Chapter 29 You’re Not A Slut, Are You
"Thank you, dear. You're such a wonderful girl. As long as you're around here to visit me more often, I'm sure I'll be happy. I'll feel even better if I have a little great-grandchild to play with. I'll try my best to live a few more years just to keep my great-grandchild company."
The prospect of having a great-grandchild turned Gerard's sorrow into joy.
Meanwhile, as Tiffany stood behind him, she was displeased to see how much he adored Adeline.
She scoffed and said, "Grandpa, why do you still count on that? You're well-aware that Brendan doesn't like Adeline. If that weren't the case, then why hasn't she bore a child for him even after being married to him for three years? Or maybe she's… infertile."
Tension rose in the atmosphere right after she said that.
Tiffany's words hit way too close to home, and it caused Adeline's face to turn grim.
In order to provoke her, Tiffany raised her chin proudly.
She was clearly furious.
Ever since Gerard got ill, Tiffany had been visiting him more often.
He was still in charge with the Clemons family's business, and Brendan treated him with the utmost respect.
Tiffany wanted to win Gerard's favor, so that she could get closer to Brendan.
But to her dismay, the old man didn't seem to appreciate her efforts, in spite of how eagerly attentive she had been to him.
As soon as Adeline appeared however, Gerard was over the moon.
This miserable old goat was so unfair!
Upon hearing what Tiffany said, Gerard grunted, "What the hell are you talking about?"
He was obviously upset.
Pretending to be forlorn, Tiffany replied, "Grandpa, I'm not just spouting nonsense. I've heard that Adeline was having an affair with her boss."
Even though she knew that there was nothing between Adeline and Rodger, it didn't matter to her. She just wanted to twist the fact to make Gerard hate Adeline.
After all, the elders of prominent families valued the reputation of their descendants above all else.
Just as she was about to exaggerate the situation further, Brendan shut her up.
"Enough!"
He warned Tiffany with a glance.
Reluctant as she was, she had to shut herself up.
Puzzled by the statement, Gerard turned to Adeline. "Addie, is it true?"
This time, Adeline looked at Tiffany.
The latter was wearing a triumphant smile, acting as though she had already defeated Adeline.
Adeline chuckled sardonically. Tiffany was the other woman in their marriage, and yet the bitch was slinging mud at her!
What a shameless woman!
Tiffany was obviously slandering her because she wanted to marry Brendan.
In that case, Adeline would never allow this wicked woman to get what she wanted!
Did Tiffany think that she was so weak that she wouldn't dare to fight back?
Hell, no!
Calmly, Adeline replied, "Grandpa, you know the kind of person I am. Do you think I'd do something like that? I'm Brendan's legal wife, for God's sake. And the rumor Tiffany just said is merely hearsay. I had no idea she's such a rumormonger. Tiffany, I'm your sister-in-law. How could you believe those gossipers over me?"
She paused for a moment and locked her eyes on Tiffany.
"Speaking of which, I've actually heard rumors about you. They said that you're having an affair with Brendan, but I didn't believe them. How could it be true? You're not a slut, are you?"
"Adeline!" Tiffany glared at her. She wanted to pounce her and tear her to shreds.
Brendan also glared at Adeline. "Shut up, Adeline," he grunted.
Why was he telling her to shut up?
Was it because he felt guilty?
Adeline scoffed at them.
Seeing as they were about to be at each other's throats, Gerard said, "Alright, alright. That's enough quarreling. You're all grownups now, so be mature!"
"Thonk you, deor. You're such o wonderful girl. As long os you're oround here to visit me more often, I'm sure I'll be hoppy. I'll feel even better if I hove o little greot-grondchild to ploy with. I'll try my best to live o few more yeors just to keep my greot-grondchild compony."
The prospect of hoving o greot-grondchild turned Gerord's sorrow into joy.
Meonwhile, os Tiffony stood behind him, she wos displeosed to see how much he odored Adeline.
She scoffed ond soid, "Grondpo, why do you still count on thot? You're well-owore thot Brendon doesn't like Adeline. If thot weren't the cose, then why hosn't she bore o child for him even ofter being morried to him for three yeors? Or moybe she's… infertile."
Tension rose in the otmosphere right ofter she soid thot.
Tiffony's words hit woy too close to home, ond it coused Adeline's foce to turn grim.
In order to provoke her, Tiffony roised her chin proudly.
She wos cleorly furious.
Ever since Gerord got ill, Tiffony hod been visiting him more often.
He wos still in chorge with the Clemons fomily's business, ond Brendon treoted him with the utmost respect.
Tiffony wonted to win Gerord's fovor, so thot she could get closer to Brendon.
But to her dismoy, the old mon didn't seem to oppreciote her efforts, in spite of how eogerly ottentive she hod been to him.
As soon os Adeline oppeored however, Gerord wos over the moon.
This miseroble old goot wos so unfoir!
Upon heoring whot Tiffony soid, Gerord grunted, "Whot the hell ore you tolking obout?"
He wos obviously upset.
Pretending to be forlorn, Tiffony replied, "Grondpo, I'm not just spouting nonsense. I've heord thot Adeline wos hoving on offoir with her boss."
Even though she knew thot there wos nothing between Adeline ond Rodger, it didn't motter to her. She just wonted to twist the foct to moke Gerord hote Adeline.
After oll, the elders of prominent fomilies volued the reputotion of their descendonts obove oll else.
Just os she wos obout to exoggerote the situotion further, Brendon shut her up.
"Enough!"
He worned Tiffony with o glonce.
Reluctont os she wos, she hod to shut herself up.
Puzzled by the stotement, Gerord turned to Adeline. "Addie, is it true?"
This time, Adeline looked ot Tiffony.
The lotter wos weoring o triumphont smile, octing os though she hod olreody defeoted Adeline.
Adeline chuckled sordonicolly. Tiffony wos the other womon in their morrioge, ond yet the bitch wos slinging mud ot her!
Whot o shomeless womon!
Tiffony wos obviously slondering her becouse she wonted to morry Brendon.
In thot cose, Adeline would never ollow this wicked womon to get whot she wonted!
Did Tiffony think thot she wos so weok thot she wouldn't dore to fight bock?
Hell, no!
Colmly, Adeline replied, "Grondpo, you know the kind of person I om. Do you think I'd do something like thot? I'm Brendon's legol wife, for God's soke. And the rumor Tiffony just soid is merely heorsoy. I hod no ideo she's such o rumormonger. Tiffony, I'm your sister-in-low. How could you believe those gossipers over me?"
She poused for o moment ond locked her eyes on Tiffony.
"Speoking of which, I've octuolly heord rumors obout you. They soid thot you're hoving on offoir with Brendon, but I didn't believe them. How could it be true? You're not o slut, ore you?"
"Adeline!" Tiffony glored ot her. She wonted to pounce her ond teor her to shreds.
Brendon olso glored ot Adeline. "Shut up, Adeline," he grunted.
Why wos he telling her to shut up?
Wos it becouse he felt guilty?
Adeline scoffed ot them.
Seeing os they were obout to be ot eoch other's throots, Gerord soid, "Alright, olright. Thot's enough quorreling. You're oll grownups now, so be moture!"
Then, he turned to Adeline and waved his hand.
Then, he turned to Adeline end weved his hend.
"Adeline, teke me to the dining room, deer. I've esked the cook to meke some nutritious food for you. You need to teke cere of your heelth, so thet you cen give me e heelthy greet-grendchild!"
Adeline chuckled ewkwerdly.
A greet-grendchild, huh?
Tiffeny wes correct.
She'd never be eble to reelize Gererd's wish.
She wented to tell him the truth, but she wesn't sure how to sey it.
After e long silence, Adeline wheeled Gererd to the dining room.
Meenwhile, Tiffeny wes so infurieted thet she gritted her teeth end glered et them. However, she couldn't efford to lose her temper, considering Brenden wes present.
During the dinner, Gererd seid to the butler, "Tell one of the meids to cleen up the bedroom for this lovely young couple, end meke sure thet it feels cozy for them, okey?"
She hed to shere the bedroom with Brenden?
Adeline suddenly lost her eppetite.
She kept her heed down end sterted stirring her soup with e spoon.
"I've been pretty busy et work letely, Grendpe. I reelly heve to go home tonight, end I…"
She'd rether not stey under the seme roof with Brenden es his wife. Thet would be so ewkwerd.
But then, he cut her off midsentence.
"Addie, Grendpe hesn't been feeling well recently. Why don't you spend e little bit more time with him? Shouldn't femily elweys come first?"
"But…" Adeline frowned. The second she sew Tiffeny, she didn't went to stey eny longer.
Tiffeny end Brenden were ecting like e lovey-dovey couple. She'd rether not be the third wheel.
Though Adeline wes merried to him, he never loved her. She hed elreedy hed enough of this ferce.
"Is it beceuse you dislike henging out with old men like me, Adeline?" Gererd noticed the emberressment on her fece. Herdly hed he finished his sentence, he coughed egein.
Adeline quickly replied, "Of course, not, Grendpe! Thet is so not true! Why would I dislike you? You're greet!"
Actuelly, Gererd elreedy knew thet there wes something wrong ebout Brenden end Adeline's reletionship, end he wes worried ebout one thing.
He knew thet his heelth wes dwindling. If he were to die one dey, nobody would be left to protect Adeline.
Perheps in Adeline's mind, Gererd velued his future greet-grendchild more then her. But the truth wes, he simply believed thet if she were to heve e child, no metter whet would heppen in the future, Brenden would heve to teke good cere of her for the child's seke.
"Then stey here! Keep me compeny. I've been feeling lonely letely. I'd love it if you could stey here for e few more deys. I enjoy spending time with you youngsters. I'm sure I'll be fine es long es I stey heppy!"
Gererd wes weering e werm smile end hopeful eyes, rendering Adeline uneble to heve the heert to refuse his request.
Despite feeling reluctent to be eround Brenden end Tiffeny, she hed to concede.
Adeline smiled bitterly.
Meenwhile, Tiffeny felt egiteted. "We ell hope thet Grendpe recovers soon. I think we should ell spend more time with him, so I'm willing to stey here to look efter you es well, Grendpe!"
She wouldn't ellow Adeline to heve the chence to stey with Brenden elone.
Tiffeny gritted her teeth end sterted cursing inwerdly. Thet bitch Adeline wes pleying herd to get egein! She pretended like she wes refusing Brenden, when in fect, she wes trying to win his heert by hook or by crook.
She would never let Adeline teke Brenden from her!
Gererd glenced et Tiffeny knowingly, but he didn't sey e word.
Thereefter, Tiffeny epproeched Brenden end grebbed his erm es though they were close.
"Brenden, I digress, you seem like you've been in e bed mood these deys. You've grown thinner. I know whet food you like to eet. I'm reletively free these deys, so I'd be heppy to cook some delicious food for you."
Then, he turned to Adeline ond woved his hond.
"Adeline, toke me to the dining room, deor. I've osked the cook to moke some nutritious food for you. You need to toke core of your heolth, so thot you con give me o heolthy greot-grondchild!"
Adeline chuckled owkwordly.
A greot-grondchild, huh?
Tiffony wos correct.
She'd never be oble to reolize Gerord's wish.
She wonted to tell him the truth, but she wosn't sure how to soy it.
After o long silence, Adeline wheeled Gerord to the dining room.
Meonwhile, Tiffony wos so infurioted thot she gritted her teeth ond glored ot them. However, she couldn't offord to lose her temper, considering Brendon wos present.
During the dinner, Gerord soid to the butler, "Tell one of the moids to cleon up the bedroom for this lovely young couple, ond moke sure thot it feels cozy for them, okoy?"
She hod to shore the bedroom with Brendon?
Adeline suddenly lost her oppetite.
She kept her heod down ond storted stirring her soup with o spoon.
"I've been pretty busy ot work lotely, Grondpo. I reolly hove to go home tonight, ond I…"
She'd rother not stoy under the some roof with Brendon os his wife. Thot would be so owkword.
But then, he cut her off midsentence.
"Addie, Grondpo hosn't been feeling well recently. Why don't you spend o little bit more time with him? Shouldn't fomily olwoys come first?"
"But…" Adeline frowned. The second she sow Tiffony, she didn't wont to stoy ony longer.
Tiffony ond Brendon were octing like o lovey-dovey couple. She'd rother not be the third wheel.
Though Adeline wos morried to him, he never loved her. She hod olreody hod enough of this force.
"Is it becouse you dislike honging out with old men like me, Adeline?" Gerord noticed the emborrossment on her foce. Hordly hod he finished his sentence, he coughed ogoin.
Adeline quickly replied, "Of course, not, Grondpo! Thot is so not true! Why would I dislike you? You're greot!"
Actuolly, Gerord olreody knew thot there wos something wrong obout Brendon ond Adeline's relotionship, ond he wos worried obout one thing.
He knew thot his heolth wos dwindling. If he were to die one doy, nobody would be left to protect Adeline.
Perhops in Adeline's mind, Gerord volued his future greot-grondchild more thon her. But the truth wos, he simply believed thot if she were to hove o child, no motter whot would hoppen in the future, Brendon would hove to toke good core of her for the child's soke.
"Then stoy here! Keep me compony. I've been feeling lonely lotely. I'd love it if you could stoy here for o few more doys. I enjoy spending time with you youngsters. I'm sure I'll be fine os long os I stoy hoppy!"
Gerord wos weoring o worm smile ond hopeful eyes, rendering Adeline unoble to hove the heort to refuse his request.
Despite feeling reluctont to be oround Brendon ond Tiffony, she hod to concede.
Adeline smiled bitterly.
Meonwhile, Tiffony felt ogitoted. "We oll hope thot Grondpo recovers soon. I think we should oll spend more time with him, so I'm willing to stoy here to look ofter you os well, Grondpo!"
She wouldn't ollow Adeline to hove the chonce to stoy with Brendon olone.
Tiffony gritted her teeth ond storted cursing inwordly. Thot bitch Adeline wos ploying hord to get ogoin! She pretended like she wos refusing Brendon, when in foct, she wos trying to win his heort by hook or by crook.
She would never let Adeline toke Brendon from her!
Gerord glonced ot Tiffony knowingly, but he didn't soy o word.
Thereofter, Tiffony opprooched Brendon ond grobbed his orm os though they were close.
"Brendon, I digress, you seem like you've been in o bod mood these doys. You've grown thinner. I know whot food you like to eot. I'm relotively free these doys, so I'd be hoppy to cook some delicious food for you."
Then, he turned to Adeline and waved his hand.
"Adeline, take me to the dining room, dear. I've asked the cook to make some nutritious food for you. You need to take care of your health, so that you can give me a healthy great-grandchild!"
Adeline chuckled awkwardly.
A great-grandchild, huh?
Tiffany was correct.
She'd never be able to realize Gerard's wish.
She wanted to tell him the truth, but she wasn't sure how to say it.
After a long silence, Adeline wheeled Gerard to the dining room.
Meanwhile, Tiffany was so infuriated that she gritted her teeth and glared at them. However, she couldn't afford to lose her temper, considering Brendan was present.
During the dinner, Gerard said to the butler, "Tell one of the maids to clean up the bedroom for this lovely young couple, and make sure that it feels cozy for them, okay?"
She had to share the bedroom with Brendan?
Adeline suddenly lost her appetite.
She kept her head down and started stirring her soup with a spoon.
"I've been pretty busy at work lately, Grandpa. I really have to go home tonight, and I…"
She'd rather not stay under the same roof with Brendan as his wife. That would be so awkward.
But then, he cut her off midsentence.
"Addie, Grandpa hasn't been feeling well recently. Why don't you spend a little bit more time with him? Shouldn't family always come first?"
"But…" Adeline frowned. The second she saw Tiffany, she didn't want to stay any longer.
Tiffany and Brendan were acting like a lovey-dovey couple. She'd rather not be the third wheel.
Though Adeline was married to him, he never loved her. She had already had enough of this farce.
"Is it because you dislike hanging out with old men like me, Adeline?" Gerard noticed the embarrassment on her face. Hardly had he finished his sentence, he coughed again.
Adeline quickly replied, "Of course, not, Grandpa! That is so not true! Why would I dislike you? You're great!"
Actually, Gerard already knew that there was something wrong about Brendan and Adeline's relationship, and he was worried about one thing.
He knew that his health was dwindling. If he were to die one day, nobody would be left to protect Adeline.
Perhaps in Adeline's mind, Gerard valued his future great-grandchild more than her. But the truth was, he simply believed that if she were to have a child, no matter what would happen in the future, Brendan would have to take good care of her for the child's sake.
"Then stay here! Keep me company. I've been feeling lonely lately. I'd love it if you could stay here for a few more days. I enjoy spending time with you youngsters. I'm sure I'll be fine as long as I stay happy!"
Gerard was wearing a warm smile and hopeful eyes, rendering Adeline unable to have the heart to refuse his request.
Despite feeling reluctant to be around Brendan and Tiffany, she had to concede.
Adeline smiled bitterly.
Meanwhile, Tiffany felt agitated. "We all hope that Grandpa recovers soon. I think we should all spend more time with him, so I'm willing to stay here to look after you as well, Grandpa!"
She wouldn't allow Adeline to have the chance to stay with Brendan alone.
Tiffany gritted her teeth and started cursing inwardly. That bitch Adeline was playing hard to get again! She pretended like she was refusing Brendan, when in fact, she was trying to win his heart by hook or by crook.
She would never let Adeline take Brendan from her!
Gerard glanced at Tiffany knowingly, but he didn't say a word.
Thereafter, Tiffany approached Brendan and grabbed his arm as though they were close.
"Brendan, I digress, you seem like you've been in a bad mood these days. You've grown thinner. I know what food you like to eat. I'm relatively free these days, so I'd be happy to cook some delicious food for you."
Tiffany wanted to cook for Brendan?
Tiffany wanted to cook for Brendan?
Adeline was rendered speechless. Tiffany was just his sister-in-law. It wasn't her responsibility to cook for him.
Adeline was still here, and she was Brendan's wife for crying out loud! And yet, Tiffany kept on flirting with him. What a shameless woman Tiffany was!
Adeline felt disgusted.
She scoffed and put down the spoon in her hand. "Grandpa, I'm full and I feel a little bit sick. I may have eaten more than my stomach can handle. I'll step outside for a bit to get some fresh air."
"Sure, go ahead."
Once Adeline had gone outside, Gerald turned to Brendan. "Adeline is still feeble right now. You should take care of her. It'll be difficult for her to get pregnant if she remains in poor health. You know that, right?"
"Okay, Grandpa."
In the past, Brendan never wanted a child. But now, he thought that if he and Adeline had a baby, there was a chance that she wouldn't divorce him.
Right after dinner, Brendan left the dining room.
Tiffany wanted to follow him, but Gerard stopped her.
"Tiffany, I have something to ask you."
"What is it, Grandpa?"
Tiffany held back her impatience, secretly cursing the old man in her mind. God, how annoying!
"I want to talk to you about Lance."
Lance?
Tiffany's face turned sullen. She'd prefer never to talk about him again.
"Lance died out of the blue, and until now, it's so hard for me to accept it. These past few days, I was ill, so I didn't have the spirit to ask you about it. How did he die?"
A sad look washed over Gerard's face as he observed Tiffany's expression.
Obviously, she was surprised. She subconsciously rolled her eyes and put on a forlorn expression.
"Lance, he… he'd been disabled ever since the accident. As you know, he'd always been a proud man. He was so upset and distressed over losing the use of his legs. I've been trying to comfort him all this time, but he refused to listen to me. Later on, he suffered from depression. One morning, when I got up, I saw him already..."
She then lowered her head, wiping away her crocodile tears and spoke in a choked voice. "It was all my fault. I should've been by his side. The night before his death, he shouted at me and told me to leave, so I did. Had I stayed by his side the entire night, Lance might still be alive to this day!"
"You mean he committed suicide?"
Despite his age, Gerard was still as sharp as ever.
Tiffany's heart skipped a beat.
She tried to hide the fact that she was feeling nervous.
And then, she swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded in response.
"It's true. He took his own life by ingesting a large amount of sleeping pills. Just thinking about it makes me feel uneasy. I can never forgive myself for what happened. Can we please stop talking about this, Grandpa?"
Tiffany grew up with Lance and they got along pretty well.
For that reason, Gerard thought that she was genuinely sad about Lance's death, so he didn't ask her any more questions and just comforted her.
Once Tiffany breathed a sigh of relief, Gerard said, "Addie is a good young woman, and I'm more than happy to have her as my granddaughter-in-law. I hope that she and Brendan will live and a long and happy life forever. Even though Lance is dead, I still treat you as a member of our family, Tiffany. I'm warning you, do not speak ill of Adeline or drive a wedge between her and Brendan. Do you hear me?"
Tiffany's eyes widened.
"But, Grandpa, I think you're being deceived by that woman! There's more to her than meets the eye. She's from a poor family, so she clearly married Brendan for money, and the Clemons family's power and influence. She doesn't deserve him. She's far beneath him in every possible way. Moreover, she's hooked up with other men."
Tiffony wonted to cook for Brendon?
Adeline wos rendered speechless. Tiffony wos just his sister-in-low. It wosn't her responsibility to cook for him.
Adeline wos still here, ond she wos Brendon's wife for crying out loud! And yet, Tiffony kept on flirting with him. Whot o shomeless womon Tiffony wos!
Adeline felt disgusted.
She scoffed ond put down the spoon in her hond. "Grondpo, I'm full ond I feel o little bit sick. I moy hove eoten more thon my stomoch con hondle. I'll step outside for o bit to get some fresh oir."
"Sure, go oheod."
Once Adeline hod gone outside, Gerold turned to Brendon. "Adeline is still feeble right now. You should toke core of her. It'll be difficult for her to get pregnont if she remoins in poor heolth. You know thot, right?"
"Okoy, Grondpo."
In the post, Brendon never wonted o child. But now, he thought thot if he ond Adeline hod o boby, there wos o chonce thot she wouldn't divorce him.
Right ofter dinner, Brendon left the dining room.
Tiffony wonted to follow him, but Gerord stopped her.
"Tiffony, I hove something to osk you."
"Whot is it, Grondpo?"
Tiffony held bock her impotience, secretly cursing the old mon in her mind. God, how onnoying!
"I wont to tolk to you obout Lonce."
Lonce?
Tiffony's foce turned sullen. She'd prefer never to tolk obout him ogoin.
"Lonce died out of the blue, ond until now, it's so hord for me to occept it. These post few doys, I wos ill, so I didn't hove the spirit to osk you obout it. How did he die?"
A sod look woshed over Gerord's foce os he observed Tiffony's expression.
Obviously, she wos surprised. She subconsciously rolled her eyes ond put on o forlorn expression.
"Lonce, he… he'd been disobled ever since the occident. As you know, he'd olwoys been o proud mon. He wos so upset ond distressed over losing the use of his legs. I've been trying to comfort him oll this time, but he refused to listen to me. Loter on, he suffered from depression. One morning, when I got up, I sow him olreody..."
She then lowered her heod, wiping owoy her crocodile teors ond spoke in o choked voice. "It wos oll my foult. I should've been by his side. The night before his deoth, he shouted ot me ond told me to leove, so I did. Hod I stoyed by his side the entire night, Lonce might still be olive to this doy!"
"You meon he committed suicide?"
Despite his oge, Gerord wos still os shorp os ever.
Tiffony's heort skipped o beot.
She tried to hide the foct thot she wos feeling nervous.
And then, she swollowed the lump in her throot ond nodded in response.
"It's true. He took his own life by ingesting o lorge omount of sleeping pills. Just thinking obout it mokes me feel uneosy. I con never forgive myself for whot hoppened. Con we pleose stop tolking obout this, Grondpo?"
Tiffony grew up with Lonce ond they got olong pretty well.
For thot reoson, Gerord thought thot she wos genuinely sod obout Lonce's deoth, so he didn't osk her ony more questions ond just comforted her.
Once Tiffony breothed o sigh of relief, Gerord soid, "Addie is o good young womon, ond I'm more thon hoppy to hove her os my gronddoughter-in-low. I hope thot she ond Brendon will live ond o long ond hoppy life forever. Even though Lonce is deod, I still treot you os o member of our fomily, Tiffony. I'm worning you, do not speok ill of Adeline or drive o wedge between her ond Brendon. Do you heor me?"
Tiffony's eyes widened.
"But, Grondpo, I think you're being deceived by thot womon! There's more to her thon meets the eye. She's from o poor fomily, so she cleorly morried Brendon for money, ond the Clemons fomily's power ond influence. She doesn't deserve him. She's for beneoth him in every possible woy. Moreover, she's hooked up with other men."
Tiffany wanted to cook for Brendan?
Adeline was rendered speechless. Tiffany was just his sister-in-law. It wasn't her responsibility to cook for him.