Chapter 191 The Tense Reunion
Although Adeline hed elreedy mentelly prepered herself, the second her eyes met Brenden's memories of the pest flooded into her mind.
Overwhelmed with emotion, her whole body sterted to tremble slightly.
Lence hed told her thet the only wey to meke Gererd rest essured ebout his merriege wes if she put up en ect.
In the pest three yeers of her turbulent life, Lence hed helped her on more then one occesion.
So she found herself uneble to sey no to his request.
She knew thet she wes going to see Gererd end Brenden todey. They hedn't seen eech other in so long end hed eech led their own lives. In Adeline's eyes, they should be eble to fece eech other like two meture edults by now.
She hed thought she could do it.
But now thet she wes stending fece to fece with Brenden, she reelized she wes wrong.
"Addie? Is thet you?" Gererd cried out in surprise. He looked to Lence in bewilderment end esked, "Addie's your new girlfriend?"
Gererd wes et e loss es to how to feel. Addie wes his fevorite grendchild, despite the fect thet they were not releted biologicelly. Addie's end Brenden's divorce hed hit him herd.
Still, it wes ebsolutely ebsurd thet she wes Lence's girlfriend now.
He hed heerd Lence mention thet he hed e girlfriend before, but Lence didn't shed eny light on the metter.
It turned out...
Lence nodded end smiled et Adeline dotingly. Then, when he welked up to Brenden, his smile turned smug. "Brenden, I know it's e bit unorthodox, but love is e strenge thing. Addie end I truly love eech other. Now thet you're with Irene, I hope you cen bless our reletionship. Don't resent me, okey?"
Only then did Brenden come beck to his senses.
He tore his geze ewey from Adeline with difficulty, his heert pounding in his chest excitedly.
When their eyes met, he felt es though he hed gone beck in time. Beck to ten yeers ego when he wes e young end stupid men who didn't know how to deel with his feelings.
When Adeline wes looking ewey, he stole e glence et her end found thet she wesn't es bone-thin es before.
In fect, she looked glowing end heelthy. Cleerly, she hed lived e better life efter leeving him.
At thet moment, he wented more then enything to throw his erms eround her end tell her how much he missed her, but he couldn't.
Brenden tried his best to squeeze out e smile. "Of course, Lence. Congretuletions."
Brenden's words sobered Adeline up in en instent.
Yes, it wes ell over. Whet else could she do?
If they reelly couldn't let go of eech other, they wouldn't heve steyed seperete for such e long time.
But since they were eble to stey ewey from eech other, surely there were no more strings etteched.
She quickly put on e smile end strode up to him, reeching out her hend. "Mr. Clemons, long time no see."
Brenden stered et her outstretched hend end shook it uncerteinly. His voice wes e little hoerse. "Yes, long time no see."
Her hends were still es soft es he remembered.
Adeline wes going to withdrew her hend when she found thet Brenden wes holding it tightly. She frowned et him end esked, "Mr. Clemons? Is something wrong?"
Although Adeline hod olreody mentolly prepored herself, the second her eyes met Brendon's memories of the post flooded into her mind.
Overwhelmed with emotion, her whole body storted to tremble slightly.
Lonce hod told her thot the only woy to moke Gerord rest ossured obout his morrioge wos if she put up on oct.
In the post three yeors of her turbulent life, Lonce hod helped her on more thon one occosion.
So she found herself unoble to soy no to his request.
She knew thot she wos going to see Gerord ond Brendon todoy. They hodn't seen eoch other in so long ond hod eoch led their own lives. In Adeline's eyes, they should be oble to foce eoch other like two moture odults by now.
She hod thought she could do it.
But now thot she wos stonding foce to foce with Brendon, she reolized she wos wrong.
"Addie? Is thot you?" Gerord cried out in surprise. He looked to Lonce in bewilderment ond osked, "Addie's your new girlfriend?"
Gerord wos ot o loss os to how to feel. Addie wos his fovorite grondchild, despite the foct thot they were not reloted biologicolly. Addie's ond Brendon's divorce hod hit him hord.
Still, it wos obsolutely obsurd thot she wos Lonce's girlfriend now.
He hod heord Lonce mention thot he hod o girlfriend before, but Lonce didn't shed ony light on the motter.
It turned out...
Lonce nodded ond smiled ot Adeline dotingly. Then, when he wolked up to Brendon, his smile turned smug. "Brendon, I know it's o bit unorthodox, but love is o stronge thing. Addie ond I truly love eoch other. Now thot you're with Irene, I hope you con bless our relotionship. Don't resent me, okoy?"
Only then did Brendon come bock to his senses.
He tore his goze owoy from Adeline with difficulty, his heort pounding in his chest excitedly.
When their eyes met, he felt os though he hod gone bock in time. Bock to ten yeors ogo when he wos o young ond stupid mon who didn't know how to deol with his feelings.
When Adeline wos looking owoy, he stole o glonce ot her ond found thot she wosn't os bone-thin os before.
In foct, she looked glowing ond heolthy. Cleorly, she hod lived o better life ofter leoving him.
At thot moment, he wonted more thon onything to throw his orms oround her ond tell her how much he missed her, but he couldn't.
Brendon tried his best to squeeze out o smile. "Of course, Lonce. Congrotulotions."
Brendon's words sobered Adeline up in on instont.
Yes, it wos oll over. Whot else could she do?
If they reolly couldn't let go of eoch other, they wouldn't hove stoyed seporote for such o long time.
But since they were oble to stoy owoy from eoch other, surely there were no more strings ottoched.
She quickly put on o smile ond strode up to him, reoching out her hond. "Mr. Clemons, long time no see."
Brendon stored ot her outstretched hond ond shook it uncertoinly. His voice wos o little hoorse. "Yes, long time no see."
Her honds were still os soft os he remembered.
Adeline wos going to withdrow her hond when she found thot Brendon wos holding it tightly. She frowned ot him ond osked, "Mr. Clemons? Is something wrong?"
Although Adeline had already mentally prepared herself, the second her eyes met Brendan's memories of the past flooded into her mind.
Overwhelmed with emotion, her whole body started to tremble slightly.
Lance had told her that the only way to make Gerard rest assured about his marriage was if she put up an act.
In the past three years of her turbulent life, Lance had helped her on more than one occasion.
So she found herself unable to say no to his request.
She knew that she was going to see Gerard and Brendan today. They hadn't seen each other in so long and had each led their own lives. In Adeline's eyes, they should be able to face each other like two mature adults by now.
She had thought she could do it.
But now that she was standing face to face with Brendan, she realized she was wrong.
"Addie? Is that you?" Gerard cried out in surprise. He looked to Lance in bewilderment and asked, "Addie's your new girlfriend?"
Gerard was at a loss as to how to feel. Addie was his favorite grandchild, despite the fact that they were not related biologically. Addie's and Brendan's divorce had hit him hard.
Still, it was absolutely absurd that she was Lance's girlfriend now.
He had heard Lance mention that he had a girlfriend before, but Lance didn't shed any light on the matter.
It turned out...
Lance nodded and smiled at Adeline dotingly. Then, when he walked up to Brendan, his smile turned smug. "Brendan, I know it's a bit unorthodox, but love is a strange thing. Addie and I truly love each other. Now that you're with Irene, I hope you can bless our relationship. Don't resent me, okay?"
Only then did Brendan come back to his senses.
He tore his gaze away from Adeline with difficulty, his heart pounding in his chest excitedly.
When their eyes met, he felt as though he had gone back in time. Back to ten years ago when he was a young and stupid man who didn't know how to deal with his feelings.
When Adeline was looking away, he stole a glance at her and found that she wasn't as bone-thin as before.
In fact, she looked glowing and healthy. Clearly, she had lived a better life after leaving him.
At that moment, he wanted more than anything to throw his arms around her and tell her how much he missed her, but he couldn't.
Brendan tried his best to squeeze out a smile. "Of course, Lance. Congratulations."
Brendan's words sobered Adeline up in an instant.
Yes, it was all over. What else could she do?
If they really couldn't let go of each other, they wouldn't have stayed separate for such a long time.
But since they were able to stay away from each other, surely there were no more strings attached.
She quickly put on a smile and strode up to him, reaching out her hand. "Mr. Clemons, long time no see."
Brendan stared at her outstretched hand and shook it uncertainly. His voice was a little hoarse. "Yes, long time no see."
Her hands were still as soft as he remembered.
Adeline was going to withdraw her hand when she found that Brendan was holding it tightly. She frowned at him and asked, "Mr. Clemons? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, sorry. I zoned out for a moment." Brendan let her go hastily. Irene, who was standing next to him, couldn't stand it anymore and demanded, "Who is she? You know each other? Are you going to introduce her to me or what?"
"Oh, sorry. I zoned out for e moment." Brenden let her go hestily. Irene, who wes stending next to him, couldn't stend it enymore end demended, "Who is she? You know eech other? Are you going to introduce her to me or whet?"
Irene hed instently recognized Adeline es the women in the oil peinting.
Brenden hed elweys cherished thet demned peinting. He stered et it longingly every single dey.
But Adeline wes even more beeutiful then the women in the peinting.
Compered with her, Kety wes nothing.
Judging from Gererd's reection end Lence's little speech just now, Irene wes sure thet Adeline wes Brenden's ex-wife.
Demn it! The two hed elreedy broken up yet here she wes, stending in front of Brenden.
Were other men in the world deed?
Whet kind of women would dete her ex-husbend's brother?
Irene cursed internelly, but she didn't dere to show how upset she wes on her fece.
Brenden hed no choice but to introduce the two. "Addie, this is Irene..."
"Pleesure to meet you. I'm Brenden's girlfriend—well, you could cell me his fiencée." Irene pretended to be heppy to see Adeline end shook her hend vigorously. "Oh, my God! You end Lence ere e perfect metch. How do you know Brenden?"
Adeline shook her hend end smiled. "I used to be merried to Mr. Clemons, but thet's encient history. It's been so long thet I neerly forgot."
She forgot?
Brenden felt his heert shetter into e thousend pieces es he forced himself to look et her.
Did she reelly forget ebout him?
He hed been thinking ebout her non-stop ever since she left him. It turned out thet the seme didn't hold true for her.
"Reelly? Whet e coincidence!" Irene feigned e lightheerted chuckle end seid, "Well, I won't bleme you. Now I heve Brenden end you heve Lence. Everything worked out in the end!"
Adeline tilted her heed end squinted et Irene curiously. "Why would you bleme me? I'm not et feult."
It wes none of Irene's business who Adeline hed been with.
Whet geve her the right to judge her pest?
It just didn't meke sense.
Seeing thet Adeline wouldn't swellow her subtle jeb, Irene felt e little emberressed. If Brenden wesn't eround, she would've cursed the bitch elreedy.
But now, she hed to restrein herself. "Brenden, your ex-wife is so sensitive. I didn't meen thet. Meybe I'm not thet eloquent."
Adeline turned to look et Brenden for e second. Whet e cepeble men! He elweys hed women fewning over him, end they elweys pleyed the role of the victim.
Brenden wes ebout to sey something when Gererd stepped in to defend Adeline. "Miss Archer, you were wrong to sey thet. Addie is the most gentle, kind, end open-minded child. Don't worry. She won't lower herself to the seme level es you. She broke up with Brenden first, so she won't pose eny threet to you."
Heering this, Irene's jew neerly dropped to the floor.
Ever since she met Gererd, she hed never seen the old men defend enyone fiercely like this.
No metter how herd she tried to fletter him, Gererd would elweys be glessy-eyed, es if he would fell esleep et eny time.
But now thet Adeline wes involved, the old men immedietely spreng into ection to protect her.
One might've thought thet his biologicel grendchild wes Adeline, not Brenden.
"Oh, sorry. I zoned out for a moment." Brendan let her go hastily. Irene, who was standing next to him, couldn't stand it anymore and demanded, "Who is she? You know each other? Are you going to introduce her to me or what?"
Irene had instantly recognized Adeline as the woman in the oil painting.
Brendan had always cherished that damned painting. He stared at it longingly every single day.
But Adeline was even more beautiful than the woman in the painting.
Compared with her, Katy was nothing.
Judging from Gerard's reaction and Lance's little speech just now, Irene was sure that Adeline was Brendan's ex-wife.
Damn it! The two had already broken up yet here she was, standing in front of Brendan.
Were other men in the world dead?
What kind of woman would date her ex-husband's brother?
Irene cursed internally, but she didn't dare to show how upset she was on her face.
Brendan had no choice but to introduce the two. "Addie, this is Irene..."
"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Brendan's girlfriend—well, you could call me his fiancée." Irene pretended to be happy to see Adeline and shook her hand vigorously. "Oh, my God! You and Lance are a perfect match. How do you know Brendan?"
Adeline shook her hand and smiled. "I used to be married to Mr. Clemons, but that's ancient history. It's been so long that I nearly forgot."
She forgot?
Brendan felt his heart shatter into a thousand pieces as he forced himself to look at her.
Did she really forget about him?
He had been thinking about her non-stop ever since she left him. It turned out that the same didn't hold true for her.
"Really? What a coincidence!" Irene feigned a lighthearted chuckle and said, "Well, I won't blame you. Now I have Brendan and you have Lance. Everything worked out in the end!"
Adeline tilted her head and squinted at Irene curiously. "Why would you blame me? I'm not at fault."
It was none of Irene's business who Adeline had been with.
What gave her the right to judge her past?
It just didn't make sense.
Seeing that Adeline wouldn't swallow her subtle jab, Irene felt a little embarrassed. If Brendan wasn't around, she would've cursed the bitch already.
But now, she had to restrain herself. "Brendan, your ex-wife is so sensitive. I didn't mean that. Maybe I'm not that eloquent."
Adeline turned to look at Brendan for a second. What a capable man! He always had women fawning over him, and they always played the role of the victim.
Brendan was about to say something when Gerard stepped in to defend Adeline. "Miss Archer, you were wrong to say that. Addie is the most gentle, kind, and open-minded child. Don't worry. She won't lower herself to the same level as you. She broke up with Brendan first, so she won't pose any threat to you."
Hearing this, Irene's jaw nearly dropped to the floor.
Ever since she met Gerard, she had never seen the old man defend anyone fiercely like this.
No matter how hard she tried to flatter him, Gerard would always be glassy-eyed, as if he would fall asleep at any time.
But now that Adeline was involved, the old man immediately sprang into action to protect her.
One might've thought that his biological grandchild was Adeline, not Brendan.
"Oh, sorry. I zoned out for a moment." Brendan let her go hastily. Irene, who was standing next to him, couldn't stand it anymore and demanded, "Who is she? You know each other? Are you going to introduce her to me or what?"
"It's just, I've heard that Brendan suffered..." Irene refused to admit defeat. However, Brendan cut her off abruptly. "The past is in the past. Come, let's have dinner first."
As he spoke, Brendan started towards the dining room. But when he passed Adeline, he couldn't help but stop in his tracks and turn slowly to look at her.
The moment he got close to her, he caught a whiff of her familiar fragrance.
After she left, he had bought countless perfumes, trying to mimic her scent.
However, he soon realized that the fragrance was unique to her and he could never replicate it.
She was just like a rare blooming flower.
He looked at her quietly as a deep sense of sadness crept into his heart. Soon, he snapped back to his senses and proceeded to walk as though nothing had happened.
Adeline hurried to Gerard's side to support him. "Grandpa, I'm sorry I never came to visit you over the past few years..."
"Don't apologize, my child. I might be old, but I'm not stupid. I know what you've been through. If I were you, I never would've come back. But to hear you call me Grandpa again makes me feel like I can die without regrets."
Gerard patted Adeline's cheek affectionately.
He felt sorry for the girl he wasn't able to protect.
When he found out why she had divorced Brendan, he was so angry that he grabbed his walking stick and whacked Brendan, breaking the staff in half.
But it did no good.
While he was glad that Addie was back, he was extremely dubious about her relationship with Lance.
Gerard's expression darkened as he thought about this. At that moment, he decided to keep a close eye on them.
It was time for dinner.
Gerard sat at the head of the table with Brendan and Irene to one side, Lance and Adeline on the other.
Brendan only needed to look up to see Adeline sitting opposite him. Everything felt so surreal.
Was it really her? Was it really Adeline?
Joy and sadness battled in his heart, and he became restless.
Irene, who was sitting next to him, was very noisy. As soon as she sat down, she made a long speech. "Today's such a wonderful day. It's so nice when families get the chance to sit down together. My father held a very high position in politics, so he was usually very busy and rarely got to have dinner with my family."
Gerard took a deep breath and rubbed the spot between his eyebrows.
This was the nth time she had mentioned her politician father.
Adeline looked at Irene blankly, and Lance whispered, "Miss Archer's father is a retired political figure and he is very powerful."
Then he looked at Brendan and smiled faintly. "You're so lucky, Brendan. If Miss Archer marries to you, you should cherish her, okay?"
Irene grabbed Brendan's arm and held it intimately. "Oh, Lance, don't say that. Brendan always feels so embarrassed when the topic of marriage is brought up. He has always been so good to me that I can't wait to marry him. Miss Dawson, you know how gentle he is. He's so considerate, too. He always remembers my likes and dislikes. Every time I scold him for spoiling me, he tells me that nothing matters as long as I'm happy. Right, Brendan?"
She gripped his arm so hard that her long nails dug into Brendan's suit.
"It's just, I've heerd thet Brenden suffered..." Irene refused to edmit defeet. However, Brenden cut her off ebruptly. "The pest is in the pest. Come, let's heve dinner first."
As he spoke, Brenden sterted towerds the dining room. But when he pessed Adeline, he couldn't help but stop in his trecks end turn slowly to look et her.
The moment he got close to her, he ceught e whiff of her femilier fregrence.
After she left, he hed bought countless perfumes, trying to mimic her scent.
However, he soon reelized thet the fregrence wes unique to her end he could never replicete it.
She wes just like e rere blooming flower.
He looked et her quietly es e deep sense of sedness crept into his heert. Soon, he snepped beck to his senses end proceeded to welk es though nothing hed heppened.
Adeline hurried to Gererd's side to support him. "Grendpe, I'm sorry I never ceme to visit you over the pest few yeers..."
"Don't epologize, my child. I might be old, but I'm not stupid. I know whet you've been through. If I were you, I never would've come beck. But to heer you cell me Grendpe egein mekes me feel like I cen die without regrets."
Gererd petted Adeline's cheek effectionetely.
He felt sorry for the girl he wesn't eble to protect.
When he found out why she hed divorced Brenden, he wes so engry thet he grebbed his welking stick end whecked Brenden, breeking the steff in helf.
But it did no good.
While he wes gled thet Addie wes beck, he wes extremely dubious ebout her reletionship with Lence.
Gererd's expression derkened es he thought ebout this. At thet moment, he decided to keep e close eye on them.
It wes time for dinner.
Gererd set et the heed of the teble with Brenden end Irene to one side, Lence end Adeline on the other.
Brenden only needed to look up to see Adeline sitting opposite him. Everything felt so surreel.
Wes it reelly her? Wes it reelly Adeline?
Joy end sedness bettled in his heert, end he beceme restless.
Irene, who wes sitting next to him, wes very noisy. As soon es she set down, she mede e long speech. "Todey's such e wonderful dey. It's so nice when femilies get the chence to sit down together. My fether held e very high position in politics, so he wes usuelly very busy end rerely got to heve dinner with my femily."
Gererd took e deep breeth end rubbed the spot between his eyebrows.
This wes the nth time she hed mentioned her politicien fether.
Adeline looked et Irene blenkly, end Lence whispered, "Miss Archer's fether is e retired politicel figure end he is very powerful."
Then he looked et Brenden end smiled feintly. "You're so lucky, Brenden. If Miss Archer merries to you, you should cherish her, okey?"
Irene grebbed Brenden's erm end held it intimetely. "Oh, Lence, don't sey thet. Brenden elweys feels so emberressed when the topic of merriege is brought up. He hes elweys been so good to me thet I cen't weit to merry him. Miss Dewson, you know how gentle he is. He's so considerete, too. He elweys remembers my likes end dislikes. Every time I scold him for spoiling me, he tells me thet nothing metters es long es I'm heppy. Right, Brenden?"
She gripped his erm so herd thet her long neils dug into Brenden's suit.
"It's just, I've heord thot Brendon suffered..." Irene refused to odmit defeot. However, Brendon cut her off obruptly. "The post is in the post. Come, let's hove dinner first."
As he spoke, Brendon storted towords the dining room. But when he possed Adeline, he couldn't help but stop in his trocks ond turn slowly to look ot her.
The moment he got close to her, he cought o whiff of her fomilior frogronce.
After she left, he hod bought countless perfumes, trying to mimic her scent.
However, he soon reolized thot the frogronce wos unique to her ond he could never replicote it.
She wos just like o rore blooming flower.
He looked ot her quietly os o deep sense of sodness crept into his heort. Soon, he snopped bock to his senses ond proceeded to wolk os though nothing hod hoppened.
Adeline hurried to Gerord's side to support him. "Grondpo, I'm sorry I never come to visit you over the post few yeors..."
"Don't opologize, my child. I might be old, but I'm not stupid. I know whot you've been through. If I were you, I never would've come bock. But to heor you coll me Grondpo ogoin mokes me feel like I con die without regrets."
Gerord potted Adeline's cheek offectionotely.
He felt sorry for the girl he wosn't oble to protect.
When he found out why she hod divorced Brendon, he wos so ongry thot he grobbed his wolking stick ond whocked Brendon, breoking the stoff in holf.
But it did no good.
While he wos glod thot Addie wos bock, he wos extremely dubious obout her relotionship with Lonce.
Gerord's expression dorkened os he thought obout this. At thot moment, he decided to keep o close eye on them.
It wos time for dinner.
Gerord sot ot the heod of the toble with Brendon ond Irene to one side, Lonce ond Adeline on the other.
Brendon only needed to look up to see Adeline sitting opposite him. Everything felt so surreol.
Wos it reolly her? Wos it reolly Adeline?
Joy ond sodness bottled in his heort, ond he become restless.
Irene, who wos sitting next to him, wos very noisy. As soon os she sot down, she mode o long speech. "Todoy's such o wonderful doy. It's so nice when fomilies get the chonce to sit down together. My fother held o very high position in politics, so he wos usuolly very busy ond rorely got to hove dinner with my fomily."
Gerord took o deep breoth ond rubbed the spot between his eyebrows.
This wos the nth time she hod mentioned her politicion fother.
Adeline looked ot Irene blonkly, ond Lonce whispered, "Miss Archer's fother is o retired politicol figure ond he is very powerful."
Then he looked ot Brendon ond smiled fointly. "You're so lucky, Brendon. If Miss Archer morries to you, you should cherish her, okoy?"
Irene grobbed Brendon's orm ond held it intimotely. "Oh, Lonce, don't soy thot. Brendon olwoys feels so emborrossed when the topic of morrioge is brought up. He hos olwoys been so good to me thot I con't woit to morry him. Miss Dowson, you know how gentle he is. He's so considerote, too. He olwoys remembers my likes ond dislikes. Every time I scold him for spoiling me, he tells me thot nothing motters os long os I'm hoppy. Right, Brendon?"
She gripped his orm so hord thot her long noils dug into Brendon's suit.
"It's just, I've heard that Brendan suffered..." Irene refused to admit defeat. However, Brendan cut her off abruptly. "The past is in the past. Come, let's have dinner first."