Chapter 162 Talk with Parents
Finished
even
Night had already fallen by the time my parents arrived in Hanzora. I certainly hadn’t anticipated them coming, and less so that they would call me back to the villa. As I stepped through the door, I saw Shawn seated on the couch, Yuna nestled in his arms. My parents were deep in conversation with my mother–in–law, and Hazel stood nearby. The moment her met mine, her expression twisted into something harsh, a look of disdain that made it clear she had no love for me. She even rolled her eyes dramatically.
ryes
I froze at the threshold, like an accused criminal facing a jury. The air in the room was thick with tension, pressing down on
ΠΕ
But I quickly gathered myself. I couldn’t let them see how much it affected me. Stepping forward, I greeted each one in turn.
My mother’s gaze was sharp, her eyes filled with silent judgment. My father sighed heavily, a sound that spoke volumes. Susanna, too, wore an expression that was far from friendly.
Shawn kept his eyes cast down, his face an unreadable mask.
Haze
Hazel, never one to hold back, was the first to break the silence.
“Tiffany, what’s your deal?” she sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “You’ve been MIA for so long, and now you finally show up? When did you become busier than my brother? It’s practically impossible to get a glimpse of you!”
Her words hit me like a slap, and my face tightened with anger.
Shawn’s gaze flicked up to meet Hazel’s, his voice firm as he intervened. “Hazel, don’t make things worse.
But Hazel wasn’t deterred. She crossed her arms and huffed, her tone sharp. “If you two really get divorced, do you know how many women would line up to marry him? You’d better think this through.”
At her words, I saw my parents‘ faces pale. They knew, just as well as I did, how much I’d ‘married up by being with Shawn. Over the years, we’d never had any major fights. He was good to my parents, always sending generous gifts during holidays. They had grown to genuinely like him.
Susanna, sensing the tension escalating, stepped in quickly, trying to smooth things over. “Hazel, enough. Don’t make things worse. Turning to me, her voice softened, and she added gently. Tiffany, I didn’t bring your parents here to pressure you. Don’t misunderstand. We just want to sit down and talk. You and Shawn are both adults. You have a child together. Divorce is not something to take lightly.”
Shawn shifted in his seat, his face a mix of frustration and helplessness. “Mom, didn’t I say we should handle this ourselves? You’re just putting more pressure on Tiffany.”
That’s when it clicked. It wasn’t Shawn who’d asked my parents to come; it was Susanna.
Finally, my mom spoke, her voice thick with disappointment. Tiffany, whatever you’re going through, your father and I just want you to work things out with Shawn. What’s the real problem here? What’s standing in your way!”
When Shawn heard my mom speak, a wave of guilt washed over his face. This is on me. I’ve been a bit too close to a senior female executive at my company, and Tiffany she got hurt because of it.”
My parents froze, their eyes wide with surprise. This was clearly news to them–I could see the shock settling in.
Susanna’s face tightened, and she forced out a nervous laugh. “Come on, you’re adults. This really isn’t a big deal. No need to blow it all out of proportion.”
My parents exchanged a brief, telling glance, their expressions unreadable. I could sense they were recalibrating, shifting
gears.
I’d always considered myself fortunate. My parents weren’t traditional or rigid, but practical. If Shawn had truly done something wrong, I knew they would have supported me in a divorce. In fact, when I first married into the Hartwell family. they’d been strongly against it. They thought we weren’t a good match, and they feared my life would be difficult.
Chapter 162 Talk with Parents
Now, though, the look in their eyes seemed to say it all. We knew this would happen.
Finished
Shawn stiffened, as if he could feel the shift in the room. He cleared his throat and spoke again, more urgently. “I’ve already let her go from the company. I won’t be in contact with her again. And just to clarify, there was never anything physical between us. We simply respected each other’s work.”
I sat there, listening to him, and couldn’t help but feel a flicker of respect. Shawn wasn’t trying to dodge responsibility or make excuses. He was owning up to his actions.
But even as he spoke, my mind raced. He hadn’t cheated in this life–at least not physically–but what about in the past? I had died in a hospital bed, choked by the suffocating weight of betrayal. How could I be sure he hadn’t done the same thing in another life?
Finally, my dad broke the silence. His voice was stern, but not unkind. “Shawn, Tiffany’s mother and I won’t weigh in on this. You two need to figure this out yourselves. Whether it leads to divorce or reconciliation, that’s something only you can decide.”
My mom’s gaze softened as she looked at me. There was nothing but concern in her eyes. Tiffany is our daughter. If she’s made a mistake, then maybe it’s because we didn’t teach her better. But if she’s right in this, we’ll stand by her. We don’t want
́ ́her to suffer.”
I had walked into this room bracing for an argument, prepared to fight. But now, my parents‘ unconditional support hit me like a tidal wave. Tears welled in my eyes, slipping down my cheeks, unstoppable, like pearls scattering from a broken string.
Shawn and Susanna were taken aback, their faces a mixture of surprise and confusion. They hadn’t seen this coming–not in a million years.
Susanna, however, looked both shocked and annoyed. “You two,” she said, her voice clipped. “I brought you here to discuss the marriage, not to just pick sides. You should be saying something helpful! Tiffany is your daughter–she’ll listen to you.”
Send Gifts
