Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 489

Nathan pushed the door open, only to be greeted by the somber faces of his two children. He paused, struggling to find the right words, "Lucy, your mom's had a rough day. Keep her company, will ya?"

Lucinda took in her father's soaked appearance and the scene inside the room, where her mother sat on the floor sobbing. She quickly said, “Dad, I got this.”

The siblings stepped aside to let their father pass.

“Dad, you should go change into some dry clothes. Don't catch a cold.”

After entering the room to comfort her mother, Lucinda didn't forget to shoot her brother and husband a look, silently asking them to take care of their father.

The door clicked shut behind them.

Lucinda approached her mother.

She crouched down, picking up the box of tissues that her dad must have left by her side.

Before meeting her biological father, she only had her brother's word to go by, and to her, her dad was nothing but a deadbeat.

As she got to know Nathan, she realized he wasn't the villain she'd imagined. He had made choices he thought would protect his family.

Between letting his family suffer or face danger, he had chosen the former.

"Mom."

Lucinda handed a tissue to her mother.

But when Janice didn't take it, Lucinda just wrapped her arms around her, letting her lean on her shoulder.

Her silent comfort didn't stem Janice's tears; they fell harder, releasing years of pent-up sadness.

Lucinda just held her, letting her cry freely.

Finally, Janice's sobs subsided.

Lucinda helped her mother up and they sat on the bed. She tried to wipe her mother's tears, but Janice insisted on doing it herself. She took the tissues from her daughter and dabbed at her eyes.

Lucinda noticed the wet floor, the bucket nearby, and guessed what had happened.

"Mom."

"Lucy, don't bring up your dad, and don't defend him. I don't care how hard it was for him or if he really betrayed me. I've endured too much for too long, and I can't pretend nothing happened."

"I find it very hard to forgive him."

Janice cut off her daughter's attempted defense before she could even start.

Lucinda said softly, "Mom, I wasn't going to defend Dad. I was just wondering about the floor. Why is it all wet?"

Before Lucy reconnected with her biological parents, she had a carefree life, shielded from all worries by her adoptive family.

Ever since she came back to her birth parents, she had more concerns than ever, and Janice felt guilty for it.

"Mom, you're overthinking it. Stefan isn't like that, and neither is his family. They're all very understanding," Lucinda reassured her.

"Stefan insisted on coming back with me because he was worried. My brother's here too. I was afraid you and dad might have a serious fallout, so I asked him to come and talk some sense into dad."

"And all those people toasting with me yesterday, forcing me to drink. It must've been your dad's doing. He wanted me drunk so he could sneak into my room."

She wondered if Nathan had taken advantage of her while she was out.

"Mom, I don't think dad would do that," Lucinda started, but seeing her mother's anger, she swallowed her words.

Janice raked her fingers through her hair, the frustration evident in her furrowed brow. "How could he not be behind it? With his connections, it's completely within his wheelhouse to pull off something like this."

"All right, all right, it was Dad's doing. Mom, please don't be upset. If you get sick over this, both my brother and I will be devastated," Lucinda implored, her voice laced with concern.

Taking several deep breaths, Janice managed to quell the inferno of anger burning within her. "Fine, I won't let it get to me. Ruining my health over him just isn't worth it."