Chapter 128 Is She Really Dennis's Mommy?
Freya knew Dennis was going to the family memorial and noticed Isabella seemed distracted. She told her, "Hugo might be young, but he's solid. You can chill; nothing's gonna go wrong."
Isabella trusted Hugo but still had her worries.
Freya added, "Plus, you don't even know if that guy's really Hugo and Justin's dad. Maybe he just looks like him?"
"Yeah, you're right," Isabella nodded.
"So, don't stress. First, Hugo's dad might not be him. Second, even if he is, Hugo's smart enough not to mess up. Just relax."
Isabella sighed in relief and said, "For everything to go smoothly tomorrow, I won't come back to sleep tonight. I've told Hugo, Justin, and Paul. Thanks for looking after them."
"I'll have my phone on me all day tomorrow. Just call if you need anything!" Freya assured her.
"Okay." Isabella hugged Freya.
Having a good friend around felt really nice.
The day went by as usual, and in the evening, Frederick came back.
It was the first time they faced each other since their argument.
Dennis was already asleep, so it was just the two of them in the living room.
One sat on the couch with a dark expression, and the other at the dining table, pouting.
Neither could stand the other, and neither wanted to talk.
But with the family memorial event tomorrow, they had to communicate.
After a long silence, Frederick spoke first, "Tomorrow's the event."
"No need to remind me!" Isabella snapped.
Frederick gave her a dissatisfied look, holding back his anger, "Have you and Dennis talked it over?"
Isabella glanced towards Dennis's room, "Yes!"
Frederick sighed in relief, "Has Dennis memorized the speech?"
Isabella nodded, "Yes."
"If everything goes well tomorrow, you won't be short of money," Frederick promised.
At the mention of money, Isabella's face brightened, "50,000 dollars!"
Frederick echoed her earlier words, "No need to remind me!"
Isabella glared at him, irritated, "Tomorrow, when you go up the mountain for the event, I'll wait in the car."
"You don't have to go," Frederick said.
"I want to go!" Isabella insisted.
Seeing her agitated, Frederick said, "Haven't you already talked it over with Dennis? As long as Dennis agrees, nothing will go wrong."
"That won't do either; I'm just afraid of any unforeseen circumstances."
Frederick was suspicious, "Aren't you afraid of the Valdemar family?"
Of course, she was! But she had something she feared even more!
Isabella made an excuse, "The Valdemar family isn't the richest in the country. What's there to be afraid of?"
Isabella still didn't know that Frederick, the man in front of her, was her husband—the richest man in Teronica and the president of the Valdemar family.!
She always thought it was just a coincidence of the same surname!
Frederick didn't respond and reminded her, "We leave at six tomorrow morning. You'll sleep in the study tonight."
After saying that, he went back to his room.
Isabella pouted in the direction he left. She didn't go directly to the study but went to Dennis's room instead.
Dennis was sleeping soundly.
The warm yellow light from the bedside lamp made him look much warmer.
When Dennis was awake, he was just like his dad, always with a stern little face and furrowed brows, cold and distant. Only now did he look like a normal child.
Isabella sat by the bed and couldn't help but touch his little face.
She had wanted to touch it for a long time, but Dennis never gave her the chance. Now she finally did.
His soft, tender baby skin melted Isabella's heart. She really loved him.
Even though there was no blood relation, she still loved Dennis because he was so cute, sensible, and pitiful.
She wondered what Dennis's mom was thinking when she left him. Didn't she miss him after all these years?
Isabella sighed, kissed Dennis on the forehead, tucked him in, turned off the bedside lamp, and tiptoed out.
The bathroom light was on, and she could hear the water running. Frederick was taking a shower.
Isabella pursed her lips, snorted, and headed to the study.
There was a long sofa in the study, with a blanket and pillow already set up.
She closed the door and locked it.
This was her second time in the study; the first was to talk to Eric about telling others Dennis was better.
But that time, she was too focused on the negotiation to really look around.
Now, she noticed the study's decor didn't quite match Eric's cold personality; it felt warm and inviting.
The bookshelves were filled with classics and many books for women.
Isabella thought, 'Was this Dennis's mom's study before?'
She picked up a book and saw a woman's handwriting inside.
The handwriting was neat and delicate, clearly from a talented woman.
She flipped through a few more books, and the handwriting was the same.
This confirmed her suspicion that this used to be a woman's study.
Isabella found a handwritten poem on a bookmark with the signature: Natalie Griffin.
'Natalie Griffin? Dennis's mom was named Natalie Griffin?' she thought.
"Why does that name sound familiar? I think I've heard it before," Isabella muttered.
She felt she had heard the name before but couldn't remember where.
Natalie, very familiar, but she just couldn't place it!
The sound of running water stopped, and she heard Frederick drying off and getting dressed.
Isabella snapped back to reality, quickly put down the book, and lay down under the blanket.
The old apartment had poor sound insulation; she could hear the bathroom door open and Frederick returning to his room.
His room was right next to the study, separated by a wall.
After he went back, she could hear even more clearly.
She could hear him lifting the blanket and getting into bed, and even the sound of him flipping through a book.
Who knew he liked to read!
Could it be that his love for reading was connected to Natalie?
After half an hour, Isabella heard him close the book and turn off the bedside lamp. Frederick had gone to sleep.
But Isabella was now wide awake! She stared at the ceiling, her mind racing.
Dennis was about the same age as Hugo and Justin, which meant Natalie and she were pregnant around the same time.
Did Natalie leave because she found out about his 'one-night stand' with her?
Did Natalie think he cheated, so she left him?
Looking at the room full of books and the detailed notes in delicate handwriting, it was clear Natalie was a talented woman.
Natalie was passionate and loyal in her feelings.
If she found out about what happened between him and her at the airport, she definitely couldn't stand it!
If this Natalie really left because of that, wouldn't that make her the 'other woman'?
And wasn't Dennis's suffering over the years, due to longing, all because of her?
The more Isabella thought about it, the more she couldn't sleep!
She felt wronged, angry, and even a bit guilty.
'No, I had to find out if this Eric was the man from back then!
If he wasn't, then I wouldn't have to worry about the family memorial event tomorrow, nor would I have to overthink and exhaust myself!
How to find out? Tonight was an opportunity.' Isabella thought, gritting her teeth, and quietly sat up.
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