Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 60

A crushing silence stretched for over thirty seconds.

It was only when Bella frantically called out 'Hester' again that her eyes finally fluttered open. She drew in a deep breath, her voice dead and completely void of emotion. "I understand. Caden is young and he needs his father. Let Julian continue playing the role."

"You... you're really okay with that?" Bella asked, treading carefully as if walking on shattered glass. "Hester, are you furious with me?"

"No," Hester replied flatly. "But I have one condition. I need you to make it perfectly clear to that boy that I am not his mother. From now on, he will refer to me strictly as an aunt. Nothing more."

"Well..." Bella hesitated before letting out a defeated sigh. "Hester, you have my word. I know how sacred the title of 'mother' is to you. I'm not a senile old fool. I know Julian keeping Caden a secret for five years has caused you unimaginable pain."

Hester couldn't stomach another second of this conversation. "I really need to get back to work. I have to go," she said coldly.

"Wait!" Bella rushed out, panic lacing her tone. "Joanna told me you didn't take your car today. You'll be clocking out soon, right? Let Julian drive over and pick you up!"

"There's no need. I already have a ride home."

"Julian didn't even go into the office today! He's just sitting around completely useless. Picking his wife up from work is the least he can do!" Bella insisted, forcing a lighthearted tone. "Hester, I am going to force that boy to grovel at your feet. You don't have to hold back. Yell at him, hit him—do whatever you need to get it out of your system!"

Hester listened, feeling absolutely nothing.

It had always been this way. Every single time she and Julian hit a rough patch, she would run straight to Bella to vent her grievances. The old woman had always relentlessly scolded Julian on her behalf. Sometimes, even when Hester had been the one entirely in the wrong, Bella had defended her blindly as long as she complained.

On the surface, Bella's attitude hadn't changed at all. But deep down, everything was irreversibly fractured.

The existence of Caden had shifted the earth off its axis. The woman who had sworn to never let Hester suffer a single injustice had finally gained a great-grandson, and the sickening reality of biological favoritism had taken root.

Human nature was just tragically predictable like that.

A freezing numbness crept through Hester's veins. She was completely drained of the desire to speak. "Bella, I really have back-to-back meetings to prep for. When I'm finished, I'll find my own way back."

"Alright, alright. If you're that busy, I'll stop nagging you."

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