Chapter 20
“No way Evan would do anything to betray Beverly! I was thinking I’d just let this slide and end things on a good note because of our relationship and Theresa, but…” A hint of hatred glinted in Christina’s eyes as she looked at Lance.
She turned to Evan. “Evan, Lance cheated on me and kept a college student as his mistress. He took her to public events with him and indulged her as she claimed to be his second wife. He even knocked her up!
“Everything he’s done is unforgivable, and I want him to leave the marriage without a penny to his name. I never want to see him again for the rest of my life. I won’t ever forgive him!”
Beverly felt a deep resonance with Christina as she listened to the latter recount Lance’s mistakes, sounding heartbroken. Her
own heart ached with shared pain.
She was in the same situation, and Christina’s words were the same ones that she wanted to say. However, Evan merely stood
there without even batting an eye. It was almost as if he weren’t involved in this.
Beverly couldn’t stay there any longer. She was afraid she would lose control and do what Christina had just done-expose everything and confront Evan.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t Lance, and she didn’t have a brother who could help her, unlike Christina. Beverly knew she was trapped and helpless in the cage he’d built for her.
She left the drawing room, wanting to check on the children. Behind her, Evan said coolly, “Tie him up and throw him back to the York residence. Inform his father that he has three days to resolve this matter.
“Either they deliver a signed divorce agreement that states Lance will leave the marriage without a penny to his name and that he’ll give up custody of Theresa, or the York family goes bankrupt.”
As Beverly headed upstairs, she saw the bodyguards dragging Lance out of the manor with his mouth taped shut. No matter how hard he struggled, Christina never spared him a glance.
However, once he’d been dragged into a car and taken away, Christina buried her head against Evan’s chest and burst into tears. Beverly looked away.
In the bedroom, Theresa had fallen asleep out of exhaustion from crying. Harold stayed by her side and wiped away her tears.
Beverly told the maid to leave them and leaned against the doorframe as she watched the children. For a moment, she was
dazed.
Harold saw her and ran to her, wrapping his arms around her neck. “Mommy, why did Uncle Lance get together with another woman? How could he be so mean and break Aunt Christina’s heart like that? He made Theresa so sad as well. I’m not going to acknowledge him as my uncle anymore.”
His actions were familiar-he used to do the same thing after having nightmares or seeing something scary. It was his way of asking to be comforted.
His words showed his empathy for Theresa. That softened Beverly’s heart slightly, and she pulled him close.
“What if, one day, you find out that your father has become as bad as your Uncle Lance? What if he, too, gets together with another woman and hurts me just as badly as your Aunt Christina has been hurt? What will you do then?”
She looked into Harold’s eyes. He blinked innocently and asked, “Will he make me as sad as Theresa is?”
Beverly thought about how well he and Cindy got along. She released him, feeling like her heart was slowly being slashed. Her eyes dimmed, but she still answered him. “Maybe not.”
Harold sensed her gloominess and remembered what Evan had told him at the kindergarten-he had to be on his best behavior and not upset Beverly because she was unwell.
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So, he said, “Then, I won’t acknowledge him as my dad anymore.”
Beverly’s head shot up at his words, and tears brimmed in her eyes as she smiled happily.
Harold smiled too. He couldn’t believe how easy it was to please her-anything he said was enough to make her happy.
Beverly crouched before him so they were at eye level, and she held his hand in agitation. The feeling of finding something she’d thought lost made it hard for her to calm down. At the same time, she felt a hint of guilt.
She shouldn’t have doubted Harold. They shared the same blood, and she’d risked her life to bring him into this world. How could he possibly side with Cindy?
She said, “I have a question for you, Harry. Do you know the name of the little girl you met at Happyland?”
