The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 231

What A Mother Is.

“Why did you leave Benson? I thought we agreed that you’d stay with him until I figure out how to tell my parents about Noelle?” Brian asked Gwen at the hospital. “I also asked our maid to come and help you out here. Why couldn’t you wait for Mira?”

Gwen shook her head. “Why are you overreacting? Ben is fine.”

She motioned to the boy in bed. “See?”

“I was gone for twenty minutes, tops. The nurses were just outside, and when I left, Ben was sleeping. Ben just panicked,” Gwen reasoned.

“He is a kid. He was afraid to be alone,” Brian pointed out.

“I just needed to get some fresh air, Brian. I was feeling sick of the smell of the hospital,” Gwen said. “All I did was go to the coffee shop downstairs and finish it in some peace.”

“Couldn’t you make your own coffee here? There’s hot water in the kitchen,” Brian pointed out.

They had taken a private suite for Benson, so basically, everything they needed was available there.

At that point, Benson began to cry. He said, “It’s enough, Daddy. Can you stay with me instead?”

Brian returned his attention to Gwen. He felt so disappointed. “I don’t get you, Gwen. You’re wonderful with Benson when everything is fine—when he’s healthy and when we’re out having fun. But the moment something goes wrong, you disappear.”

“That’s not what being a mother is.”

“Are you only here for the good times and leave us hanging for the bad ones?” Brian asked in the end.

Gwen’s brows met.

She took a step back and fluttered her eyes. “Of course not. I—”

Gwen glanced at Benson, adding, “I’m just new to this, and I certainly did not think it would turn out this bad.”

She cried and heaved again and again. “I’m sorry.”

Walking towards Benson, she said, “Ben, I’m sorry. Aunt Gwen did not mean to hurt you.”

“Aunt is used to going out and talking to people, but I felt a little sick and wanted to have a good coffee,” she explained her side before pulling away.

She cupped Benson’s face and added, “I promise I won’t do it again.”

Benson simply looked down before glancing at Brian. Clearly, his son wanted his approval, but even he was still dismayed.

“How about this? I can get you a chocolate cake. Don’t you like chocolate cake?” Gwen asked.

Brian, “???”

“That’s impossible,” Gwen said. “She can’t sustain that. You said so yourself—she didn’t earn that much in your company, and most of her income was spent on household expenses and Benson’s tuition.”

Brian nodded. He turned to her and said, “Look, Gwen. My point is, I’m dealing with a lot of stuff right now. And I’d have to tell my parents about this. It’s not going to be easy. You know how much they doted on Noelle. You need to help me—with the company and with Benson.”

Gwen sucked in a deep breath. She averted his gaze before saying, “I promise I’ll do better. I swear.”

“You should, because if Noelle and I really go through with this divorce, then that means we can no longer rely on her to take care of Benson,” Brian said.

“How cruel of her not to take care of Benson,” Gwen said. “What kind of mother is she?”

Then Gwen paused and asked, “Do you think she knows? About Benson?”

“That’s impossible,” Brian answered, shaking his head. “She’s clearly doing this to get back at you—at us.”

“What right does she have?” Gwen muttered. “If she had not reported us to your parents, they would not have disliked me from the start.”

“But that’s fine. I guess it’s time for me to be Ben’s mom. I can do it,” Gwen promised. “I mean, I have a doctorate and good work experience. I can manage work and take care of our son. I can do a lot better than Noelle ever did.”

“Of course you can,” Brian said, holding Gwen’s hand. “Let’s forget about today and just work together.”

Brian was confident. He believed in Gwen. But he did not realize that motherhood was never about qualifications or experience. It came from the heart and from a patience that endured a lifetime, standing firm through both the good days and the bad.