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Chapter 24
Healy nearly lost his balance, but Jeannette caught him just in time, steadying him.
“How can you talk about your mother like that?”
“If it weren’t for carrying you, raising you, her health wouldn’t have suffered so much.”
Eddy radiated a cold anger; his dark eyes, icy and venomous, practically froze the air.
Healy cowered against Jeannette, crimson marks blooming across his cheeks as fat tears rolled down, splattering onto her sleeve. He was too hurt for words, but too scared to protest.
He buried his face into Jeannette’s arms, sobbing softly.
Jeannette murmured soothing words, gently rubbing his back.
Why couldn’t Miss Jean be his mom? Suddenly, Healy found himself jealous of Lara-she had Miss Jean, gentle and kind, as her mother.
Dad never scolded Lara on Miss Jean’s account, but he was always so strict with Healy because of his own mom. And now, Dad had actually hit him..
If only his mom would disappear. If she vanished, maybe Miss Jean could take her place.
“Healy, apologize to your father,” Jeannette whispered. “It was my own idea to go abroad. None of this is your mother’s fault.”
Healy straightened up, brushing away his tears, and dutifully faced Eddy. “I’m sorry, Dad.”
“You should apologize to your mother,” Eddy admonished, voice stern. “She’s not well. Behave yourself when you see her-don’t upset her again.”
Healy nodded obediently.
“The car’s waiting outside. Once you leave, you go straight to the airport. You’re not to return unless I say so.” Eddy’s tone left no room for argument.
Jeannette nodded so quickly her head almost bobbed off.
She’d thought Healy might be her ticket to staying, but he’d proven useless-he didn’t hold even a fraction of the importance in Eddy’s heart that Lara did.
If only Lara could be here now. But that wasn’t possible.
Blanche watched Healy, sunlight slanting through the window, stretching his slim figure across the floor.
Eddy’s harsh words toward Healy, his protective stance toward herself—it was all real.
His insistence that Jeannette leave, fulfilling his promise-it was real, too.
He truly loved her.
Chapter 24
For a moment, he looked just like the man she’d once fallen for.
Blanche took a step back.
If Jeannette left, maybe she could spend what time remained with Eddy-and with
Healy-peacefully.
“Aunt Jean, what about Lara?” Healy suddenly called after Jeannette as she turned to leave. “Is she going with you too?”
Blanche stared at Jeannette, startled, as she turned to face Healy. “No, Lara’s staying.”
Lara? Since when did Healy have a sister?
Suddenly, an image flashed through Blanche’s mind-a short-haired girl, always at Healy’s side, arms slung over his shoulder. She pictured the photo albums, watching that little girl grow up through the years.
At that moment, her phone buzzed urgently in her palm.
Sophie.
Blanche answered. Sophie’s voice came through, breathless.
“Blanche, I was in surgery and missed your call.”
“I bet you want to ask about Mr. Simmons, right?”
“There’s a rumor at our hospital. Five years ago, a young woman came in to deliver a baby. On the birth certificate, she listed Mr. Simmons as the father.”
“Eddy Simmons!”
Blanche watched as Healy walked off, one hand in Jeannette’s, the other in Eddy’s. The three of them looked like the perfect little family, Healy chatting away about Lara, barely pausing for
breath.
He had never been this affectionate with his cousin from his father’s side.
Blanche staggered back, stunned, her voice so faint she could barely hear it herself. “W-what’s the child’s name?”
But Sophie heard her. “I think it’s…Min, or something like that.”
On the other end of the line, Blanche heard Sophie’s hurried footsteps, then her calling out to someone, “Hey, Carlton! You always joke about Mr. Simmons having another kid-what’s that kid’s name again?”
