Chapter 300 Name
Ringo dialed the hotel’s front desk using the internal line and asked them to send someone up to clean the room. Then, he ordered dinner as well. Meanwhile, Jefferson tore open the envelope and took out the few pieces of paper inside.
A photo dropped out as he had made too large of an opening when ripping the envelope.
Jefferson picked up the picture and took a glance. The photo featured a gorgeous Aplothian woman with pursed lips and a faint smile. Her arms seemed to be linked with another person’s, but the other half of the photo was cut out.
He casually placed the picture on the table afterward and began browsing through the papers’ content.
After he read for a few seconds, his breathing turned laborious, and his expression changed. He rapidly turned to the second page. Then, he seemed to have interpreted some information on the piece of paper because his pupils suddenly constricted, and his hands started to tremble.
After finishing the third page, his hands stopped shaking. A conflicted expression spread across his face as he fixated his blue, dull-looking eyes on the paper.
Cough! Cough! He began coughing violently after staying silent for a few seconds and even spewed a mouthful of blood.
“Sir!” Hearing the disturbance, Ringo hurried over and saw Jefferson coughing up blood profusely. He immediately went to the bedroom and took out the medication from the medicine pouch he had brought along.
He quickly removed two pills and poured a glass of warm water before handing them to Jefferson.
“Take them away. I don’t want to eat the medication!” Jefferson abruptly bellowed and waved his hand roughly, swatting the medicine and glass of water to the floor.
His outburst frightened Ringo.
Ringo picked up the pills and poured another glass of water for Jefferson before uttering through gritted teeth, “Sir, you said you wanted to gift Ms. Garland the present. You won’t live past three months if you don’t take your medications.”
Perhaps the mention of Rayna’s name struck the soft spot in Jefferson’s heart. He glanced up at Ringo, accepted the glass of water, and swallowed the pills.
Ringo unintentionally saw the photo on the table. That’s a beautiful woman. I think I’ve seen her somewhere before, but I can’t remember where.
Then, his gaze shifted to the papers in Jefferson’s hands. He guessed the latter must’ve lost control of his emotions because of that letter.
Ringo wanted to inquire about the letter and was contemplating how he should ask the question when Jefferson, eyes boring into the picture on the table, piped up in a deep voice, “Ringo, do you know who that woman is?”
Ringo shook his head. “I don’t know. She’s quite pretty.”
“She’s my mother.”
“What?” Ringo was astounded. Then, he took another few looks at the picture.
Only then did he recall seeing the oil painting of a woman hanging on the right wall when he first entered Boniel’s study. The woman in the painting wore a wedding dress, but her facial features were identical to the woman in the photo.
Ringo had fallen into a daze, watching the painting at that time. Boniel smiled gently as he asked, “That is Calbert’s mother. She’s lovely, isn’t she?”
As it turned out, she was Jefferson’s mother.
“That’s right.” Jefferson flashed a hollow grin and muttered, “No wonder he assigned Dorothy to stay by my side. He already knew about this from the beginning.”
Confused, Ringo asked, “Sir, what do you mean?”
Instead of answering, Jefferson picked up the envelope and examined it before removing another photo. After glancing at the picture and laughing bitterly, he tossed the photo at Ringo.
Ringo caught the picture and was dumbfounded when he saw the woman on it.
“Isn’t this Dorothy’s mother?” As he spoke, he looked up at Jefferson and noticed the latter’s grimace. “Why did Old Mr. Terblanc send you pictures like these?”
“It wasn’t my father who sent these.” Jefferson’s voice was almost inaudible.
The few pieces of paper slipped out of his hands onto the carpet as Jefferson, lying on the couch, slackened his grip. Ringo stooped to pick up the letter.
As he flipped through the pages, Ringo’s countenance evolved from an initial look of perplexity to an incredulous expression. He reread the three pieces of paper ten times with shock churning within his chest.
“So, Old Mrs. Terblanc escaped from the great fire and fell unconscious on the roadside. She was then rescued by someone but lost her memories. Subsequently, Kenneth Verlice brought her to Jetroina, married her, and they gave birth to a child. Dorothy is actually your younger sister from a different father…”
“That brother of mine is indeed formidable.” Jefferson stared at the chandelier hanging on the ceiling while uttering emotionlessly, “He must’ve been looking forward to how I would feel after I became aware of this matter.”
Ringo persuaded Jefferson solemnly, “Sir, Mr. Cyrus intends to bring you down using this matter. You mustn’t fall into his trap. Dorothy being your little sister doesn’t change a thing.”
Jefferson smiled. “She cares only about my brother and is willing to die for him. There’s no need for me to pity her since she has already lost her soul.”
“If you’re going to do this because of Old Mrs. Terblanc, that’s a bigger no-no.” Ringo could guess what Jefferson was thinking since he had read the letter. He said anxiously, “Mr. Cyrus deeply resents you and Old Mrs. Terblanc because of the incident involving his mother, Yvette, ending her own life. He said he had requested the doctor to remove the blood clot in Old Mrs. Terblanc’s brain to allow her to recover her memories. In that case, he must’ve also told her all these things. He’s clearly trying to take revenge on you and Old Mrs. Terblanc.”
Ringo paused briefly before persuading, “Sir, don’t heed his words to meet with Old Mrs. Terblanc at Norwal City. Cyrus must have already set up an ambush there. You’ll be walking right into his trap if you go there.”
Jefferson replied, “Ringo, she’s my mother. I’ve never met her since I was born. Everything I know about her was made known to me by my father.”
He shut his eyes and reminisced on the letters written by his mother and her heart-warming words. “Even if her appearance has changed, her gaze must still be as gentle as ever. I reckon she’ll be delighted if she can see how much I’ve grown.”
“Sir—”
Jefferson interjected, “We’ll proceed according to his wish. I’ll give up the Terblanc family’s right of inheritance if he allows me to meet with my mother. Go and prepare the electronic contract.”
Ringo gnashed his teeth. “Sir, Old Mrs. Terblanc passed away twenty-plus years ago. Can’t you continue to assume she’s no longer with us? If you give up the Terblanc family’s inheritance, what about Ms. Garland? What will you do about your plan?”
While wearing a tender look on his face, Jefferson uttered, “The Terblanc family isn’t all that I have. Besides, I’ve already prepared Belle’s gift. Seek out Mr. Will by that time, and he’ll tell you what to do.”
“Have you really decided to meet with Old Mrs. Terblanc, Sir?”
“Yes. I’ve made up my mind.”
Ringo knew he couldn’t change Jefferson’s mind anymore, so he let out a sigh and went to prepare the agreement.
Jefferson picked up the two pictures and compared them side by side.
The two women featured in the photos had different appearances, but their eyes shone with similar gentleness. He brushed his fingertips across the first picture as anticipation filled his heart.
He had lived in regrets for more than twenty years because he hadn’t had his mother’s companionship since he was born. Now that he knew she was still alive, Jefferson was determined to meet with her regardless of the price he had to pay.
Besides that, he also wanted to introduce Rayna to his mother and inform the latter that Rayna was the love of his life.
Rayna’s advent had brought a ray of hopeful light into his dim and dreadful life.
Not long after, Ringo brought the tablet over and handed it to Jefferson. While doing so, Ringo accidentally touched the picture on the table, causing the photo to fall to the carpet and land face down.
Jefferson reached for the picture, and only then did he realize there was a short sentence written on the back of the photo: My beloved wife, Xandra Quaker.
“So, this is my mother’s Chanaean name?” Jefferson murmured.
“That’s right. I’ve heard Old Mr. Terblanc mention it before, but all the manor’s housekeepers usually addressed her as Old Mrs. Terblanc. After she lost her memories and married Kenneth at Jetroina, she adopted his family name and changed her name to Sandy Verlice.”
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