Chapter 13
“Daphne is worthless now.”
Dean said this coldly.
He had a good relationship with Daphne’s parents back then, but they had been gone for a long time. He had indulged his son’s feelings for the girl out of a sense of old friendship.
However, regarding the Zander Family bloodline, a daughter–in–law who couldn’t give him a grandson was unacceptable X
Dean’s words struck Jonathan like a heavy blow to the chest.
He stood frozen in place, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the little paper rose in his pocket, which had already wrinkled its edges.
“I won’t divorce Daphne,” he said, his voice hoarse but unusually firm.
Dean slammed his hand on the table, the teacup rattling loudly. “Now you know how to play the devoted husband, huh?“)
His hands shook with fury. “What did you say back in high school when you chased her? That you’d marry no one else in this life but her! You dated for ten years before getting married. This is how you treat her now?”
Jonathan swallowed hard. Memories suddenly flooded back like a tide
That summer, when he was seventeen, he saw me for the first time.
As I exited the art room, I was wearing a light blue school uniform and carrying a drawing board. Sunlight streamed through the corridor’s glass windows, gilding the edges of my hair.
He was stunned. The basketball in his hand thumped onto his own foot.
“Hey, are you alright?” I trotted over, my eyes filled with concem
He stammered, unable to speak and from then on began his long pursuit,
He’d wake up half an hour early every day just to slip a warm milk bottle into my desk. He saved up three months of allowance to buy me the art book I’d casually mentioned I liked. He secretly signed up for the art club, even though he couldn’t draw a straight line.)
The most unforgettable memory was the winter of our senior year in high school when I had a bad cold and took a leave of absence.X He skipped class, climbed the school wall and ran to my house in the heavy snow. He stood downstairs for six hours just to deliver a box of fever medicine:
Tears instantly streamed down my face when I opened the window and saw him looking like a snowman. “Jonathan, are you stupid or something?
That day, I ran downstairs wrapped in a thick down jacket, my cold fingers grasping his frozen hand.
He remembered his heart pounding so hard that it would leap out of his chest as he clumsily confessed, “Daphne, I… I like you. I’ll be good to you for the rest of my life.
He had meant it sincerely.
On our wedding day, his hand trembled as he lifted my veil.
Tears rose and I whispered, “Jonathan, don’t forget your promise today.”
He remembered nodding solemnly, pressing a trembling kiss to my lips.
How could he have forgotten his love from back then?
“Dad…” Jonathan’s voice choked with emotion, “I was wrong.””
“Now you know you were wrong, huh?” Dean sneered.
“If you were going to betray her, couldn’t you have at least done it cleanly? Did you have to make it known to everyone? Couldn’t you have just adopted the child after it was bom? Did you have to let that countrywoman parade in front of me?“%
Jonathan closed his eyes in pain.
He thought about how he had gradually pushed Daphne further away over the past seven years.
At first, it was indifference. Then came the coldness. Finally, he brought Wendy into their home.
Every time Daphne looked at him with those hurt, disappointed eyes, he’d lie to himself that she would forgive him. She always did. Until she left without looking back
“I will bring Daphne back,” Jonathan said, opening his eyes. His voice was low and resolute. “I will take responsibility for Wendy’s child, but Mrs. Zander can only be Daphne
Dean stared at his son for a long time, then suddenly sat back in his chair, looking exhausted. “It’s too late
It’s too late.”
He shook his head. “The Lancasters may have fallen, but Daphine’s pride never changed. Do you really think she’d ever come back?“%