NovelOnlineChapter 710 15th Birthday Raymond looked embarrassed and uncomfortable.
Caleb and Victor couldn't resist speaking up, but Aaron cut them off.
It's getting late. Let's go home." The two of them had no choice but to shut up. They put their coats on and got ready to leave. Before Caleb left, he patted Grace on the shoulder meaningfully.
There were now only four people left in the spacious hall. It felt strangely desolate. g Grace dithered, and she glanced at Xander worriedly.
Raymond was still explaining. "I met you when I was 25 years old. My family didn't approve of my decision to marry you because they felt I needed someone who could focus on the family wholeheartedly.
"But you were good at everything and outstanding in so many fields.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtYou weren't willing to toe the line, but I overcame every objection and married you. We've been each other's companions for decades, and I'm still holding on to you.
"You should know what kind of person I am! I really did not know about today." Raymond's eyes were focused only on Hestia, and he looked earnest.
However, Hestia immediately rose when he had finished. "But you lied
to me, too! When you slept with Priscilla, Xander was only three years old! If that woman hadn't shown up on our doorstep, I would have been deceived by you for much longer!" Hestia had never lost her composure like this. When she thought of how shattered she had felt at the time, she pushed Raymond aside and headed out.
IiHestia!" Raymond ran after her.
In the expansive hall, only the glimmering lights remained.
Grace looked at Xander, who looked lost and forlorn. She walked tentatively over to him and squatted down, taking his hand in hers.
"I'm still here," she said finally, after racking her brains for what to say to comfort him.
She remained steadfast no matter what happened with the others.
Xander's gaze lowered, and he remained expressionless. He did not look as warm and gentle as he usually did. He seemed to be very lost.
Grace gripped his hand tightly and repeated, "I'm still here, Xander." A glimmer returned to his eyes as he gently clasped her hand. He pulled her onto his lap.
He leaned against her chest and closed his eyes as he listened to the steady beat of her heart.
"Until I turned 15, despite my parents’ divorce, I held onto the belief 2/4
that they maintained a strong relationship.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"This conviction shielded me from the opinions of others, and I continued to perceive my family as happy. That changed when Jake appeared." It had been a rainy day on his 15th birthday. Xander sat on the villa's steps after all his friends went home after the party. He was holding a piece of summer homework in his hands. Grace had thrust it at him and asked him to finish it for her.
Xander imitated her handwriting as he kept an eye on the entrance.
Raymond still wasn't back, even though it was already very late.
After along time, he finished the homework. Finally, the headlights of Raymond's car shone in the doorway, and Xander smiled as he rushed into the heavy rain. "Dad!" But when the car door opened, a woman and a little boy got out.
"You must be Xander. I'm sorry, your father's sick, and he couldn't rush back in time. This is a present from him." The woman smiled, but Xander didn't feel any warmth in her smile.
The young Xander frowned and retreated backward. "Who are you?" "Don't you know me? It's alright. You'll know in the future." The woman tugged at the little boy beside her. "Jake, this is your older | brother. Say hello."
A flash of lightning lit up the pouring rain, and there was a crash of thunder. The lightning lit up Xander's deathly pale face.
It was at that very moment that destiny took its course.
"That night, my always rational mother lost her temper and flew into the biggest rage she had ever been in. She drove right up to Priscilla and stopped within a hair's breadth of running her over."
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