Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion
Ash was skilled in Bardoff City and had few opponents, let alone in a small place like Parrington. She should be able to handle Danika with ease.
Nonetheless, it had already been several days, and there was still no news from Ash.
Rowena was no doubt worried and unsettled.
“What’re you thinking about?”
Graham asked while looking at Rowena at the dining table, his expression probing as he watched her.He’d long noticed that something was off about the woman.
Coupled with the fact that he didn’t see Ash around for the past few days, he couldn’t help but speculate.He’d previously thought that Rowena didn’t have the guts to do anything drastic, so he didn’t inquire much.That didn’t seem to be the case now.
You Were Too Weak
Graham had startled Rowena, speaking to her out of the blue.
“I- It’s nothing,” she stammered.
“Is that so?”
Graham obviously didn’t believe her.
Over the years, he had come to know the woman quite well.She wouldn’t be so nervous if there was nothing going on.
Right then, Rowena regained her composure and snapped back, “What does it have anything to do with you? Have you suddenly started to care about me?”
“Care about her?”
Graham thought with a grimace, disgusted.He averted his gaze and stopped looking at her.
Rowena’s heart ached, but she put on a cold front and continued, “Since you don’t care about me, don’t ask about my affairs.”
“Did you think I was keen to ask? I’m just afraid you’re doing something behind my back that I wouldn’t approve of,” Graham retorted.
Rowena felt guilty.She dared to make a move against Danika, but she didn’t dare to let Graham find out.She could only harrumph coldly and ignore him in defense.
Seeing that her parents were about to argue again, Jolene felt helpless.
“Mom, Dad, can’t you two go a day without fighting?”
Sometimes, she couldn’t understand how these two people, who were constantly at each other’s throats, ended up together.
“It’s your father who insists on arguing with me,” Rowena responded.
Graham couldn’t be bothered with her and instead looked at Jolene and asked, “What have you been up to lately? Are you still hanging out with those unsavory friends of yours?”
He didn’t like Jolene’s friends and didn’t want his daughter to associate herself with them.
“Dad, they’re my friends.How can you say that?”
Jolene was unhappy.
Although she knew her father didn’t like her friends, he had never said anything about it before.
Apparently, he decided to make his disapproval known to her that day.
Graham looked at her and sighed helplessly.
“Jo, you’re different from those people.You’re a daughter of the Zellwegers.I’m very disappointed to see you willingly degrade yourself like this.”
Jolene froze.
That was the first time Graham had ever spoken to her in such a way, and she didn’t know how to react.
“What’s wrong with her making a few friends? As her father, shouldn’t you let her do as she pleases as long as she’s happy? Why do you have to exert control over her?” Rowena spoke up, defending her daughter.
She was not happy to see her daughter being criticized by someone else.
Graham’s expression darkened; it was clear he wasn’t pleased.
“You, as a mother, have a great responsibility for Jo becoming like this.”
He had never liked Rowena and thought her character was poor.Now, he could see Jolene becoming more and more like her under her care and guidance.If Jolene wasn’t his daughter, he wouldn’t even bother saying anything.
“Graham Zellweger! What do you mean?” Rowena was furious.
Was he implying that she hadn’t taught Jolene properly? Who was he to say that? Had he ever taken an interest in bringing up Jolene all these years?
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Facing her angry outburst, Graham remained calm, but his words pierced like a knife straight into Rowena’s heart.She didn’t expect that even after so many years, Graham still didn’t acknowledge her.
“Yes, I know.You couldn’t marry the woman you wanted to back then and were forced to marry me.That’s why you’re unhappy, right? That’s because you were too weak and couldn’t protect that bitch yourself.What does that have anything to do with me? Why do you have to take it out on me?”
Jolene could feel the atmosphere at the dining table change.She’d never seen her father make such a terrible expression.She gently tugged on the corner of her mother’s sleeve.
“Mom, please stop talking.”
I’m the Winner
Rowena was a bit scared of the repercussions after saying those words.
However, she wasn’t willing to show any weakness in front of Graham.
“You’re right.It was indeed my incompetence,”
Graham responded slowly after a moment.
Then, he got up and left the dining room.
As he walked away, Rowena felt no satisfaction from expressing herself.
On the contrary, their argument made her feel even more upset.
“Why didn’t he get angry? He should have screamed at me.How could he pretend to take it so calmly?” she thought.
Jolene finally came to her senses.She turned to look at her mother.
“Mom, what did you mean by what you just said? Did Dad like someone else?”
“She was just an unworthy and lowly commoner.So what if your father liked her? Would the rest of the Zellwegers consent to their relationship? He was lucky enough to be able to marry me.”
Rowena was angry.
Hence, her words were naturally unpleasant.She was from one of the Ten Elites of Bardoff City.
The Zellwegers made a big fuss about Graham’s past affairs, and many people knew about it.
Everyone was waiting to see the Zellwegers suffer from embarrassment.
If Rowena hadn’t agreed to marry him, Graham wouldn’t have been able to make any daughter of one of the Ten Elites his wife.
After learning that her father used to like another woman, Jolene felt slightly disconcerted.She could somewhat understand why her mother was always so angry.
“Mom, there’s no need to be angry.You’re the ultimate winner,” Jolene comforted her.
Hearing that, Rowena nodded.
“You’re right.I’m the winner.”
Danika might not even be alive to return to the Zellwegers.
Even if she did, Rowena wasn’t afraid of her at all.
Once she figured that out, she wasn’t so worried anymore.
Graham didn’t know what the mother and daughter discussed.
At this moment, he was sitting in his office and thinking about what Rowena had said.He felt extremely pained inside.
Rowena had been right.He couldn’t protect his beloved and his daughter because he’d been powerless back then.His daughter wouldn’t need to suffer so much if not for that.
Although he had tried his best to provide her the best of everything, he felt indebted to her because she didn’t get to grow up under his care.
And what about her? He didn’t know if she was still alive after being taken away by that group of people all those years ago.
If she was still alive, why didn’t she come to find him? Did she hate him? Graham held his head, being reminded of his failure pained him greatly.
Danika landed at Bardoff Airport.
It was only the second time she was there, but she had familiarized herself with everything since she might have to visit Bardoff City often in the future.
Mainly, it was to help perform surgery on Natalia’s grandfather; secondly, to inquire about the Zellwegers’ situation and then decide whether or not to take Ash to them.
“Dr.Zellweger, let’s get in the car and go to the hospital to see my grandpa first,” Natalia said.
At the moment, she had a very complicated feeling.
There was joy but also worry.