Chapter 8 Tender Embrace

At the Cartwright estate, the family butler approached Mr Ashford Senior and said, “Sir, your driver has arrived.” Mr Ashford Senior nodded his head, then he looked at his daughter-in-law and asked, “Eleanor, are you still busy?”

Eleanor shook her head and replied, “We can go home, Dad.” Then she turned to her best friend and hugged her for a long time. Then she took her father-in-law’s arm and left the Cartwright family estate.

Eleanor was surprised to see her beloved son, Jason, leaning outside the car and asked, smiling, “My precious son, why didn’t you go inside to greet your friend?”

Jason looked at his mother, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips, then he helped his grandfather to the car and replied, “Mom, I spent the entire afternoon with Hiram.

However, I didn’t attend his sister’s birthday dinner because I wanted to be alone; my heart wasn’t in the right place.

His mother searched his face, her gaze heavy with maternal intuition, and asked softly, “Does the memory of your lost love still keep your heart from finding its place, my beloved son?”

Jason shook his head slowly and replied, “Mom, I promised to honor my late girlfriend’s memory for three years before moving on, and today was meant to be my new beginning.

I went to pour my heart out to the woman my soul loves, only to find she’s already married to someone else. Mom, my heart is shattered into pieces. He shackled her to a loveless marriage because he wanted to gain the company shares.”

His mother’s heart ached for her son, who had been through so much. His grandfather was overjoyed when he heard that his favourite grandson had moved on from the pain of losing his girlfriend.

A faint smile appeared on Grandpa Ashford’s face, and he said, “Patience, my favourite grandson. A house built on the foundations of sand and deceit cannot withstand the tide.

A contract can bind a name, but it cannot cage a soul forever. It won’t end tonight, or even tomorrow, but his indifference will erode her spirit.

Once she has accumulated the harvest of disappointments, she will leave that loveless prison and never look back at the shattered ruins of that marriage.”

After the Ashford family left, Mrs Cartwright went to her daughter’s bedroom. She knocked on the door, then Vivica said, “Come in.”

When her mother saw her swollen, crimson-rimmed eyes, she felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She squeezed her daughter’s trembling hand gently and asked softly, “What has caused you this agony, my sweet daughter?”

Vivica didn’t dare to tell her mother the truth. She met her mother’s gaze through a veil of tears and replied, “Mom, I have had a crush on Preston for years.

I was counting down the days until I turned twenty-one to confess my love to him, but now he belongs to someone else. My heart isn't just broken, but it’s shattered.”

Her mother pulled her into a tight embrace, her soothing voice was like a balm in her soul, “I am so sorry that you are hurting, my sweet daughter.

I know that it feels like the end of the world now, but believe me, this pain is not forever; it will pass, and you will come out of this stronger.”

Her mother’s words acted as a healing balm, stitching together the jagged edges of her shattered heart.

Aviva looked at her mother with a grateful smile, and she whispered, “Thank you, Mom, for your comforting words. They truly mean everything to me. I appreciate you more than you know.”

In her mother’s tender embrace, Aviva found sanctuary where the jagged shards of her heart could finally rest.

In the meantime, in the study room, Hiram’s voice was low as he laid bare their sister's secret history with Preston James.

The weight of the betrayal etched into his face, and he said, “I am beyond disappointed in her. While we were protecting her, she was playing games with a man who had now made her a laughingstock.”

At that moment, Hiram’s phone started ringing. He smiled brightly when he saw the caller ID, then he put the phone on the speaker and said, “Hello, Xabi. I am in the study room with Patrice. How is the USA treating you?”

Xabi Cartwright had been touring the world for the past three months, and it was his first concert in America.

When he took the stage, the world seemed to hold its breath, utterly captivated by the rich, soulful baritone voice that commanded every corner of the room.

Xabi smiled broadly and replied, “Hello, Big Brother and second brother. The USA has welcomed me with open arms, Big Brother. The outpouring of affection from the fans here has been incredible.

I am completely overwhelmed by the love and the energy they bring to every performance. It’s a warmth that transcends the stage and touches the very core of my spirit, Big Brother.”

Hiram was happy to hear that, then Xabi said, “Big Brother, I have been calling our baby sis for a while, but she is not answering her phone. Did she forget her phone in her bedroom?”

Hiram shook his head and replied, “Vivica is in a bad mood. She had locked herself in her bedroom after she heard that Ziva’s brother had tied the knot.”

A flicker of confusion was evident in Xabi’s voice, and he asked, “What do you mean, Big Brother?

Since when does a family friend’s wedding warrant a shattered heart and a locked bedroom door?”

Hiram sighed and replied, “I heard that our baby sister has been dating Preston James in secret for years, Xabi. However, today he went and registered a marriage with some random woman to secure the company shares.”

Before Xabi could respond, Patrice responded, “We need to teach this jerk a lesson, Big Brother. What do you think, Xabi?”

Xabi nodded his head and replied, “I fully agree with the second brother. Preston James needs to be taught a lesson. Where does he get the confidence to bully our sister?

Does he truly believe he can discard a daughter of the Cartwright family and walk away unscathed? Does he think our name is just a title he can trample on for company shares? What do you think, Big Brother?”