Chapter 544 Hard Life
Celeste was originally thinking about cutting the Browns some slack, kinda like paying them back for raising Susan.
But now, she was just glad she didn't rip them to shreds.
"That's BS. Logan was just a kid back then, no way he did that," Chloe shot back, knowing there was no proof anyway.
Ruth snapped, "He was young, but he was already a cold-hearted little monster. Even as a kid, he was nasty enough to kill his own sister."
Chloe got so worked up by Ruth's words that she couldn't breathe and passed out.
Celeste looked at her with pure disgust.
"Get someone to haul her to the hospital."
Celeste wanted to leave Chloe out in the cold, but that'd make them just as bad as the scummy Browns.
Sophia never thought there was more to Susan falling into the lake. The Browns had really buried that secret deep. She'd been digging for ages and only found surface stuff.
Thinking about it made Sophia's eyes well up.
Gabriel, always the observant one, noticed her mood shift. He quietly took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.
Sophia felt a rush of strength. She turned to meet Gabriel's soft, concerned eyes, feeling a warmth spread through her.
Everyone piled back into the car, and Ruth was fuming, ranting about how nasty Chloe was.
Ruth knew all this because she accidentally overheard Susan spilling the beans to her daughter-in-law.
"Austin should've never married that witch Colin. If he'd married Imogen back then, the Browns wouldn't be in this mess, getting worse with each generation."
Talking about Austin's past, Ruth had a lot to say, and Sophia was all ears.
She'd never met Austin, but from what Susan told her, Austin was a good guy who treated Susan well.
When Austin was young, he had a girlfriend named Imogen Rivera, but their families didn't match up, so Austin's parents made him marry Chloe.
Back then, marriage was for life. Even though Chloe was always causing drama, Austin never mentioned divorce.
"Austin was great to Susan. He sent her to college and found her a good husband, the heir of the Kellys. He also built the Brown Group into one of the top companies in the country."
Ruth sighed, "It's a shame Austin died so young. If he were still around, Chloe and Logan wouldn't have dared to pull this crap."
Austin was the backbone of the Browns. After he died, the Browns fell apart fast.
Besides what Ruth said, Sophia couldn't help but spill about all the crap the Browns had done to her and Susan.
Celeste listened, feeling a mix of anger, heartbreak, and guilt.
If only they had found Susan and Sophia sooner.
At the hospital, Caroline came by with food, and Paul was lying there looking all pitiful.
Paul hadn't taken his health seriously that day and ignored the doctor's advice to get checked out. The next day, he was in so much pain from a stomach ache that he couldn't stand, and Molly had to rush him to the hospital.
So Paul ended up hospitalized.
Paul couldn't help but curse to himself, 'Damn it! It's supposed to be New Year's Eve, and I'm stuck here.'
"Caroline, what are you guys eating tonight?" Paul asked pitifully while eating his porridge.
He really wanted some meat. After all, it was New Year's Eve.
Caroline started listing off the tasty dishes: "Tonight we have grilled steak, salmon..."
Hearing this, Paul couldn't help but drool.
"I'm getting out of here this afternoon!"
Caroline rolled her eyes at him. "Doc said you gotta stay for at least three days. This is only day two. Earliest you can bounce is after tomorrow's check-up."
Paul looked all distressed. "Caroline."
"Don't try to act all cute, it ain't gonna work. If it wasn't for the fact that you got no one else to look after you and you're kinda pitiful, I wouldn't be here."
On the first day in the hospital, Paul had called Caroline and bawled his eyes out, which made her come over.
Paul pouted and downed the rest of his porridge in one gulp.
"Tonight's New Year's Eve. Nicholas must be super lonely at home by himself."
'Nicholas alone?' Caroline thought to herself.
"Isn't he going back to The Watson Mansion?"
A mischievous glint flashed in Paul's eyes.
"He had a falling out with his family. Ever since Nicholas moved out with Josie, he hasn't gone back. He spends holidays alone. Nicholas is so lonely and pitiful."
"I'm also pitiful. My parents are abroad, and my relatives here don't give a damn about me. Why are Nicholas and I so unlucky?"
Caroline stayed quiet.
She packed up Paul's empty dishes.
"I'm not coming over to bring dinner tonight. You'll have to fend for yourself."
Seeing Caroline about to leave, Paul widened his eyes. "You're leaving already?"
"What else should I do?"
"I can tell you more about Nicholas."
"Tell me later."
With that, Caroline walked away without looking back.
Paul pouted, leaned against the headboard, and put his hands behind his head, thinking carefully about her words. "Tell me later?"
Seemed like there was still hope for Caroline and Nicholas in the future.
Nicholas finally got a break on New Year's Eve, only to get a call from Gummidge early in the morning.
Nicholas had already made his stance clear.
He wasn't going back to The Watson Mansion.
Around three in the afternoon, Sharpe dropped Nicholas off at Caroline's place and then left, saying he had to go home for dinner.
"Daddy." It was Josie who opened the door for Nicholas.
Josie ran up to Nicholas.
Nicholas rubbed her cheeks and looked around.
Josie sensed Nicholas's thoughts and said with a smile, "Mommy and Lisa are in the kitchen."
Nicholas pinched her nose, then sat her on his lap and wheeled himself in.
Caroline was surprised to see Nicholas.
She hadn't seen Nicholas in the past few days, and he hadn't come to visit Josie. She thought Nicholas had gone somewhere to celebrate New Year's.
She remembered what Paul had said in the hospital.
Caroline wondered, 'Is Nicholas really not going back to The Watson Mansion for New Year's?'
Nicholas played with Josie in the living room while Caroline and Lisa prepped dinner in the kitchen.
Half an hour later, Caroline came out.
Josie looked up.
"Mommy, can Daddy stay with us for New Year's tonight?"
Caroline smiled faintly. "Your daddy might not have time."
"I've finished my work and have time tonight." Nicholas immediately interrupted her.
His intention was clear: he wanted to stay and spend New Year's with them.
Caroline's hand clenched and then relaxed, feeling a strange sensation in her heart.
She wanted to refuse Nicholas. Their relationship was still murky.
'We shouldn't spend New Year's together,' Caroline thought.
But she couldn't say no to Josie's hopeful eyes.
'During such a holiday, a family should be together.'
So she decided to do it for Josie's sake.
Caroline didn't argue and went back to the kitchen. She didn't say anything more but silently agreed to let Nicholas stay.
Josie raised her hand, and Nicholas smiled indulgently, giving her a high-five.
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