"It's not what you think! Yes, the tissue is wet, but it's just sweat. If you don't believe me, feel it!" Rosalie stepped forward, holding out the soaked tissue.Theodore sighed and shook his head, rubbing his aching forehead."Stay back," Wesley said, pulling Sydney behind him protectively. The couple looked at Rosalie as if she were a wild animal. "You two can handle your private matters on your own. We're leaving.""No, really, we didn't do anything!" Rosalie insisted, hurrying after them. "Touch it, you'll see. It's just water! It's not sticky at all. If you don't believe me, check Theodore's pants. They're still on."Theodore groaned internally, wishing he could disappear or dig a hole to hide in.Hearing the word "sticky," Wesley and Sydney quickened their pace, practically running away.As Rosalie continued to chase after them, Theodore called out, "Rose."She stopped and turned, "What?""Let it go. Let them think what they want."Rosalie frowned. "But they misunderstoo
Wesley withdrew his hand awkwardly. Seeing Rosalie nearby, he gave her a resigned smile and stepped away from Sydney.Rosalie approached them. "Hello, Mr. Spencer, Mrs. Spencer."Sydney frowned, setting down her teacup. "Why are you calling us that? It's only been a few days, and you don't recognize us anymore?"Rosalie forced herself to smile. "Theo and I are divorced now, so..."At the mention of their divorce, Wesley and Sydney exchanged glances. They didn't seem particularly surprised, as if they already knew."I heard about it from Mom," Sydney said calmly. "But even after the divorce, you still call her 'Grandma.' Why don't you call us Mom and Dad anymore? Are you playing favorites?""Huh? I..." Rosalie was taken aback. Sydney seemed upset, and Rosalie hurried to explain, "I didn’t mean to, I just..."She had never heard this perspective before. Usually, people talked about parents or in-laws playing favorites, not the daughter-in-law."That’s enough, Sydney. Don't scare
"Theo and I are indeed living separately. I don't live here anymore. I just came by to pick up some things and check on him," Rosalie explained.Sydney raised an eyebrow. "Really? You came to check on him, and conveniently left the door open while getting all cozy?"Rosalie blushed. "It's not what it looked like. I...""Enough, no more explanations," Sydney interrupted. "Whatever the case, you two looked pretty intimate. If you're so reluctant to part, why did you get divorced in the first place?""I..."Sydney's tone was aggressive, and Rosalie struggled to respond kindly."Why aren't you saying anything? Or do you enjoy the thrill of being divorced, free to play around outside while still getting close to Theo?" she went on.Her words were dripping with sarcasm.Rosalie felt a pang of discomfort. She furrowed her brow slightly, trying to stay calm and polite. "That's not my intention. I don't know why you think that way, but my conscience is clear," she said.She had only
Rosalie clenched her fists. "I have no intention of ruining your relationship with Theo. Why would I do that? I don't know what's wrong with you today—if you're in a bad mood, or someone has upset you—but I haven't done anything wrong. I don't think you should be treating me like this," she said firmly."So you're saying it's my fault?" Sydney stood up, her high heels clicking sharply as she walked over to Rosalie. Sydney was already taller, and in her ten-centimeter heels, she towered over Rosalie. Looking down, she said coldly, "Now that you're divorced, you think you don't have to respect me as your mother-in-law anymore?"Rosalie bit her lip and looked up, meeting her gaze head-on, not backing down. "I never thought that. Please speak to me properly.""Speak properly?" Sydney scoffed. "Are you telling me how to talk? It seems your grandmother has spoiled you too much. You don't know your place. Today, I need to teach you a lesson!"As Sydney raised her hand, Rosalie was s
Sydney retorted, "She divorced you quietly—that's her first mistake. Coming back after the divorce to do those things with you—that's her second mistake. Deliberately trying to ruin our mother-son relationship—that's her third mistake. So tell me, why can't I discipline her?"Hearing his mother's unreasonable arguments, Theodore's face turned cold with anger. "First, it was me who wanted the divorce. I'm the one who betrayed our marriage! Second, this house belongs to Rose, not me or you. You’re the guests here, she's the owner, and I'm staying in her house. She kindly helped me with my injuries. We didn't do anything improper. "Third, she never tried to ruin our relationship. You've been distant since I was a child because of Dad. We barely see each other in a year! You're the one who distanced yourself from me. You didn't care about our relationship. I wanted to see you during holidays and on my birthdays, but you were never there!"As he said the last few sentences, his emotio
Sydney never imagined her son would speak to her this way. She hadn't realized just how much sadness he harbored in his heart.She fell silent for a long time, unable to find the right words to say. Her gaze shifted from Theodore, and she finally looked down, unsure how to face him. Though she was a mother and Theodore was already in his twenties, she seemed almost childlike at this moment, lost and uncertain.After a while, she said, "You've always been so independent. Besides, we had plenty of servants to take care of you. You didn't need me around."Rosalie frowned, feeling a surge of irritation. Sydney's words were grating. Having servants didn't excuse neglecting one's child—it wasn't a valid reason! Rosalie understood that Sydney had been unhappy in her marriage, but bringing a child into the world meant taking responsibility and providing ample love. A child shouldn't bear the burden of their parents' marital woes.However, discussing this now wouldn't change anything.
However, Rosalie had already decided to secretly have this child no matter what. She was determined to give her child all her love, and never let him grow up feeling neglected. But now, a new fear crept into her heart: Would her child resent her one day? Would her child blame her for bringing him into a broken family?Rosalie's mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions as she clutched the fabric of her dress tightly. She was so anxious, she didn't even notice Wesley trembling with anger.Slap!Before anyone could react, Wesley struck Theodore hard across the face. The sound echoed in the room, making Rosalie’s heart jolt. She rushed forward, spreading her arms to shield Theodore. "Dad, please, let’s talk this out! Don’t use violence!" she cried. Sometimes, the more guilty a person felt, the louder and angrier they become. Wesley seemed to fit this mold perfectly. His fury was intense, but so was his guilt. After hitting Theodore, he immediately felt regret.Theodore's chee
"It's my fault. I'm the most useless one. If I hadn't married into the Spencer family, none of this would have happened. I'm the one who's a burden!" Then, Sydney turned and ran."Sydney!" Wesley was about to chase after her, but then turned back. He pointed angrily at Theodore. "Look at what you've done! Your mother came all this way to see you out of kindness, and you have the nerve to say she doesn't care about you! "If she didn't care, she wouldn't have come all this way! I admit I'm at fault, but since I've already walked down the wrong path, you shouldn't have followed what I did. But now, you've gone and done it again. Luckily, Rose doesn't have any children, or they'd end up like you—a curse!"There was not just anger in Wesley's eyes but also sadness—more so, a sense of resignation. After speaking, he turned to chase after Sydney."Sydney, wait!" Wesley caught up, grabbing her hand and pulling her back. "Don't run away!""Let go of me!" Sydney tried to break free with