Chapter 197

Natalia’s heart was in turmoil, and the anticipation of seeing her mother left her in a bundle of nerves.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she’d forgotten Callum was still holding her.

Under the cover of night, the trio exited Callum’s mansion, climbed into the car, and set off for Lena’s residence. Inside the vehicle, Henry finally broke the heavy silence, “Callum, if you knew that Ms.

Clarkson might be Ms. Lena’s daughter, why didn’t you say anything?”

Callum shot a glance at Henry, flashing a look that screamed “shut up.” Henry saw Callum’s dark expression, and wisely refrained from asking any more questions. They were almost at Ms. Lena’s house, and the truth would soon be unveiled. He didn’t mind waiting a bit longer.

Soon, the car pulled up in front of an English–style building. This was where Lena, Rowell McKinney’s secretary, lived. Perhaps due to work, Lena’s residence was quite close to Henry’s mansion.

Callum was the first to step out of the car, helping Natalia out, and patiently waiting for her to descend.

As for Henry, he didn’t get such treatment. He pushed open the car door and walked straight to the front entrance, pressing the doorbell.

Natalia stepped out of the car, noticing Henry had already rung the bell. Her hands were clenched nervously. Her heart was a mess. She was terrified at the thought of Lena being her biological mother, yet equally afraid if she wasn’t.

“Who’s there?” Following the ring of the doorbell, a soft voice echoed from inside the house, followed by the sound of shuffling slippers.

The door opened, revealing a slender, tall woman. She was dressed in a beige maxi dress. Her hair was in loose curls, and she had a forlorn expression on her face as she opened the door.

Lena looked at Henry standing at the door in confusion. “Mr. Henry, it’s late. What brings you here?”

“Oh, I have something to discuss with you. Won’t you invite us in?” Henry asked in a cordial tone.

Lena wrapped her arms around herself in slight discomfort. “I’m sorry, it’s late. If you to visit, could you come tomorrow instead?”

wish Henry sensed Lena’s aversion to being alone with men, and pointed to Natalia and Callum standing by the car. “Actually, Ms. Lena, I have two friends who would like to meet you.”

Following Henry’s direction, Lena saw the Frerotte family’s car. When her eyes fell on Natalia, her face paled instantly. She clutched the door tightly, staring at the girl by the car. Was that Buttercup? But her daughter had been dead for five years, so who was this 13:10 girl?

“I’m sorry, Master Henry, it’s late. Let’s talk tomorrow.” With that, Lena turned and walked back inside, quickly shutting the door behind her.

The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. By the time Henry had processed what had happened, the door was firmly shut. Henry blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected things to have turned out this way.

Natalia, who was standing by the car, had seen everything. Before she could marvel at the striking resemblance between Lena and herself, the door was abruptly closed. She hung her head in disappointment, and her heart was filled with bitterness. From the looks of it, Lena was likely her mother, but clearly didn’t want to acknowledge Natalia.

After all, she’d abandoned her as a child. Why would she want to acknowledge her now? But was she really Natalia’s mother?

A tear slid down Natalia’s delicate face, followed by another, and another. As the tears fell faster and faster, like pearls falling off a broken string, they splashed onto the ground, breaking Callum’s heart. He marched towards the house, not bothering to ring the bell, and began pounding on the door. “Ms. Lena, there’s no point in avoiding this. I’ve already looked into your past. Open the door.”

As Callum’s words echoed in the night, the once tightly shut door opened. Lena slowly emerged, tears streaming down her face, but her gaze was locked on Natalia.

Was she truly her daughter? This girl looked just like her when she was young. Had she not died? But now was not the time to acknowledge her. From Callum’s tone, it seemed he already knew about her.

She gently approached Natalia with a sorrowful look on her face. “Kid, can we talk privately?”

Natalia glanced at Callum before bravely walking towards Lena. She slowly approached the unfamiliar house, quietly agreeing, “Alright.”

As Natalia followed Lena inside, the door closed behind them, leaving Callum and Henry outside. It was a typical English–styled house, neatly furnished and cozy. Lena gently guided Natalia to sit, studying her face carefully, as tears freely flowed down her cheeks.

“Are you really my daughter? You didn’t die?” Her tears flowed unchecked, tugging at Natalia’s heartstrings.

Her earlier resentment vanished. She stared at the woman before her, struck by their uncanny resemblance. “Ms. Lena, my name is Natalia. Are you…”

When Lena heard her say the name Natalia, she clung onto her, crying even harder. Natalia looked helplessly at the woman sobbing in front of her, and her own eyes began welling up. After a moment, Lena wiped her tears and looked at Natalia again. “I’m sorry, Buttercup. It was all my fault. I sent you to Japan, hoping you’d lead a happy life, and forget everything here. But I ended up causing you such hardship. It’s all my fault.”

13:10 Natalia clenched her fists uncomfortably. She’d wanted to ask Lena if she was her mother, but the words died on her lips. Lena was crying so much, and Natalia didn’t need to ask. She knew that Lena was her mother. A wave of anguish washed over her, and her eyes were stinging.

Natalia’s tears fell, and her voice was trembling as she asked, “Why… why did you send me away? is Kyler my father?”

Lena looked at Natalia, and her eyes filled with sadness. “Would you believe me if I told you that I did it all to protect you?” She did not mention anything about Kyler.

Tears silently rolled down Natalia’s cheeks as she shook her head continuously. She couldn’t comprehend. Why did Lena send her away? Was abandoning one’s child called protection? How was she supposed to accept that?

“Yes, I understand how hard it is to accept,” Lena admitted. “But if you let me tell you my story, you will understand how helpless I was when I had to let you go.” With that, Lena began to unravel her past.

As it turned out, Lena was a part–time student, and a part–time personal assistant. She worked for a Count in a British castle, just to pay for her tuition.