She Quit Her Family and Found Herself novel Chapter 21

Miles's declaration cast a few seconds of dead silence over the massive living room.

"Miles," Herbert said, shooting his son a stern look. "You need to be polite."

Miles's little mouth trembled, looking like he was on the verge of tears. It was impossible to count how many times his dad had scolded him today.

Seeing her precious grandson about to cry, Valery rushed to comfort him. "Don't cry, sweetheart. You're right, that woman is awful. We don't want her as your mom either."

"Mom..." Herbert looked at her, exhaustion etched on his face. "Miles is still little. He doesn't know what he's saying. Why are you encouraging this?"

"How am I encouraging it? I'm just looking out for my grandson. Is there a problem with that?" Valery shot Herbert an elegant glare, then turned her pitying gaze back to the boy.

At that moment, the woman sitting on the other side of Miles—Herbert's younger sister, Cora Jewell—leaned in. With practiced ease, she scooped him out of Valery's arms. "Do you want a new mom? Who do you want to be your mom? How about I do it? You can call me Mom from now on!"

Miles snuggled comfortably into Cora's embrace, his big eyes blinking. "You're just Aunt Cora. You can't be a mom."

Cora brushed it off, continuing to coax him. "Who says I can't? Don't I treat you well? Come on, say 'Mom.' Let me hear it."

"Cora, stop adding to the mess!" Valery furiously slapped Cora's shoulder, her jade ring digging into the fabric. Her eyes were full of a dark warning as she glared at her daughter. "How can you say something so ridiculous? You aren't even married yet! If word gets out, it'll ruin your image completely!"

"Shut up!" Valery snapped, stopping her daughter from saying another word. If she hadn't been worried about waking the sleeping boy, she would have hit her again.

Having reprimanded Cora, Valery quickly turned her crosshairs on Herbert. "You only married Hulda because you had no choice. She was an orphan. Aside from a pretty face, she brought absolutely nothing to the table—no education, no family background. She was entirely beneath you. The only reason this family accepted her was because she raised Miles. But now, even the boy hates her. What use is she?"

Seeing Herbert's brows knit together in silence, she pressed on. "Since she's the one asking for a divorce, then give it to her. You're incredibly successful. What kind of woman couldn't you have?"

She paused for a moment. "I think Sylvie is a wonderful choice. Her home life might be a bit of a drag, but to our family, that's nothing. What matters is that she's smart, highly educated, and capable. She could actually help you with your career. And most importantly, she treats Miles well."