Chapter 294 I Hope You Divorce Jennifer
"Dad? Mom? What are you doing here? Where's Jennifer?" James asked, his voice laced with surprise.
Dennis smiled, his expression carefully neutral. "Jennifer's been called away to a house call. Seems one of her patients took a turn for the worse. You don't mind if we look after you for a bit, do you?"
James promptly shook his head, although his eyes flickered apprehensively between Dennis and Kaitlyn.
Kaitlyn, as if sensing his unease, turned to Harmony with a warm smile. "Harmony, you've been wonderful, staying here all night with James. We can take it from here. You go get some rest."
Harmony, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink, seemed relieved to be dismissed. "Of course, Mrs. Caden. Please, let me know if there's anything I can do."
With a final, lingering glance at James, she hurried out of the room, her movements a touch too hasty, her demeanor betraying her inner turmoil.
Even after she was gone, an awkward silence hung in the air. James could feel his own cheeks burning, his gaze fixed firmly on the bedsheets. He could merely speculate on the thoughts of Dennis and Kaitlyn, given the scenario where their son-in-law was being attended to by a female who was not his lawful spouse. It wasn't appropriate.
As if reading his thoughts, Kaitlyn chuckled softly. "You and Harmony seem to be quite close. She must have stayed up all night looking after you."
James winced inwardly. This was not the conversation he wanted to be having with his in-laws. "Mom, it's not what you think. Harmony and I... There's nothing going on. I would never betray Jennifer, I swear."
"Really?" Kaitlyn's eyebrows rose, her tone a touch too innocent, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Dad, I can feed myself," James blurted out, reaching for the breakfast tray Dennis was holding.
He had regained enough strength to manage on his own, and the sooner he could get this awkward breakfast over with, the better.
Dennis, sensing his discomfort, nodded silently, handing him the tray.
The awkwardness, however, lingered. James consumed his meal with alacrity, his attention riveted to his dish, as Dennis and Kaitlyn exchanged furtive glances.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Dennis cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "James," he began, his tone serious, "we need to talk about something. Something important."
James froze, a sense of foreboding washing over him. He had a sinking feeling he knew exactly where this conversation was headed.
"These past five years... We haven't always been the best parents to you, have we?" Dennis continued, his gaze steady. "We were... Well, we were hard on you. And I, for one, want to apologize for that. It wasn't fair to you."
Kaitlyn nodded, her expression sincere. "We both owe you an apology, James. We let our own fears and prejudices get in the way of... Well, of accepting you into our family."
James stared at them, his mind racing. He had expected anger, accusations, maybe even an ultimatum. But this... This was unexpected.
"Dad, Mom... What is this about?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.
Dennis and Kaitlyn exchanged another look, a silent conversation passing between them. Finally, Dennis spoke, his voice heavy with unspoken words. "James, you know how much Jennifer means to us. She's our only child, our everything. We would do anything for her happiness."
James' heart sank. He knew what was coming.
"And we both agree... This... This isn't fair to her. To be tied to you, to a man who can't...who can't give her the life she deserves."
"Dad, are you... Are you asking me to divorce Jennifer?" James asked, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Kaitlyn reached out, her hand hovering over his for a moment before she thought better of it. "James, you're a good man. We both see that now. But Jennifer... She's young, she has her whole life ahead of her. She deserves a husband who can be there for her, who can build a future with her. A future that doesn't involve...this."
Her gaze swept over his bandaged form, her unspoken words hanging heavy in the air.
James closed his eyes, his chest constricting, making it difficult to breathe. He had never imagined that this... This was how it would end.
"James," Dennis said, his voice softer now, laced with regret, "we know this is difficult. But it's for the best. For both of you. You'll go your separate ways, and eventually... You'll both find happiness with someone else."
"And don't think for a moment that we'll forget about you," Kaitlyn added quickly. "You'll always be a part of this family, James. We'll make sure you're taken care of. Financially, you'll never have to worry about a thing."
James remained silent, his fists clenching beneath the blanket, his emotions a tumultuous storm raging within him.
Dennis and Kaitlyn, misinterpreting his silence for acceptance, exchanged a look of relief tinged with sadness. They had dreaded this conversation and had agonized over it for days, but ultimately, they had done what they believed was right for their daughter.
"Dad, Mom," James finally spoke, his voice hoarse, his words measured, "what if... What if I told you that my body... It's different. That these burns... They're not permanent. What if I told you that in three months... I'll be...complete again?"
He opened his eyes, his gaze meeting theirs, a flicker of desperate hope burning within their depths.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
