I had wanted to tell Dad about my marriage with Christopher as it was killing me to keep so many things bottled up, but I held my tongue because I knew he wouldn’t care.
“I was just curious, that’s all. Mom seemed to care a lot about Uncle Robert when she spoke to me the other day. She’s really sad about his death, too. Do you know how Uncle Robert died?”
Nathan shuddered and said after a brief pause, “The Andersons were quite a prominent family in Avenport back in the day. Robert was a brilliant businessman, but his stubbornness and arrogance got to him and he couldn’t get back up after taking a few huge blows. The Andersons faced bankruptcy after a major project of theirs failed, and Robert… Well, he couldn’t take it and jumped off a building.”
“Really?” I remember Mom telling me that Julia was the last person Uncle Robert saw before he died, but it seemed everyone else thought he had taken his own life.
“That’s right. He jumped from Centurion Tower ten years ago. That building was owned by the Andersons, and your mom has been conflicted about it ever since. It happened shortly after we got married,” Nathan said in a low voice.
My mind was completely filled with thoughts about Christopher after leaving the hospital that I ignored both Crystal’s taunts as well as the strange looks Scarlett and the others gave me.
I thought about paying the Goldstein family a visit even though I really disliked them, which was probably due to the conflicts I had with the Tanners.
While crossing the street, I saw Mom and Darius on the other side. They seemed to be having an unpleasant conversation, judging by the angry look on Mom’s face. Darius, on the other hand, looked helpless as though he was plagued with guilt. He was trying to tell Mom something, but she simply brushed his arm off and walked away.
The two of them used to be really close and nearly became a couple. I waited until Mom drove off in her car before coming around the corner.
Darius stood there in place for quite a while, only to jump in shock when he noticed me standing next to him. “You saw everything?”
I shook my head. “I just happened to pass by.”
“I was going to help Chris out, but it looks like our past feelings for each other weren’t enough to change her mind!” Darius said with a wry smile and an inexplicable look of regret on his face.
I wasn’t sure if his regret was due to me and Chris becoming enemies or him being unable to protect the beautiful memories he had with my mom.
It’s probably more the former than the latter, I guess.
“Does Mom know that you used to…” Love her? I left the sentence hanging, but Darius clearly understood what I was implying and shook his head. “I couldn’t possibly tell her that until I was certain of her feelings for me, or it would only stress her out. Besides, your mom only loved your dad the whole time.”
“My mom loved my dad…” I kept repeating that sentence in my head. If she loved Dad so much, why did she leave him so decisively back then? Why would she now return to the country as Mrs. Goldstein? She’s not the kind of person who would do such a thing! Mom is a smart woman, so she wouldn’t have easily given up on the man she loved, even with Scarlett in the picture!
“Come over to the Lane residence when you have the time. My mom wants to see you,” Darius said.
“I will!”
I saw Mom sitting on the sofa in the living room the moment I got home. She was instructing a bunch of servants who were packing my belongings. “What’s going on, Mom? Where are they taking my stuff?” I asked anxiously as I ran up to her.
“Ah, you came just in time! You shouldn’t be staying here now that we’re finally reunited, so why don’t you move in with me? I bought a mansion in Avenport; we can live there together!” Isabelle replied with a smile and continued instructing the servants. She didn’t even bother to ask me if I wanted to live with her.
