger by the day,” the doctor said, smiling. “Judging by her progress, she’ll be able to play like a normal child in less than six months.”
Yannie continued watching Riley for a long time through the glass before eventually leaving.
Unbeknownst to her…
As soon as she left, the doctor removed her face mask and entered the stairwell.
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Howard. Everything is going just as we planned.”
11 a.m.
Yannie arrived at the lobby of Howard Group, dressed in a dainty–looking suit. Everyone that passed by her on their way out of the building could not help sneaking glances at her.
She was stunning–even more so than Denise Hughes, the most beautiful woman in the city!
Yannie waited in the lobby for about half an hour before Howard eventually emerged, surrounded by assistants. “We’ll resume this discussion in the afternoon. I have something important to attend to now.”
Then, he glanced at his personal assistant and ordered, “Send a car to pick up…”
Before he could even finish, however, he caught sight of Yannie, who was standing in the distance, grinning at him. She was standing right in a patch of sunlight that illuminated her beautiful smile and gleaming eyes. Thomas’ heart leaped into his throat. He immediately strode towards her, leaving all the assistants behind him.
“When did you arrive?”
Yannie lifted her head to gaze at Thomas’ handsome face, smiling. “Not too long ago.”
“Liar.”
Thomas sighed, gently wiped the sweat off her forehead with his sleeve, and then helped her get into the car. “Let’s go.”
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Yannie buckled her seatbelt and turned to stare at Thomas. “What are we doing this afternoon?”
Thomas curled his lips into a smile and said, smiling, as he started the engine, “You’ll find out soon enough; I’ve been waiting for this day since ages ago.”
Even though Thomas knew that his wretched father was not apologizing out of genuine remorse, due to the situation at hand, the fact that he was willing to admit his mistake was enough.
When his mother’s birthday rolled around, he could finally visit his mother’s grave and declare to her that her son had finally helped avenge her death.
Yannie sighed when she saw Thomas smiling but did not ask further questions.
Since he was not willing to reveal anything yet, she would wait patiently. After all, it was about time, and she would find out soon enough.
Besides…
Since they were heading to Howard Mansion, Yannie could make an educated guess as to why Thomas was so delighted.
The car soon arrived at its destination where Tina and Denise were both standing at the door, awaiting their arrival.
As soon as Thomas’ car pulled to a stop, Tina approached them with a giant smile. “You’re right on time, Thomas…
However, both Tina and Denise’s smiles froze on their faces when they saw Yannie getting out of the passenger seat.
Tina first stared at Yannie in disbelief, then glanced at Denise.
Finally, she shot Thomas a disapproving glance. “
Thomas, you knew full well why I called you here for lunch today, so why did you have to bring an outsider along?”
The color drained from Yannie’s face.
Thomas, on the other hand, put his arm around Yannie’s shoulder and stared coldly at Tina and Denise. “Who are you calling an outsider? Yannie is the mother of my daughter and my future wife. If you consider her an outsider…”
He curled his lips into a smirk and swept his icy gaze over Denise’s face. “What about Ms. Hughes here?”
Denise paled at this.
Tina paused, then chuckled and replied, “Denise is my goddaughter, so of course she’s not an outsider.”
Then, she smiled and turned around, pulling Denise along with her. “We’re all family!”
“I shouldn’t have come, should I?”
Yannie asked softly, biting her lip as she watched Tina and Denise leave.
“Nonsense.”
Thomas pulled her closer to him. “If you don’t think you should come, I shouldn’t, too. Since they’ve claimed me as their son, they’ll also have to claim you as their daughter–in–law.”
A surge of warmth spread into Yannie’s heart when she heard this.
She bit her lip and murmured in response, then pried herself away from Thomas’ grip and followed him into the house.
However, to Thomas’ surprise
Tina had initially told her that Senior Howard was supposed to apologize to him over lunch, but as soon as they entered the door, they realized that Senior Howard was not even home.
Thomas furrowed his brow as he stared at Tina. “Where’s that wretched man?”
Tina let out an awkward chuckle. “Your father had been waiting for you at home, but an urgent situation arose at the company branch, so he had to leave early…”
Tina could not help sighing as she added, “You of all people should know what’s happening with our company right now. That friend of yours, Brettley Morrison, is so good that even after handing over the company to you, he can’t manage the branch all by himself either…
“Otherwise, he wouldn’t have had to resort to inviting you here to apologize.”
Thomas furrowed his brow dubiously.
He hesitated for a moment, then sent a quick message to Brettley before taking Yannie’s hand and following Tina and Denise into the dining room.
The servants were busy setting the table, and Yannie could not help pursing her lips when she saw all the lavish food on the table.
This was her third time coming to Howard Mansion. The first time, she had come with Thomas, and the second time, Tina had forced her here without Thomas’ knowledge to attack her alongside Denise.
This was her third time here and, arguably, the kindest treatment she had received.
She remembered that the first time she came here with Thomas, the food they served was simple and somewhat miserable, so much so that even her mother’s cooking was better than this.
This time, she could sense how much the members of the Howard family began to value Thomas.
Perhaps this was the reward he deserved for all his hard work.
At the thought of this, Yannie sighed and instinctively glanced at the man standing next to 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.