Chapter 134 Cannot Be with Him Anymore
Meanwhile, at the Wilder family mansion, Catherine and Edward were preparing to retire for the night when the doorbell rang insistently. They hastened to open it.
Standing at the doorstep were William and Alice, their faces marked by contrition, and behind them was Hollis, her eyes swollen and red from crying.
"What happened?" Catherine asked, puzzled by their appearance.
Alice shot a glare at Hollis before Hollis, with a remorseful expression and hoarse voice, spoke up, "Auntie, I'm here to apologize."
Catherine's confusion only deepened. She ushered the trio into the living room, directing a maid to bring tea. Once they were seated, she asked, "What happened? Why are you apologizing?"
Hollis kept her head down, unable to meet Catherine's eyes. "Yesterday morning, you persuaded Finley to get into my car. I thought she would sit quietly and go to kindergarten, but on the way, she started making a fuss and tried to open the car door, disregarding her safety. I tried to calm her down several times, but she wouldn't listen. I lost my patience and, in a moment of frustration, stopped the car and... smacked her."
The revelation that Hollis had struck Finley darkened Catherine and Edward's expressions.
Hollis, on the verge of tears, continued to explain, "I really didn't mean to. It was entirely my fault. I shouldn't have hit a child. Finley is so adorable, and you both care for her so much. When I think about it now, I wish the one I slapped was myself. If only I had been more patient at that time."
Seeing Hollis's genuine remorse, Catherine’s expression softened slightly. "Since you realize you were wrong, apologizing to us won't solve anything. You should apologize to Finley. And promise this will never happen again."
Hollis looked even more troubled. "Auntie, I want to, but Donovan found out about it. He's very angry..."
"Donovan has every right to be angry," Catherine said, her brow furrowing in disapproval. "You need to talk to him properly."
As she finished speaking, Hollis's face grew even more sorrowful. "If Donovan can forgive me, I'll do anything. But..." Hollis trailed off, her voice trembling with uncertainty.
Alice, unable to contain her empathy, intervened. "Catherine, you don't understand how furious Donovan was. Last night, he lost it and even laid hands on Hollis. Look."
Alice lifted Hollis's hair to reveal the bruises on her neck.
The sight of the bruises left Catherine and Edward stunned, grappling with a new level of concern. They hadn’t anticipated such severity from Donovan.
Catherine, regaining her composure, asked with concern, "How bad is the injury? Is it serious?"
Hollis pressed her lips together and shook her head. "It's nothing. As long as Donovan can forgive me, this injury is nothing."
Seeing Hollis standing before them, regretful and bruised, Catherine's earlier dissatisfaction with her began to dissipate. They had witnessed the dedicated efforts Hollis had made over the years. Finley was indeed a challenging child—aloof and stubborn—making it difficult for anyone outside the immediate family to manage her.
Reflecting on Hollis’s explanation for her actions, Catherine found herself sympathizing. It wasn't right, but under intense stress, mistakes could happen.
"Donovan was just angry," Catherine said softly, her tone filled with understanding. "Your Uncle and I apologize on his behalf. Please don't take it too hard."
Despite Catherine's attempt to soothe her, Hollis's tears began to flow. "I'm fine," she managed between sobs. "It's just... I might not be able to stay with Donovan anymore. I couldn't even take care of Finley properly. I've let you down. If Donovan chooses Riley, I'll give them my blessings."
