Chapter 409

The mention of Evadne caused a dark cloud to descend over Hamilton’s face, an ominous sign of brewing storm.

“What did you say? What do you mean by that?”

“Evadne and Elspeth have always been like oil and water, a well known fact even before she and Thaddeus divorced If you think about it, every time she made an appearance, it was always to stir up trouble for the Abernathy Group. This time is no different. Even if she disregards Elspeth’s feelings, she should at least respect the reputation of the Abernathy family!”

Frederic originally intended to gloss over his error in judgment, but the more he spoke, the more he let his resentment toward Evadne show. He was so convincing that he almost fooled himself, “The funeral was a solemn occasion. Why did she have to create a scene then? Couldn’t she wait until it was over? Her actions clearly indicate that she wants to go against the Abernathy Group. The current state of affairs is entirely due to Evadne’s reckless actions and her relentless attacks on our group!

“So, you think Evadne is to blame for all this?” Hamilton’s piercing gaze narrowed,

“At the very least, Evadne bears undeniable responsibility,” Frederic replied coolly, a master of buck–passing.

“Shut the fuck up!”

Hamilton, unable to control his rage, grabbed the telephone from the table and flung it at Frederic!

This time, Frederic dodged it. If he hadn’t, his head would have resembled a camel’s hump!

“When a servant from the Abernathy family died, you and Elspeth, as the masters of Windermere Estate, showed complete disregard for a human life! Evadne, with her family, was these ones who arranged the funeral for that poor kid, granting her the respect and dignity she deserved. You not only failed to do anything but also allowed your reckless wife to run wild. And now, you’re blaming Evadne, an innocent woman. You’re blaming a young woman in her twenties. Do you have any shame left?”

Hamilton couldn’t remain calm when it came to his precious llana. His eyes were bloodshot with rage, his pale, dry l*ps trembling, “Frederic, when did you become so ruthless and unjust? Or have you always been like this, and I was just too blind to see it?”

Frederic was taken aback!

Seeing the anger in his father’s eyes, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine. His temples throbbed, “So you’ve never really accepted nie, have you? Back then, compared to Felix, you would have rather seen me in prison, wouldn’t you?

Hamilton’s pupils contracted, he slapped the armrest of his wheelchair, “Both you and your brother are my sons. In my eyes, you’re equal. I’ve never favored one over the other. It’s your overthinking that made you feel neglected and overlooked! But now, I do regret not sending you to jail to teach you a lesson! I regret not getting rid of that vixen Elspeth when you were so determined to marry her! I regret not protecting Thaddeus and his mother, resulting in Thaddeus losing his mother at such a young age. You missed out on a woman who truly loved you!”

“Loved me? What did you say?” Frederic’s face turned pale; he asked in shock.

Hamilton thought of Thaddeus‘ mother, a woman named Cynthia Winter, a pang of bitterness surged in his heart, “Cynthia only ever loved you. She never changed her feeling toward you, nor did she have crush on any other man. I always wondered who Thaddeus inherited his hopeless romantic nature from. I initially thought it was from me, but then I realized, he got it from his mother.”

“It’s impossible. How can it be?”

Frederic’s eyes were filled with confusion, “If she loved me, why didn’t she agree to marry me? Why was she so indifferent to me? She wouldn’t even let me touch her.”

“That’s because she was suffering, both physically and mentally. She was severely depressed and was in constant pain. Every morning, her first thought was how she should end her life, but thinking of Thaddeus, she couldn’t bear to leave her young son behind.”

Frederic staggered back, a sharp pain gripping his heart.

He knew about Cynthia’s depression back then, but aside from her usual reticence and secluded life, there wasn’t any abnormality about her. Besides, at that period of time, people had few knowledge on this mental disease; most of those suffering from depression tended to be neglected by their family, and even was criticized by others as being unreasonable. Thus, at that time, Frederic didn’t realize Cynthia’s condition had already been serious; combined with his busy schedule as a CEO, he unwittingly

overlooked it.

Hamilton’s eyes filled with sorrow, “I thought she was distancing herself from you because she wanted to manipulate you or because she fell in love with someone else. But then one day, when you were away on a business trip, Cynthia came to see me and told me everything.”

“Mr. Abernathy, I came here today to ask you for a favor.”

Hamilton recalled Cynthia – as beautiful as ever, standing in front of him without any makeup, dressed modestly. It was no wonder his son was so captivated by her.

– “I hope you would allow me to leave Frederic, to leave the Abernathy family.”

“You want to leave the Abernathy family? And what about Thaddeus, do you plan to take him too?” Hamilton was unable to keep his seat upon hearing her words.

Cynthia simply shook her head.

– “That is the main reason I came to see you today. I plan to leave the Abernathy family alone, taking nothing with me, not even Thad. He is my son, but he is also Frederic’s son, your grandson. I have seen how much you care for him, and knowing that he has a grandfather who loves him will bring me comfort no matter where I am. Moreover, I am aware of my poor health. Having a mother like me would be torture for Thaddeus every day. In the long run, the bond between us will inevitably wear thin. I don’t want

him to resent me.”

Hamilton could sée

that Cynthia, though seemingly frail, was intelligent. He knew that the Abernathy family could provide Thaddeus with opportunities she never could give for him in her lifetime. If her son was able to stay at the Abernathy Group, he’d receive the best education and enjoy the best life, and when he grew up, he’d be one of the

elites.

It was parents who would always plan the best for their son since born.

– “I have a question for you, Cynthia. Why do you want to leave the Abernathy family now?”

Despite his relief that she did not want to take Thaddeus with her, Hamilton couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Frederic dotes on you immensely. He would do literally everything just to make you smile. He even wants to marry you. Once you become his legal wife, you would be a member of the Abernathy family. You have even given him a son, Thaddeus, who could potentially be the future heir of the Abernathy Group. With such glory and wealth within your reach, you still wish to leave. Are you truly willing to give all that up? Or have you already fallen in love with someone else, and you being with Frederick is due to our family’s influence, but you never truly loved son?”

my

After that, Hamilton felt his question was rude, yet Cynthia did not show any signs of resentment. She simply responded calmly.

No, Mr. Abernathy, I love Frederic, truly. But given my current mental and physical state, I am no longer fit to be his wife, or the lady of the Abernathy Group. I don’t know how much longer I can accompany him. The woman standing by his side should be beautiful and competent, capable of taking care of him and their kids, and contributing to his career. But I cannot do any of these. I don’t want to become a burden to him. If I leave now, it would be easier on my heart.

Hamilton narrated all this, his eyes welling up with tears.

<

Frederic was left standing in shock, his heart pounding heavily in his chest, as if it would break his ribs.

“No, how can this be?” He murmured, his l*ps trembling, the muscles on his cheeks twitching slightly.

Seeing Frederic’s distraught state, Hamilton was reminded of Thaddeus. In many ways, he felt that his grandson was far more promising than his son, but there was one part where they bore the resemblance they were both stubborn, refusing to admit their mistakes until they hit rock bottom.

“Cynthia asked me to keep this a secret from you. She wanted to leave quietly, without causing any fuss. She didn’t want you or Thaddeus to hold onto any memories of

her.”

Hamilton shook his head regretfully, “I was foolish and selfish back then. I didn’t consider her feelings, and only cared about keeping Thaddeus in the Abernathy family. But I didn’t expect Elspeth to come into the picture! I didn’t expect you to fall for another woman, and bring such a terrible person into the Abernathy family! I regret it so much.” “If Cynthia hadn’t been so cold towards me, if she hadn’t despised me, I wouldn’t have married Elspeth.“,

Even now, Cynthia held a higher place in Frederic’s heart than Elspeth

Even if Elspeth hadn’t done so many terrible things, Cynthia could never be replaced in his heart, but he was stubborn; he never admitted his mistakes, nor did he back down. He was the golden boy, the pride of the heavens. Everything he wanted was within his reach, and everyone answered to his call.

He couldn’t stand Cynthia’s indifference towards him, that she was not loving him. That was why Elspeth was able to wedge herself between them, and how that deceptive, malicious woman managed to take over their home!

“Murray, please bring out the items Cynthia left with me.”

“Yes, Mr. Abernathy.”

Murray took out a wooden box from his bag and handed it to Frederic, “Mr. Abernathy, these are the personal items of the former Mrs. Abernathy. She left them with Mr. Hamilton before deciding to leave the Abernathy family. She said it would be a pity to throw them away, but keeping them would only bring her sorrow. So, these items, including the tokens of love and rings you once gave her, should be returned to their rightful owner.”

Frederic stared at the box, his hands trembling but not daring to take it.

“Let bygones be bygones, Frederic. You’ve replaced the old with the new. I don’t see any reason for you to keep these reminders of the past.”

Hamilton’s gaze darkened, “But now, I think it’s time I let you have these. Otherwise, you’ll never see who you truly love, and you’ll never see how foolish you’ve been.Frederic took the box, his throat tightening, unable to speak.

When he left the office, Hamilton leaned against the door, drained of strength, as if all his energy had been sucked away.

“Mr. Hamilton,” Murray paused, gently questioning, “This box, Cynthia wanted you to dispose of it back then. Why did you keep it for her instead of following her wishes?“Because I was waiting, waiting for him to see Elspeth’s true colors.

“But as you just saw, Mr. Frederic is still trying to protect her. It seems that he hasn’t really done it.”

“Hmph, no, he’s just defending his own pride and dignity. If I don’t understand my own son, who does?

Hamilton leaned back, eyes closed, “Now, he might be just one step away from giving up on Elspeth. At this moment, reigniting his feelings for an old love might just give him a push. The damage caused by a person who has passed away is often more potent than that caused by the living. It can make him wake up, regretful of his past decisions.”

The fancy car headed towards Windermere Estate.

Frederic clutched the wooden box tightly all the way, taking a long time to muster the courage to open it.

The box was divided into two layers; the first layer was neatly arranged velvet pouches. Each time he opened one, Frederic felt a sharp pain in his heart.

The diamond ring, the engagement ring he gave her, seemed a bit small now, but thirty years ago, it was enough to make any woman envious; the jade bracelet was a birthday gift he had carefully picked for her.

Back then, he remembered her birthday, their anniversary, every holiday celebrated by lovers, but now, he didn’t even want to remember the day she passed away.

Frederic took a deep breath and opened the second layer – it was a stack of old photographs.

He picked them up tremblingly, fl*pping through them one by one. His eyes turned red, a buzzing sound in his ears, and his vision blurred with tears.

He remembered, Cynthia loved photography, always carrying a small camera, strolling around Windermere Estate while taking pictures.

Back then, he didn’t know what she was capturing, but now, he did. In Cynthia’s photographs, there was only one protagonist – him,”

On the back of the photographs were her confessions of love, reserved, gentle, and deeply affectionate.

“Seeing the sky at dawn and clouds at dusk, thinking of you when I walk, thinking of you when I sit.”

I don’t know when it started, but I’ve become someone who can’t be separated from you. Perhaps this is what the Bible means when it says that woman was made from

man’s rib

“Frederic, I hope my humble background, my regrettable past, my clumsy love hasn’t burdened you. I know my love is insignificant in your bright and brilliant life. But Frederic, this is all I can give. I love you very much.”

Frederic crumpled up the photograph, his tears silently rolling down his cheeks, soaking the delicate handwriting.

“Why didn’t you ever tell me this? Cynthia, do you know I’ve always loved you very much.”

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