Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Upon hearing their conversation, Old Mrs. Horton asked curiously, âWhich Allen family?â
Tom instinctively glanced at Lewis, not daring to respond.
Lewis, however, explained, âThe Allen family from Glance.â
The moment these words escaped his lips, a semblance of shock washed over Old Mrs. Hortonâs face.
Keira, who was acutely perceptive, sensed that the atmosphere in the room had become slightly tense.
Her doe-like eyes subtly surveyed Lewis before discreetly observing Tom.
Tom discreetly signaled her to avoid speaking recklessly.
At this moment, the nurse came in with breakfast. Keira assisted Old Mrs. Horton towards the table where the food had been arranged.
The three of them usually refrained from talking while they were dining. However, today, after Old Mrs. Horton finished half her bowl of milk, she set her spoon down, âBrat, isnât it better for you not to work with the Allen family?â
Keira glanced at Lewis.
The man lowered his gaze. His long eyelashes veiled his thoughts, making them inscrutable.
Seeing this, Tom immediately suggested, âMiss Olsen, if itâs alright, shall we go and ask the doctor about Old Mrs. Hortonâs health status?â
Keira deduced from these words that Tom was trying to clear the room. The rest of the conversation, she surmised, wasnât meant for them to hear.
She picked up the half-eaten sandwich and was about to leave the room with Tom, when Old Mrs. Horton grabbed her arm, âMy dear, you donât need to leave. Youâre one of us, not an outsider. Sooner or later, youâll know about the mess in this family!â
Tom instinctively looked toward Lewis.
Lewis knitted his brows, looking slightly displeased. He opened his mouth but eventually said nothing.
Tom left the room quietly, closing the door behind him. He stood guard outside to prevent anyone from barging in and to avert any eavesdropping.
Seeing this, Keira understood that she was about to learn some of the Horton familyâs secrets. She felt awkward, not knowing whether to stay or to leave. After all, she wasnât Lewisâs real wife or lover. Was it appropriate for her to listen to their conversation?
Just as she was caught in this dilemma, Old Mrs. Horton began addressing her, âMy dear, Iâve never spoken to you about my spoiled bratâs mother, have I?â Keira cautiously glanced at Lewis and noticed that he was casually eating his bread without any intention of interrupting their conversation. She went ahead and asked, âWas Mr. Hortonâs mother related to the Allen family?â Old Mrs. Horton let out a sigh without really noticing their subtle interaction and confessed, âShe has no connection with the Allen family but with Mrs. Allen. In fact, the bratâs mother is Mrs. Alienâs sister.â
She went on about the past, âYears ago, we wanted to establish a marital alliance with the Davis family from Clance. My unsuccessful son had divorced once in his youth. When he was just over forty, he married a girl in her twenties from the Davis family. After she became pregnant, we discovered that his ex-wife had secretly raised a son â Lewisâs older brother.â
Keira was mentally sorting these relationships.
That Miss Davis would have been Lewisâs mother.
Her father-in-law, Nathan Horton, had a son with his ex-wife. That child was Lewisâs older brother, Oliver Horton, who was also Jake Hortonâs father.
Oliver and Lewis were half-brothers. No wonder they were at odds.
Old Mrs. Horton continued. âMarrying a man nearly twice her age was hardly an attractive prospect for the young Miss Davis. It was solely a business alliance. She was fairly reluctant, and upon discovering the deceit, she was furious. She was a hot-tempered woman and chose a C-section while she was seven months pregnant. After giving birth to the brat, she sought a drastic divorce and went back to the Davisâs. Rightfully so, the Davis family grew to resent the Horton family, and all communications between the two families were severed.â
Old Mrs. Horton looked somewhat distressed after recounting this.
Keira pursed her lips, looking toward Lewis.
Whether Lewisâs father, Nathan Horton, knew about the existence of his son, and whether he had truly deceived Lewisâs mother had now become a topic of irrelevance. Regardless, there was no arguing that Miss Davis had every right to demand a divorce.
But how could she be so heartless as to abandon her child, born prematurely at seven months, with the Horton family?
Couldnât she have waited till after the divorce to have the child or waited just two more months until he was fully ready for birthing?
He was already a seven-month fetus. He was a life!
She recollected something Old Mrs. Horton had once mentioned â that Lewis, as a newborn, was only around one and a half pounds. He had been placed in a neonatal intensive care unit for three months, with tubes fitted across his body. His condition had been so severe that several times, he had nearly failed to survive, which was why the old lady ended up nicknaming him âPuppyâ⦠So that was how it happened!
She was reminded of what Lewis had said to comfort her. âSome people donât deserve to be mothers. You can simply treat them as strangersâ. Keira drew a deep breath. She felt her chest tighten.
The truth was, Lewis was just like her. He was also abandoned by his biological mother.
She looked at Lewis, who was drinking milk with his head lowered. His handsome features looked as tough as iron, making him seem distant. That aloof demeanor seemed to carry a sense of brokenness.
Keira felt a tug at her heartstrings. She felt a sudden urge to hold himâ¦
Old Mrs. Horton sighed, knitting her brows. âI heard that Mrs. Allen and the bratâs biological mother were extremely close sisters. This led to the Allen familyâs disapproval of the Horton family all these years. Everyone had perspectives of their own, and none was right or wrong. If this is going to strain your relationship, is it necessary to force this partnership?â Lewis put down his glass of milk, gracefully wiped his mouth with a napkin, and finally looked up, âWe are all adults, and business always boils down toâ interests. We donât bring up past grudges.â
He got up. âGrandma, donât worry. I wonât let myself be wronged.â
Keira followed behind Lewis as they walked from the hospital ward toward the rehabilitation department.
However, they were stopped at the entrance of the rehab department.
Frankieâs secretary apologized with a grim expression. âMr. Horton, Miss Allen isnât in good condition. Itâs not convenient for her to entertain visitors.â
Upon hearing this, Tom lashed out furiously, âItâs an honor for the Allen family that our Mr. Horton has deigned to visit! They dare to drive us away?â
The secretary quickly clarified. âNo offense, she really isnât doing wellâ¦â
Before Tom could retort, Lewis intervened, âLetâs go.â
The trio began heading back the way they came. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
En route, Tom was infuriated. âThatâs an outrage! Do they really think weâre afraid of them? Weâre simply trying to avoid causing trouble!â
The day before, Jake paid a visit to the patient, but they were stopped today. Should this leak, wouldnât it make their boss look weak?!
Lewis, however, calmly remarked, âFrankie Allen isnât one to be arrogant. His sister must be truly unwell.â
Only then did Tom stop complaining.
Lewis was due at the company. Therefore, he parted ways with Tom at the parking area.
Keira let out a sigh, preparing to return to Old Mrs. Hortonâs ward.
Just then, her phone beeped.
It was a message from Rebeccaâs brother. âMiss Olsen, could you please come by the hospital? Rebeccaâs not doing well, and she insists on seeing you.â Keira looked puzzled.
Rebeccaâs brotherâ¦. His name was Frankie Allen, wasnât it?