Cornelia blushed.
Sean could tell from Cornelia’s embarrassed expression that Gemma had already said that to Cornelia outside the door in advance when the doctor was treating him, so that Cornelia was prepared.
And Cornelia did not explicitly oppose it.
After all, Cornelia was an orphan, growing up in an orphanage with no parents and no one to turn to. Over the years, Gemma and Dean supported her through college, treated her like a daughter and gave her a home.
What a great kindness!
She was a good girl, and she was not going to refuse Gemma’s offer.
Besides, Sean was so good...
“Gemma!”
Sean was so embarrassed that he stopped Gemma and shook his head, “Marriage is a major event in life, which requires emotional basis, not just the right age.”
“And, actually, I...”
Actually, I had a wife!
I not only had a wife, even a daughter!
My daughter was four years old!
“What’s wrong with it?”
Gemma gave Sean a tearful look and didn’t give Sean a chance to say no or explain. She grabbed Sean with one hand and Cornelia with the other. She pulled her hand in the middle and squeezed Sean’s and Cornelia’s hands together, holding them tightly and speaking firmly, “Marriage arranged by parents last longer.”
“Now that you mother’s gone, and your dad…”
“Well…”
“Me and Dean must do this thing for you. It just so happens that we have Cornelia, such a clever and sensible girl, who can you marry if you don’t marry her?”
There were other reasons for Gemma’s words.
She felt sorry for Cornelia, but she and Dean were old and it wouldn’t be long before they died. What would happen to Cornelia then?
Wouldn’t she become an orphan again?
A girl with such a sweet personality, alone in the world. How did this make the old couple rest assured?
So, they thought of marriage!
As long as Cornelia and Sean got married, not only Cornelia would have a good end-result, but Sean would also have a considerate person to take care of him. Meanwhile, the marriages of Cornelia and Sean would be solved. Killing two birds with one stone!
“No!”
Sean, however, rolled his eyes and shook his head emphatically, “Absolutely not.”
“Why?”
Gemma was worried, and she was a little angry, “In front of Dean and Cornelia, unless you can give me a good explanation, a good reason, you need to listen to me.”
Cornelia's blushing eyes gleamed with disappointment at Sean’s attitude. She took the initiative to pull her hand away from Sean. Before Sean could speak, she said kindly, “Actually, Gemma, Sean was right.”
“Although I have never been in love before, I know that marriage must be consensual and congenial. Only when we are in love can we be happy together.”
“You can’t force things.”
“I understand what you’re trying to do for me. I understand that. But Sean is your and Dean’s grandson, and you can’t let Sean sacrifice his own happiness for me.”
“It’s not fair for him…”
She came to Sean’s rescue by being sensible.
She also managed a smile and made a face at Sean, “I’m your goddaughter, and I’m Sean’s aunt, and he’s so good, he’s not gonna turn his back on me even if I don’t marry him.”
“Right? Dear nephew?”
This was the first time that Cornelia had called Sean “nephew,” and it sounded, like, weird.
Because Cornelia was a few years younger than Sean!
“Cornelia, you…”
Sean was immediately more embarrassed. Cornelia’s understanding made him sad. But, as Cornelia said, you couldn’t force things.
So, he explained, “Cornelia, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t mean anything by refusing Gemma’s offer, not because I don’t like you, but…”
In front of Cornelia, he was hesitant to tell her about Cecilia and Phyllis.
At this point there seemed to be no further need for concealment.
“I have a wife.”
Sean made up his mind and spoke directly, “Plus, I have a four-year-old daughter!”
“What?”
“Really?”
“Wow!”
His words shocked all three people at the bedside.
Cornelia didn’t know much about Sean, but Gemma and Dean did, so they were more shocked than Cornelia.
Five years ago, Sean was arrested and sent to prison!
Five years later, a few days out of jail and he had got a wife and a kid?
Four-year-old daughter...
Oh, my goodness! He didn’t have the daughter with the women in prison, did he?
In an instant, the old couple turned pale.
Sean could tell by the looks on their faces that they had the wrong idea. He was about to explain when a mobile phone rang suddenly.
It was Sean’s phone.
“Cornelia, please hand me my phone.”
When the doctor was dressing Sean’s wound, Sean took off his shirt and put his cell phone on the coffee table across from him.
“Okay.”
Cornelia caught herself, turned around and grabbed Sean’s phone. Unconsciously, she looked down at the screen of her phone and her heart began to tremble. She handed Sean the phone and whispered, “Well…”
“It’s from your wife…”
Gemma and Dean were skeptical of Sean’s story, but when Cornelia told them, they looked at each other, stood up, and stared at the phone screen.
Sure enough, the caller ID was marked “Honey”, which was quite eye-catching!
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