Mateo sighed. "Charlie, I know this situation is difficult for you, but you must agree to it. Your mother rarely asks me for anything, yet she's doing so for Janet."
As he spoke, his eyes showed signs of fatigue. "Consider this a father's plea. If we don't let your mother try, she won't give up."
"Dad, I don't know what happened between you and her in the past, nor am I interested in knowing. But I hope you understand that I'm no longer the young child I once was. You can't control my thoughts anymore."
"I understand!"
Charles chuckled lightly, twirling a pen in his hand. "Whatever is going on between you and my mother, you'd better resolve it yourselves. Don't let it get to the point where I have to intervene."
Mateo's face stiffened, and then he laughed awkwardly. "I've failed as a father, haven't I? We should've resolved these issues ourselves, but instead, we've dragged you into it. Your sister blames me, you blame me, and Liliana as well..."
Mateo closed his eyes wearily and let out a heavy sigh. "Charlie, I've let you and your sister down!"
"I don't care. It's Liliana and her mother you've wronged!" Charles suddenly stopped twirling his pen.
"The reason I opposed Liliana's return to the Hoffman family back then wasn't because I disliked her. It was because I thought she was a good kid who shouldn't have to pay for what your generation did. She's pure and kind-hearted. She's not suited for the Hoffman family!"
Mateo was stunned, his body stiffening as disbelief filled his eyes. This was the first time as a father that he learned his son's true thoughts about that part of their past.
He had always believed Charles had so firmly opposed Liliana joining the Hoffman family simply because Charles resented him for betraying Clarisse. Now, it seemed that was not the case at all.
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