Chapter 571 This Is the Life I Want
The atmosphere in the living room suddenly grew tense.
Peter knew trying to mediate would only make things worse, so he quietly slipped out.
Ellen took Molly away, too, giving them space to talk.
Edward felt his breath catch. His trembling hand instinctively reached out to hold Evelyn's, but he stopped short.
He thought to himself, Evelyn, I really don't want you to leave.
Edward wasn't a coward; he knew how he felt. But he felt he owed Evelyn and was guilty towards Charlie.
The painful three-year marriage and the loss of Evelyn's child were his fault. He had hurt Charlie's beloved daughter, and he felt unforgivable. He was willing to endure any scolding or even another beating from Charlie until he felt better.
"Dad, what are you thinking?"
Evelyn sneered, her eyes resolute. "If I listened to you, I wouldn't have risked everything to leave home back then. I suggest you stop worrying about my affairs."
"I left home and lived abroad for years, and you didn't bother to find me. Now, you're going to great lengths to ruin my happiness."
Edward pressed his lips together and stepped forward, anxiously looking at Evelyn's determined profile.
"Evelyn... you!"
Charlie was frantic, his face pale, his breathing unsteady. "Look at yourself! Do you still look like the Taylor family's daughter?"
"You're even going to the supermarket yourself. Have you been cooking these days? Haven't you had enough of being a nanny for the Wellington family for three years? Is this the love you want? The life you want?"
Charlie grew more and more furious!
His beloved daughter was meant to be pampered, not to suffer and do chores meant for servants. Edward was too much!
"Dad, this is the life I've always wanted, an ordinary life."
Evelyn's emotions were complex, her nose tingling. "I don't feel wronged because this is what I want. All I want is a home, two people, living a simple life."
Edward's lips turned pale, his clenched fingers forming a regretful fist.
An ordinary life, a lasting relationship. This was what Evelyn had always wanted, but he had only given it to her now.
"You've never experienced this, nor truly understood me. You don't even know what my mother wanted."
"So you have no right to judge my life or obstruct my choices."
Evelyn's words pierced Charlie's heart, making everything before him blur.
"And by the way, Edward has been cooking these days, cleaning the house, and washing my clothes. I just accompany him to buy things."
Evelyn held Edward's tense fist with her warm hand, firmly interlocking their fingers. "Edward can do everything except have children, so you don't need to worry about me."
"Tonight, either stay for dinner and taste Edward's cooking, or leave now."
Peter, who had avoided the confrontation, didn't leave the villa but wandered around. He unintentionally walked into a hallway and found the walls adorned with framed paintings.
There were summer landscapes, lively puppies, but mostly portraits.
Peter stopped in front of a large painting.
The man in the painting wore a black shirt, standing tall—it was Eric.
Peter's eyes widened, observing closely, but his good manners restrained him from touching it.
"It's beautifully painted... like a photograph."
"Really?"
Peter was startled and turned around quickly.
Molly had appeared behind him, looking at him shyly, hugging a brown teddy bear tightly. She looked very cute.
Peter's eyes softened, and he smiled gently. "Of course, I'm serious. Did you paint it?"
"Yes." Molly nodded.
"It must have taken a lot of thought and emotion, right?"
"Yes... mainly because Eric likes it."
Mentioning Eric, Molly's eyes sparkled with a sweet smile, her face blushing. "Eric is very good to me. I don't have much to give him... so I painted him a picture. He doesn't mind, and that makes me happy."
Peter was touched.
As a police officer, he faced the darkness and criminals of society daily. It had been a long time since he had seen such pure eyes.
The girl before him brought a ray of light to his heavy heart.
"Mr. Taylor?" Molly blinked in confusion, seeing him staring at her.
Peter snapped out of it, smiling. "I remember at the last birthday party, you and Evelyn were close. So don't be formal; just call me Peter."
"Peter." She obediently called him as he asked.
Peter squinted, about to speak, when a cold voice interrupted:
"Mr. Taylor, Ms. Wellington is Mr. Clark's girlfriend. It's not appropriate for you to be so close to her privately."
Ellen stared at Peter sternly, quickly walking to Molly's side, ready to defend Eric's territory.
Peter remained calm, smiling faintly. "What did I do that made you so nervous?"
"Why, as Eric's girlfriend, can't she have normal conversations with people? Is he too paranoid or too insecure?"
"You!"
Ellen gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with anger. If this man weren't Evelyn's brother, she would have acted long ago.
"Ellen..." Molly anxiously tugged at Ellen's sleeve, shaking her head.
Though she wasn't great with words and seemed a bit slow, Molly understood social nuances.
Peter was Evelyn's brother, and that's why he talked to her more. She got it. If this small matter caused a rift, Evelyn would feel awkward, and that wouldn't be good.
Peter glanced at Molly's worried expression and finally smiled indifferently, walking past Ellen. "If it's his, no one can take it away. What's the point of being so protective?"
"But your worry is unnecessary. The Taylor family kids are polite."
After the heated argument with his daughter, Charlie chose to stay for dinner instead of leaving.
One moment they were arguing, the next they were sitting at the same table for dinner. Only the Taylor family could pull off something like this.
This scared Edward quite a bit.
Cooking in front of Charlie made him more nervous than ever, his heart in his throat.
Charlie sat imposingly in the living room, creating immense pressure for Edward.
"Evelyn... I only know how to make a few simple dishes, and they're not very good."
Edward stood stiffly in the kitchen, worried. "Will your dad be dissatisfied?"
"Pfft, it's not that exaggerated."
Evelyn couldn't help but laugh, putting an apron around Edward's neck and tying it behind him. "But my dad's taste has become very picky over the years, thanks to Joyce."
Edward swallowed hard, taking a deep breath.
"But don't worry, I'll guide you. Follow my instructions, and it won't be bad."
The man looked at her tenderly, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her forehead.
"Yes, ma'am, my commander."
...
"Oh no! You need to add the meat first; the order is wrong!"
"Oh no! Too much tomato sauce!"
"Oh no! It's burning, flip it quickly!"
The two of them were noisy and clumsy in the kitchen.
Charlie, who had been resting in the living room, opened his eyes at the sound and looked towards the kitchen.
The villa's kitchen was open, and although it was some distance from the living room, he could still see what was happening.
He saw Edward's tall figure fumbling around, Evelyn directing him, occasionally playfully bumping into him or flicking his forehead.
Edward didn't seem annoyed; he kept smiling at his daughter.
Like a fool.
Charlie couldn't understand what Evelyn saw in him!
Though his face still showed resentment, his eyes remained fixed on the couple, unable to look away.
This relaxed atmosphere and simple joy were what he had always sought.
"Mr. Taylor, look how happy Evelyn is. You haven't seen her smile like this in a long time, have you?" Hubert stood nearby, smiling.
"Hmph, look at her love-struck state! She'll regret it someday!" Charlie grumbled.
Hubert smiled and advised, "Evelyn lacks nothing; at least she won't worry about money in her life."
"She wants to fall in love, so why not let her? Besides, Edward is a good person. After getting to know him, you'll find he's handsome, has a good family background, and is capable. Most importantly, he's honest and kind, truly outstanding among young people."
Charlie frowned, looking at him suspiciously. "What's with you today? Did Edward give you something? Why are you speaking for him?"
Hubert smiled helplessly. "I'm just telling the truth."
Charlie withdrew his gaze, sulking.
"Mr. Taylor, I know you chose to stay for dinner tonight because you miss Evelyn, right?"
Hubert leaned down, seeing the loneliness in his eyes, feeling a pang of sympathy. "Evelyn has been avoiding you, and you miss her. It's rare to see her, and you don't want to part so quickly."
So, this big shot thickened his skin to stay.
"You have a hard time expressing your love for Evelyn directly. If you could, what problem couldn't be solved?"
Charlie pressed his lips together, looking down without speaking.
After a while, he suddenly asked, "Hubert, am I really that bad?"
"I tried to match Evelyn with Gilbert from the Alexander family, thinking she was young and didn't understand that marriage is more about compatibility than love. Gilbert is more considerate and better at making Evelyn happy. Evelyn might not feel it now, but marriage is decades of companionship. When the passion fades, the harsh reality of marriage will show. Can she handle it? Will she regret it?"
"I just wanted to give Evelyn another option. What's wrong with that?"
Hubert listened patiently, then thoughtfully replied, "Parents considering their children's future is completely right, but I disagree with one point. You think love isn't as important as compatibility, but I believe compatibility isn't as important as character."
"I don't know Gilbert well, so I won't comment much. But I'll say this: he deliberately revealed Evelyn and Edward's whereabouts to you. You know his motive."
"If he likes Evelyn, he should compete with Edward openly. Using you to pressure Edward is a bit dishonorable."
Charlie was shocked by these words.
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