Smiling, I nodded.
“Then I won’t lose Snowfluff next time. I’ll take care of it well so that I won’t have any regrets in the future,” she stated proudly.
My smile faltered as I subconsciously turned toward John and said, “John, even Summer could understand the theory. Stop living in a world of your own.”
He pressed his lips together and didn’t respond.
As a normally quiet person, Hannah never spoke much either.
After the meal, when we moved to have tea in the yard, Summer pestered Hannah to look at the flowers at the rear of the house.
As I sat across John, I decided not to beat around the bush. “When do you plan to hold the wedding?” I asked.
He furrowed his brows. “What wedding?”
“Your wedding with Ms. Anne, of course. Are you planning to get a marriage certificate after she has given birth?”
He shrugged nonchalantly and replied, “I don’t plan to get married. I do want the child since it’s mine, but I have no plans to marry her. After the delivery, I’ll give her a sum of money and transfer the guardianship of the child under you. It’s the same thing as when Summer was transferred to you.”
Listening to him, I was momentarily speechless from the wave of anger. Had it not been because the tea in my hands was scalding hot, I would have splashed it right in his face.
“John Stanhope! Do you have any idea how irresponsible you are? I already feel sorry for Summer, yet you’re planning to let your child be born into a single-parent family? Moreover, what’s so bad about Hannah? She’s elegant and magnanimous. The only reason you could degrade her this way is because she loves you. Don’t wait for the day when she has given up that you realize what exactly you did wrong!”
Indifferent, he sipped his tea and leaned against the chair, speaking in a leisure tone, “She wants money—I’ll give her money. She gives birth to my child, and I give her money in return—is that not taking responsibility? Besides, I’m sure you’ll dote on the child the same way you love Summer.”
I—
Unable to hold back, I splashed the cup of tea in my hand in his direction and yelled, “Stop dreaming! I won’t raise your child. Since you’ve decided to keep it, as a man, you have the obligation to make her your wife!”
I was infuriated beyond reason. In an attempt to suppress my anger, I whirled around and headed toward the rear of the house.
It had been a long time since I last got that agitated. Bumping into Anthony, who had just come down from the second floor, he questioned, “What happened?”
“Men are all good-for-nothing!” I answered furiously, having yet to calm myself down.
Anthony was speechless. A short while later, when I’d calmed my emotions, he chuckled. “Not mad anymore?”
I nodded, looking at him somewhat awkwardly. “Earlier—”
“I get it. Was it about John and Ms. Anne?” He smiled in understanding.
“For a woman such as Hannah, once he has missed it, he’ll never find it again. Rather than cherishing the gem he has, he’s decided not to get married. Sc*mbag!”
With an arm outreached, he took me aside to rest on a chair and said gently, “Are you mad because he doesn’t know how to cherish her or because of how he feels toward you?”
I was stunned for a minute when I glanced up into his fervent gaze. It took a while for me to find my voice and said, “His feelings for me aren’t romantic but like siblings. It’s just that he’s yet to realize it.”
I understood precisely how well John treated me. All these years, he had considered everything about me in his heart. In outsiders’ eyes, it seemed to be no different from a relationship between man and woman. But having gotten involved in a real relationship, how could I not know what John’s feelings were for me? We knew each other since we were young and lived through the hard times by each other’s side. Having spent those years together, how could I not differentiate between family and love?
We were both lonely at heart. Without Grandma and Macy, the only person we had to depend on were each other.
If he were to feel romantically for me—based on his personality—he would’ve made a move a long time ago.
Anthony watched me for a long time without saying a word.
Standing in his shoes, I could understand what he was worried about and said in assurance, “I was mad because he couldn’t see through his own feelings. I fear it’ll take him losing the most important person to him before he finally gets himself together. I was mad about how clueless he was.” Pausing, I grabbed his hand and got serious. “Anthony, we’re not kids anymore. Having lived for nearly half my life, I’m clear about what my heart wants. I merely don’t wish for John to live in regrets, that’s all.”
Despite all that I said, Anthony only stared at me dispiritedly, staying quiet. I searched his face but couldn’t figure out what his true thoughts were. Believing that he was mad, I added, “Anthony, you can’t be this petty.”
His lips curved, a hint of amusement shining in his eyes. “What do I have to do to not be considered petty?”
Realizing that he was teasing me, I shot him a glare and refused to communicate further.
Before I could stand up and get away, he plopped me down onto his lap and encircled my waist, his voice laced with amusement. “How about we let them handle their own problems while we live our own lives?”
I sighed. Wouldn’t that be nice? But John was family to me after all.
“Hannah is a really good woman,” I said. “Once John loses her, it’ll be forever.”
Leaning his head on my shoulder, Anthony said moodily, “What can you do then?”
“If Uncle Louis finds out, perhaps he could let Hannah into the Stanhope family.” John had always been respectful to Uncle Louis.
He lifted his head to stare at me thoughtfully. “You’ve investigated Hannah’s past?”
I frowned, confused about his question. “Even if her background’s inferior, Uncle Louis isn’t one to be bothered about it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have acknowledged me publicly and entered me into the Stanhope’s family register.”
He raised his brows and said, “Louis may not care about the girl’s family background, but he’ll care about her personal experiences. These past thirty years, you’ve had a clean record being the Moore family’s daughter, my wife, and a graduate. These could make Louis accept you, but Hannah doesn’t have those.”
“Even though she didn’t graduate college nor marry into a wealthy family, she’s elegant and dignified. That alone will satisfy Uncle Louis.”
Holding me, he smiled weakly. “Things aren’t always as simple as it seems, Sienna.”
Out of nowhere, Summer ran over and insisted that Anthony play with her. Unable to decline her, they left alongside each other.
I remained seated in the chair, uncertain what sort of past Hannah had that could make Uncle Louis unable to accept her.
In the evening, at the villa’s entrance, John stared deeply at me and said, “Since you’re back to K City, you should take Summer home. After all, you and Mr. Featherstone are divorced. The longer you stay here, the more tongues will wag.”
I blanked out slightly. Deep inside, I knew he was unwilling to see me and Anthony living together without clearing up our situation.
Anthony didn’t say a word as he sent them off politely.
Having played for an entire day, Summer was exhausted and fell asleep right on the living room floor.
I was then backed into the doorframe and caged in by him. “Four years ago, I didn’t sign the divorce agreement. We’re still lawfully married. Is it not okay for a married couple to live under the same roof?”
Looking at his willful appearance, I burst out laughing. Tilting my head, I said, “It’s fine, that’s why I’m staying.”
He smiled softly, his eyes reflecting his happiness. Had it not been for Summer waking up groggily in the living room, he probably would’ve been unable to restrain himself.
Fall in K City was occasionally gloomy and uncertain.
On Tuesday, I had stayed in the villa revising for several consecutive days, bored from having been alone for some time.
After getting a change of clothes, I went to peel some fruits in the kitchen before sending them to Summer at her school. However, I was denied access and had to send them to Anthony at Featherstone Corporation instead.
The skies were overcast. Luckily, Anthony had given me a car to drive and the traffic was relatively smooth.
When I arrived at Featherstone Corporation, I stopped to allow myself to take it all in. Four years ago, it was merely one of the many inconspicuous companies in the industry. Yet now, it had turned into a multi- story building with its name hanging strikingly on the front.
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.
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