Kendall immediately called Dylan after her conversation with Nelson ended.
Dylan took his time answering the phone after it rang for a long time.
"I want to take the day off, Dylan."
She got straight to the point as she was already anxious about her mom's condition. "My mother was involved in an accident and is currently being treated at Orapolis General Hospital. I need to check on her right now."
Dylan furrowed his brows and turned to face Charlotte, who had just been brought in by his secretary and was now sitting in front of him. "Your mom met with an accident?" he inquired, with his voice deep.
How could she lie through her teeth in front of him?
"My foster mother. Nell just called to tell me about it. Can I go, Dylan? I can visit her in the hospital first and if there's nothing serious, I will then rush to the hotel to have the meal with you."
Oh—it's her foster mother.
She did not lie.
"The meal can wait. Just go. Ask the driver to send you there."
Dylan wasn't someone unreasonable.
In fact, he admired Kendall for still treating her foster family well.
He would only look down on her if she, like Kelly, refused to acknowledge her biological parents.
"You do not need to rush to the hotel either. Take good care of your mother in the hospital and just let me know if there's anything I can help."
Despite the fact that Dylan's voice was deep and sounded cold, his words warmed Kendall's heart.
"Thank you, Dylan."
"Because you don't have a gift for me today, please compensate me with something extra tonight. I will accept that token of appreciation."
Kendall had no idea how to respond to such words of his.
Just as she was about to say something else, Dylan ended the call.
Nonetheless, it didn't bother her. Her entire heart and mind were focused on her foster mother, and she had no time for those minor issues.
"Mr. Fisher, I am not going to the Dynasty Hotel. Please send me to Orapolis General Hospital instead."
"Young Master Dylan agreed to this?" Henry asked.
Despite hearing Kendall's words, he clarified so as not to offend Dylan.
"I've asked him."
"Sure."
After obtaining the confirmation, he turned at the next juncture and headed to Orapolis General Hospital.
After hanging up the phone, Dylan directed his secretary to pour a glass of water for Charlotte. "What brought you here, Mom?" he inquired calmly after his secretary had exited the room.
Charlotte was not accustomed to him addressing her in this manner. It actually terrified her.
She immediately took a few sips from the glass of warm water that was handed to her. The water soothed her throat, giving her the courage she lacked.
"Master Dylan."
While putting down the glass, she looked into Dylan's eyes.
She was a little anxious when her gaze met with his.
"Mom, I am not a beast and I will not devour you. You don't have to be scared of me. Just say whatever comes to mind, and I won't hold it against you," Dylan said in hushed tones.
"Dylan, I know Kendall's actions that day embarrassed you. It's her fault, as well as mine, for not teaching her properly. I sincerely apologize to you."
Charlotte's intention today was to apologize to Dylan.
"If you still aren't over it, just vent it out on me. Kendall is my child. I've always felt guilty toward her, which is why I spoiled her when she returned to my side, causing her to have the audacity to embarrass you. Everything is entirely my fault. Master Dylan, please let her go. She is still young and has a long road ahead of her. Sorry to say this, but following you for the rest of her life will not benefit her. She hasn't been by my side since I was a child. I owe her a great deal for that. I don't expect her to become wealthy or well-known. It's enough for me if she can be safe and find someone who loves her, and with whom she can live happily."
Dylan simply pursed his lips and listened as Charlotte begged him to let Kendall go.
It was only after she had finished all she wanted to say and gulped down the entire glass of water did Dylan speak coldly, "Mom, I did not force Kendall to marry me. She was the one who desired that I marry her."
Charlotte was dumbstruck by his words.
She knew Dylan never lied.
Hence, his words were true.
"Why?"
After a long while, she asked with difficulty, "Why did Kendall do that?"
Dylan's face remained emotionless. "That's not my concern, Mom. She bit me at the time and said it was the mark she left on my body and she had to accept responsibility for it. With that, she forced me to marry her, and she reassured me that she will never be sorry for her decision. Well, it just so happens that I'm looking for a wife as well. Since she's willing to be with me, I just did as she wished. Sorry for not informing you sooner, Mom. This is entirely our fault. I apologize for scaring you."
Dylan felt bad for concealing the truth from the elders.
"Kendall…"
Charlotte had no idea what she could say next.
She had assumed Dylan was the one who forced the marriage in order to exact revenge on Kendall.
It turned out that her own daughter was the one who wanted it.
"Do the elders in your family know about this?"
Charlotte reflected on how complicated and cunning the Coleman Family was, and she felt sorry for her daughter for marrying into such a family. At the same time, she was upset with Kendall for keeping such an important thing from her.
It's no surprise Kendall had asked her to decline the Whittles' marriage proposal. It was because...
"I have not yet informed them. If they find out, they will… abhor Kendall."
Charlotte was once again feeling sorry for Kendall's predicament.
In fact, the Colemans wanted to be related by marriage to the Parker Family from the beginning. She was well aware that the Colemans were only doing so because they had no other options. If it wasn't for the fact that Dylan was… they would never have chosen Kendall.
They simply wanted to take advantage of the fact that Kendall grew up in the countryside, and they did not regard the Parkers highly.
Dylan remained silent.
He wasn't sure about the others, but he was pretty sure his mother disliked Kendall.
"I had no idea why Kendall wanted this, Dylan. However, because she had already married you, she is now your wife and you must protect her. It is entirely dependent on the husband's attitude whether a wife will be respected in the husband's family."
Kendall would be safe in the Coleman Family as long as Dylan stood by her, no matter how much his family despised her.
Since it was her own daughter's decision, Charlotte knew that they would not divorce, at least for the time being.
"Don't worry about this, Mom. I will defend her as long as she is my wife."
Dylan gave Charlotte his promise.
Charlotte felt more at ease after hearing his words.
Then, she suddenly recalled Kendall's phone call earlier and asked, "Why did Kendall call? Her mom was involved in a car accident?"
"Yes, her foster mom met with an accident and is in Orapolis General Hospital now."
Dylan was wondering whether he should visit Sally.
The Woods Family raised Kendall and taught her well too. At the very least, her temperament and personality suited him.
As a result, he felt compelled to pay Sally a visit in the hospital.
However, given his identity, his presence in the hospital would undoubtedly draw public attention. That was a place for the injured, or even the dead, and he didn't want to make a scene there.
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