Semua Bab Too Late to Regret: Bab 381 - Bab 390

Edward wrapped his arm around the old madam’s shoulders, gently wiping her tears.“Don’t cry, Grandma. Pretty girls don’t cry.”Mrs. Lawrence ignored his teasing. Her gaze stayed fixed on Candice, her heart swelling with emotions—pain, regret, relief, disbelief.The day she took the baby away, it had been so rushed. She hadn’t even had a chance to look at the child properly, terrified that if she delayed even a moment, she’d lose the baby for good.All these years, she hadn’t dared take any risks. No contact, no photos, not even a whisper. Mary had followed her instructions to the letter. Everyone thought the child was long gone. They had kept the secret too well.Until these past few months.First, Mary reached out, cautiously hinting that the eldest young master had met a girl who made him suspicious.And sure enough, not long after, that rebellious grandson came asking whether h

She wasn’t about to make a fool of herself.There were so many young nobles attending tonight, and the Lawrence family had chosen only the Clemens family. Naturally, it was because Charlie had the best qualifications.Unmarried, good-looking, with no bad habits—and, most importantly, from a first-class family. He had been trained as an heir since childhood. If she had a daughter, she’d have picked him as her son-in-law too.Thinking of this, she remembered her ex-daughter-in-law, who, after divorcing, had somehow climbed up to the Clemens family and even gained Mrs. Clemens’s favor. The thought left her with complicated feelings.Was it luck?Probably. Otherwise, with her background and a divorce behind her, even nouveau riche wouldn’t necessarily take her.Over there, the Mrs. Clemens led someone over to Charlie.Completely ignoring her grandson’s dark face, she obstinately made the introduction.

“Sophia, Jerry, do you two have any way to get me out of here?”With a desperate expression, I hooked my arms around both their shoulders.Three heads leaned together — it was time for some serious best-friend crisis talk.Sophia said, “Since you’re already here, just go with it. What’s there to be afraid of? Besides, if you don’t show up soon, that Edith girl might pull some dirty trick — maybe even slip something into your boyfriend’s drink.”I sighed. “...I’m asking how to leave, not how to stay.”Jerry added, “You’re already here — whether you stick your neck out or shrink back, the blade’s the same. You’re just scared that the boss will be mad at you for pretending to be sick and sneaking out to meet your parents and grandma. But come on, he already knows. A little more or less stimulation won’t make much difference now.”

A poisonous glint hid beneath her smile.In just a few seconds, she pieced together the truth — drawn from the things James had been secretly doing behind her back, and the guilty flicker in his eyes at this very moment.He’d hired a private detective to spy on Candice.He’d done a paternity test.And today, that old man had even personally brought Candice to the birthday banquet.Wasn’t the answer obvious?But it looked like the old man was at the end of his rope — he’d even brought back such a low-class illegitimate daughter to help Edward?Had he realized this lost bastard girl actually had some tricks up her sleeve?Ha. If Rosie knew that James had a love affair in Vanclyn, she’d probably die of rage all over again.But speaking of Rosie… why did Candice resemble her, just a little?She used to think it was coincidence — that James’s lingering feelin

Denise let out a bitter laugh.“Oh, I’m the one talking nonsense, am I? Isn’t this whole scene just meant to humiliate me in public?”“I pretended not to know, trying so hard to protect your reputation. But you—knowing I had neither the standing nor the backing—joined forces to trample me like this!”“You stand there, acting so righteous, so noble. And you dare talk about the true young lady of the Lawrence family? So what—you mean to tell me that my own child isn’t even worth the one born from some woman outside?”“Well, you’ve finally gotten what you wanted. I’ve become the joke of all of Shandor. Fine. Let everyone see how thoroughly you’ve disgraced me.”Her voice quivered with heartbreak and despair—an accusation dripping in pain.And hidden within it were a few bombs:First, Candice had just been acknowledged as James&rsqu