GoodReadDorothy peered into his eyes, which burned with an earnest intensity, unmarred by even a hint of evasion.
For a fleeting moment, she yearned to spill the beans about what his mother, Amanda, had done to Bella, just to see what he would do.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtWould he still stand by her? But the words died on her lips.
It wasn't fear that Everett wouldn't choose her. It was dread that he'd be torn apart by the decision, plummeting into an abyss.
On one side was the mother who raised him, and on the other, the love he'd pursued for years. Either choice could shatter him.
Rather than witness such torment, she chose to release her grip.
She couldn't bear to see Everett struggle, so she decided to make the choice for him.
After all, it was his duty to stand by his mother as an only child. No one could fault him for that.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIf he sided with her, she feared the wagging tongues and the judgmental whispers would drag him into despair.
Once Jeffrey was tidied up, Karen slowly opened the bedroom door.
There sat Derek and Serena in the living room as expected, each looking more sour-faced than the other.
Upon seeing his daughter emerge, Derek was the first to speak, "Karen, come here." "Dad." Karen didn't dare bring any bravado to the table, approaching with the timid steps of a kitten.
"You remember I'm your dad? Seems like you've forgotten everything I've taught you!" Derek was known for his good temper, rarely showing anger. But today, he was livid.
He was incensed by his daughter's lack of self-respect! The thought of his daughter entertaining a man at home in broad daylight, it was a father's nightmare! "Dad... Jeffrey and I..." "What about you and him?" Derek's stern voice cut her off, then his gaze shifted to Jeffrey, his voice clearing, "Young man, your persistent visits to see my daughter have already displeased me, but | can't fault you for my daughter's actions! If Karen had truly cut ties with you, you wouldn't be tangled up with her like this. Given today's events, I'm deeply disappointed with how I've raised her, and I'm afraid it's not a good time for you to stay. Please leave. | won't see you out.” "Mr. Miller, Karen and | are truly in love. It's not like what you're thinking," Despite his usual nonchalance, Jeffrey approached the situation with utmost respect in the presence of his potential father-in-law, "Today was actually the day my parents were supposed to come over to formally ask for Karen's hand in marriage, and then... well, | just wanted to take a shower.” "Sorry, but | can't agree to your proposal,” Derek stood firm, "A relationship that sprouts under these circumstances is too flimsy to support a lifetime commitment.” "I really do love Karen!" Jeffrey was getting anxious, "I want to marry her." Derek turned his gaze to his daughter, "And you? Do you love him?" Caught off guard, Karen hesitated before giving a muffled acknowledgment, "Yeah." "What do you love about him?" Derek scrutinized the young man before him, his expression unyielding, "His good looks? Or the fancy car parked downstairs?" Karen didn’t dare to reply.
"Karen, we're a humble family. You're the only daughter of ours. We never expected you to climb the social ladder. Just look at him. He's got ‘playboy’ written all over him. Can you handle that? He says he loves you today, but tomorrow he could be saying that to someone else. Then who will you cry to?"
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