Chapter 593: Epilogue (20)
After he left, Mrs. Lynch turned to Holly Wood. “You should go upstairs and sleep. I’m going to bed too.”
Holly Wood smiled. “Mom, it’s still early. I can’t sleep.”
Mrs. Lynch pursed her lips. “Even if you can’t sleep, you have to think about the baby in your belly.”
Holly Wood looked at her. “Mom, you’re not planning to sneak out after I go upstairs to sleep, are you?”
As if her thoughts had been exposed, Mrs. Lynch’s eyes widened in a glare. “What? Do I need your permission to do what I want?”
“Of course, it’s not my place to tell you what to do, Mom. It’s just that if Dad finds out, it won’t be good.”
“Are you… threatening me?”
Holly Wood stood up. “As your daughter-in-law, I’m certainly in no position to threaten you. But, Mother-in-law, at the very least, you should try to save some face for your own son. Otherwise, I don’t know what Leon might do.”
She turned and went upstairs.
Mrs. Lynch sat there, fuming and grinding her teeth, but it was useless.
Mr. Lynch went out and headed straight for a bench in the park. It wasn’t long before Maeve Sutton arrived.
She sat with him, and their hands clasped together tightly.
“You’re here?” Mr. Lynch asked softly.
Maeve Sutton hummed in agreement. “Have you been waiting long?”
“No, I just got here. Has he been hitting you?”
Maeve Sutton shook her head. “William Chapman hasn’t been home these past few days.”
Mr. Lynch sounded like a young boy. “That’s good. If he hits you again, you should just divorce him.”
“I’ve been thinking the same thing, but the Chapman Family definitely won’t agree. After all, a divorce is a serious matter.”
Mr. Lynch’s hand rubbed her thigh. “Don’t worry. I’m here. I’ll help you.”
Maeve Sutton turned and straddled his lap, kissing him on the lips. “I just want a man who will dote on me and love me. That’s all.”
Mr. Lynch tucked her long hair behind her ear. “From now on, I’ll dote on you.”
Maeve Sutton half-rose, took off her pants, then unzipped his and sat back down.
The two of them held each other close.
Back home, Mrs. Lynch waited for Mr. Lynch to return and didn’t go out.
Mr. Lynch came back at exactly 8:55 PM, just before nine.
“Where did you wander off to?”
Mr. Lynch answered, humming a little tune, “Just a walk by the river.”
“You’re in such a good mood?”
Mr. Lynch didn’t answer her, walking straight into the bedroom.
Seeing this, Mrs. Lynch got up and followed him into the room.
When Mr. Lynch came out of the shower, he saw Mrs. Lynch lying on the bed in her nightgown.
He took off his shoes and lay down beside her. For a rare change, Mrs. Lynch took the initiative and hugged him. “Honey.”
Mr. Lynch gave a faint “mhm,” then rolled over, turning his back to her. “Let’s sleep.”
‘He’s usually the one who initiates things, and I’m the one who refuses. Did the sun rise in the west tonight?’ Mrs. Lynch’s face was full of astonishment.
She again took the initiative, hugging Mr. Lynch’s waist from behind. Mr. Lynch abruptly threw her off. “Are we going to sleep or not?”
Mrs. Lynch, resentful, didn’t say another word and just lay there quietly.
Upstairs, Leon Lynch watched the security monitor and said, “Dad’s back, and she went back to her room to sleep too.”
Holly Wood sighed. “She’ll be out again in less than two days. This kind of thing is probably a thrill for her, an addiction she can’t quit.”
Leon Lynch’s expression was cold. “I will absolutely not tolerate this continuing. Whatever the cost, I will never allow this kind of thing to get out and bring shame to our family.”
Holly Wood’s heart leaped into her throat. “As long as Mom realizes her mistake and corrects it, it’ll be fine. Leon, don’t do anything rash. You have to think about me and the baby.”
Leon Lynch smiled at her. “What are you thinking? I’m not going to murder anyone. After all, she’s my mother. I wouldn’t do something like that.”
“That’s good.”
Leon Lynch helped her sit down. “Honey, let’s sleep.”
Holly Wood was sitting there when she suddenly said, “Leon, he’s moving again.”
Leon Lynch placed his hand on her belly and nodded, his face full of joy. “The little one is quite active.”
“He’s probably dancing in there.”
Leon Lynch chuckled. “Must be a little princess who loves to dance.”
“What if it really is a princess?”
“They’re all my children; boys and girls are the same. Holly Wood, don’t feel any pressure. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, it will be our treasure.”
Holly Wood nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
The two of them looked at each other and smiled.
The next day at school, Dorothy Ellsworth was leading Nina Young into the kindergarten when they saw Nina’s mother standing on the grounds, holding her son.
“Nina, is that your mom?”
Nina Young nodded timidly. She wanted to run over and call out to her but was afraid.
Dorothy Ellsworth grabbed her hand. “Come on, I’ll go with you.”
Before they could reach Nina Young’s mother, a furious shout rang out, “Nina Young! Get over here.”
Nina Young’s legs trembled, but she still walked forward.
Holding her son, Nina Young’s mother looked down at her and said, “Pack up your schoolbag and come home with me.”
Nikki Young took a step back. “No! I want to go to school.”
Nina Young’s mother reached out, grabbed her ear, and yanked it hard. “So you’re not listening to me anymore, are you?!”
Seeing this, Dorothy Ellsworth tried to pry her hand away, but the harder she tried, the tighter Nina Young’s mother held on.
Dorothy Ellsworth got desperate and bit her hand.
Nina Young’s mother cried out in pain and let go, glaring furiously at Dorothy Ellsworth. “You little brat, you bit me.”
“I’d bite you again!” Dorothy Ellsworth pulled Nina behind her protectively. “They say even a vicious tiger won’t eat its cubs, but you beat Nina until she was covered in bruises. Just because Nina didn’t want to go home with you, you twisted her ear. What kind of mother are you?”
“Oh? Nina is my daughter. It’s none of your business how I treat her.”
“Nina, your mom is too mean. Come on, let’s go to the classroom. You can’t go home with your mommy, or she’ll beat you to death.”
Tears streamed down Nina Young’s face. She glanced at her mother, then went back to the classroom with Dorothy.
“Nina Young!”
Nina Young and Dorothy Ellsworth ran into the classroom hand in hand.
Nora Ainsworth stood not far away; she had seen the whole thing clearly.
When Nina Young’s mother saw her, she immediately turned and walked away. Nora Ainsworth stood there without chasing her. ‘A mother like that needs to be taught a serious lesson,’ she thought. ‘After all, you can’t change a mindset like that overnight.’
Nora Ainsworth turned and went back to her office. She called the police station to inquire about Nina Young’s father’s situation. Upon learning that he was the family’s sole breadwinner, Nora decided to talk to Nina’s mother again.
She paid a second visit to the Young Family. Nina Young’s mother had just gotten home when she saw Nora Ainsworth at her door again, and she was in a terrible mood. “I’m telling you, Headmistress, you’re overstepping. My child doesn’t want to attend school anymore, is that not allowed? Is your school going to force her to stay?”
Nora Ainsworth nodded. “That’s right. If you continue to treat the child this way, I will consider keeping her at the kindergarten permanently.”
“Then what are you doing here? I made myself perfectly clear yesterday.”