Chapter 270 Should he let grandpa make the decisions for him?
The manner in which she referred to him as Mr. Ebenezer was laced with an air of detachment and indifference. Ebenezer felt his heart plummet, guilt swelling within him.
As Nora made to leave, he hastily called out to her, "Nora."
She halted mid-step, yet did not turn to face him. Instead, she offered, "Mr. Ebenezer, don't burden yourself with guilt. My existence is not your fault. Farewell."
Perhaps this was the hand fate had dealt them.
A touch of adversity to test their mettle.
As he watched her depart, Ebenezer heaved a sigh heavy with regret.
From the sidelines, Emma scoffed, "Well, she certainly has some backbone."
She had not latched onto the Hamilton family out of desperation.
This outcome brought her satisfaction.
Ebenezer's expression was grave. He shot her a glance before turning to leave.
Watching his retreating figure, Emma struggled to suppress her anger. "Ebenezer, what kind of look is that for me? I played the villain for the sake of our family, didn't I?"
Without a word, Ebenezer exited. He may not be able to bestow upon his daughter a title just yet, but he was resolved to provide her with financial compensation first!
At the hospital.
Mary clutched at her chest, furiously addressing Aaron, "Aaron, did you see? Nora's illegitimate child attacked me. What does that say about her upbringing? It's a reflection of Nora's character. Aren't you severing ties with her quickly enough?"
Aaron's expression was stern. Upon hearing his mother refer to the child as 'illegitimate', he shot her a frosty glance.
"Mom, if you were out with Alford Baggins today, and someone insulted you, and I witnessed it, would I intervene or not?"
Mary was taken aback, "I..."
Aaron pressed on, "If I had intervened and struck the man who insulted you, would you still accuse me of being ill-mannered?"
Mary's expression fluctuated as she stared at Aaron's stern face and exclaimed, "After everything, you still want her, don't you? You're a disappointment, Aaron. Even now, you're taking her side? You want to marry her and become the town's laughingstock?"
Aaron parted his lips slightly to respond, "Mom, people will always gossip. We can't control what they say. Besides, they've talked about you behind your back too, haven't they?"
His words left Mary speechless, her face souring. She was aware that her marriage was far from perfect and that, despite their polite exteriors, the women in her social circle ridiculed her inability to manage her husband.
The thought of her unhappy marriage and her son's unwavering support for a stranger filled Mary with bitterness, causing her to spit out a mouthful of blood.
"Mom!"
Aaron's expression shifted as he hastily rang for the doctor.
Mary's face was ashen as she cried out, "Why even bother with me? Just let me die and end it all. Without my husband's love and an obedient son, what's the point of my life?"
Aaron's brows furrowed, and he remained silent as he wiped the blood from her mouth and gently rubbed her back.
The doctor arrived promptly.
Upon exiting the hospital room, Aaron was plagued by a throbbing headache. He could have chosen to defy everyone and marry whomever he pleased. But that was his mother; how could he be so heartless as to upset her to the point of death?
Yet he knew he couldn't just abandon his feelings for Nora.
What was he to do?
"Mr. Gordon, your mother is not in critical condition," the doctor informed him after the examination. "The blood was caused by a surge of anger. She needs to rest and avoid further agitation."
"Thank you," Aaron expressed his gratitude to the doctor before re-entering the room.
Lying in the sterile hospital bed, Mary had averted her gaze and closed her eyes, a clear sign of her reluctance to engage with her son, Aaron.
After a moment of silence, Aaron's voice broke through the sterile air of the room, gentle and soothing. "Mom, you should rest. I've arranged for someone to be stationed outside. If you need anything, just call for them. I have some business to attend to."
Mary remained silent, her eyes firmly shut, a statue of indifference.
Aaron turned and left the room, the door closing behind him with a soft click. His mind was clouded with thoughts. If his mother continued to resist, should he seek Grandpa's intervention? He hoped that Grandpa had developed a deep admiration for the trio.
Once the door was securely shut behind him, Mary slowly opened her eyes. She sat up indignantly, her gaze fixated on the harsh ceiling light, before reaching for the phone. "Mr. Linton, I'm Aaron's mother, Mary. I have a favor to ask of you."
As Aaron returned to Nora's villa, he found himself lost in thought, his gaze focused on the passing scenery outside the car window.
Upon his arrival, he greeted his grandmother and quickly noticed Nora's absence.
"Grandma, where's Nora?" he asked, his brows furrowing slightly.
"The children mentioned she went to have tea with a visitor from Lindwood City," Carter replied, her voice echoing in the grand foyer.
A frown creased Aaron's forehead. Was it Ebenezer again, inviting Nora out for tea? What was his true intention?
Aaron decided to check on the children upstairs first.
Upon reaching the second-floor living room, he found all three of them engrossed in their own worlds. One was engrossed in a computer game, another was fiddling with a tablet, and Samantha was braiding her doll's hair.
Their mood seemed sour, a stark contrast to their usual lively selves.
"Alex, Billy, Samantha," Aaron called out, his voice echoing in the room.
At the sound of his voice, they all glanced his way, but that was the extent of their acknowledgment. Even Samantha, who usually greeted him enthusiastically, remained silent.
Aaron's eyes softened, understanding that whatever had transpired at school must have upset them. But surely, he wasn't to blame, was he?
Aaron moved to sit next to Samantha, lifting her onto his lap. He gently examined her delicate wrist, which had already been treated with medicine.
"Samantha, who applied the medicine for you?" Aaron asked, his voice gentle.
"My brother," Samantha replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Why are you unhappy?" he inquired, his gaze softening.
"Dad... no, Uncle Gordon, did Grandma say you can't be with my mommy anymore?" Samantha asked, her voice wavering. She had initially wanted to call him Daddy but had corrected herself at her brother's reminder.
Aaron's brows furrowed at her words. "Samantha, who I choose to be with is my business, and nobody else's."
Samantha blinked her large eyes and looked towards her brothers.
With a serious expression, Alex spoke up, "But that grandmother seems to really dislike Mommy. If Mommy marries you, she's certain to be mistreated."
Aaron asked, "So, do you want me to stay away from your mommy?"
The three siblings exchanged glances, falling silent.
Of course, that wasn't what they wanted, but...
"Nobody can bully Mommy, not even your Grandma. If Mommy marries you and she gets bullied, I'll still stand up to her," Billy finally said, his small fists clenched with determination.
Aaron quirked a corner of his mouth, "I get it, I’m not saying you did wrong."
This kid was really brave!
"But you need to remember something, many problems can't be solved with force. The reason you're learning Taekwondo isn't to go around hitting people."
Aaron felt it was necessary to impart this lesson to the boys.
Billy felt a bit guilty, his lips quivering, "I was just really mad."
"I was right beside you, you could have asked for my help instead of lashing out. After all, that wasn't some irredeemably bad person. You can't just throw punches whenever there's a disagreement."
Aaron spoke slowly, his handsome face stern, "You're both still young, and not very strong. If you were older, hitting someone could easily lead to serious trouble, and you’d be facing legal consequences, you understand?"
He was clear-cut in his actions. He would praise when it was due, but he wouldn’t hold back the criticism when needed.
Otherwise, the kids could easily go astray.
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