Sign the Papers Mr. Langford novel Chapter 56

"You were only sixteen," Harrison said softly.

"Yeah." Wren let out a bitter laugh. "But they all acted like I already had the world."

She had the Whitaker name and Vivian Vance's pride.

She had the title of the eldest Whitaker daughter.

She had a nice, south-facing bedroom.

So she was expected to yield.

To yield her room.

To yield her father.

To yield her home.

And later, to yield her husband, her child, and her place as Mrs. Langford.

They never bothered to ask if she was willing.

They just repeated the same line: You already have so much.

But Wren couldn't help wondering, what exactly did she have?

She lost her mother at sixteen.

And on that exact same day, she lost her father too.

Harrison abruptly pulled the car over to the curb.

Wren blinked, pulling herself back to the present, and looked over at him.

"What is it?"

Harrison didn't answer immediately.

He pulled a pack of tissues from the console and held it out to her.

Wren finally realized she was crying again.

She took the tissue and dabbed at her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Harrison murmured. "You never have to apologize to me."

Wren's fingers paused.

The rain hammered relentlessly against the windows.

Harrison looked at her. He seemed like he had a million things to say, but he ultimately just asked, "Do you want to go see your mom?"

Wren froze.

Half an hour later, the car parked outside the cemetery.

The gates of Evergreen Memorial Park had been locked for hours. Rainwater cascaded down the iron bars, and the hills in the distance were swallowed by pitch black.

Harrison popped open an umbrella and stood beside Wren at the entrance.

She didn't try to go inside.

She just stared through the sheet of rain toward the deep hills.

Quentin sat on the sofa, his face like thunder.

Lydia was still crying.

"It's all my fault," she choked out. "If I hadn't brought Willow here all those years ago, would Wren hate us this much?"

Quentin scowled in pure irritation.

"Stop blaming yourself for everything. It's been years. If she's still holding a grudge, that's her own narrow-mindedness."

Willow sat quietly, her eyes raw and red.

But her mind was entirely consumed by what Harrison had said.

Wren was leaving Lawrence.

She was actually getting a divorce.

Willow had assumed Wren was just throwing a tantrum.

After all, she loved Lawrence so much.

Loved him enough to sacrifice her own career and guard the Langford Estate for six long years.

How could a woman like that ever walk away?

But now, Willow wasn't so sure.

Lydia wiped her tears and locked eyes with her daughter.

"Willow, come upstairs with me."