No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora and Zachary) novel Chapter 474

Chapter 474 Please Do Not Hate Me
After opening the door, Lenora slipped into her slippers and sank into the couch.

Harrietta followed her quietly, like a shadow, her hands wringing nervously as she stood beside the couch. Her head hung low, a mix of guilt and fear clouding her expression.

“Why won't you go back with the driver? Why did you run off here on your own?” Lenora asked, her gaze flat and unreadable.

Tears welled up in Harrietta's red eyes as she looked up at Lenora with a pitiful expression. Her voice trembled as she whispered, “I don't want to go back.”

“Why?”

“Because... a strange lady came looking for me at school, and my classmates saw her. They all started saying that I'm an illegitimate child...” Harrietta's voice cracked, and tears—clear as crystal—began to spill over, tracing down her fair cheeks like falling pearls.

She looked up at Lenora, her sobs catching in her throat. Her eyes were swollen and red, her face streaked with tears, and her gaze was hesitant, full of vulnerability. “Aunt Lenora,” she pleaded softly, “Please don't hate me. I'll be good, I won't make you angry. I'll take care of your baby... please don't despise me.”

As she spoke, another tear slipped down her cheek.

Lenora observed the young girl, who resembled a timid cub, her eyes filled with longing for comfort but also shadowed by a deep fear of rejection. At that moment, Lenora felt a pang of guilt, as if she were a heartless monster.

How could I possibly hate such an adorable and sensible child? She's so reliant on me. How could I possibly bear to hate or abandon her? She's innocent; she has no choice over her background!

Lenora's hand, resting on her lap, slowly clenched into a fist. With a soft breath, she reached out and gently pulled Harrietta close, tenderly wiping away her tears. “Don't cry, Hattie. I don't hate you.”

Harrietta nuzzled her hand like a kitten, her eyes brimming with tears. Her nose was red, and she choked out, “Really?”

Lenora's heart melted as she spoke. “Yes. I'm upset with your Uncle Zachary, but I've never once disliked you.”

What bothered her was not who the child was, but the fact that Zachary had a child with another woman.

“Aunt Lenora, you're the best!” Harrietta cried, throwing herself into Lenora's embrace, her tears flowing freely. “I don't want to live alone in the Fuller residence. I want to be with you!”

Harrietta had always been well-behaved and sensible, but this was the first time Lenora had seen her cry so loudly, so heartbreakingly.

Lenora's heart ached in response, yet she didn't agree. She could almost picture the look on Sophia's face if she were to give in.

After a moment of thought, Lenora gently spoke, “Hattie, if you stay here, I'm afraid your mom might not agree. How about I call your dad and have him take you back to Galaxy Bay? I promise I'll visit you regularly, okay?”

Lenora considered this the best solution. If Harrietta stayed with her, there was no doubt that both Isla and Tamara would make it an issue, and she didn't want to put the girl in the middle of that conflict.

Harrietta lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears. “Aunt Lenora, aren't you going back to Galaxy Bay too? Can't you come with me? The strange lady can control me, but not you and Uncle Zachary. Uncle Zachary's heart belongs to you.”

“I don't want to go back for now,” Lenora replied softly.

“Why?” The girl blinked, her face filled with confusion.

Aside from Lenora's lingering resentment, there was another reason.

“Your grandmother must have been trying to play matchmaker for your birth mom and your dad, right?” she asked.

Harrietta nodded. “But Grandma is Grandma, Daddy is Daddy, and Uncle Zachary loves you. He's already turned Grandma down.”

Lenora spoke earnestly, carefully explaining the situation to Harrietta. “You know, your grandmother has never been fond of me. She's not the type to easily give up, so she would do whatever it takes to keep me and your uncle Zachary apart, even trying to orchestrate a union between your mom and dad. What you may not know is that your grandmother isn't actually your dad's aunt—she's his biological mother, and she has a natural influence over him, much like the strange lady does over you. That's why, to avoid causing any trouble, I've decided not to move back for now.”

At present, Lenora had a rather indifferent view of marriage.

She had no intention of remarrying Zachary, so it didn't matter whether they lived together or not. Once the child was born, they could still raise it together.

If she moved in with Zachary, it was inevitable that Isla and Tamara would stir up trouble. Given that she was pregnant, all she wanted now was peace and quiet to properly care for and nurture her unborn child.