Chapter 399: Peace
When Nora heard this, she was silent for a moment.
She suddenly said, "Do you really want to know?"
Quentin nodded.
Nora looked away.
She was not planning to say these words. After all, her mother"s last words were filled with danger. Now, she did not even know who or where the enemy was.
She said, "Do you know why I hid my ident.i.ty as Big Sister?"
Quentin shook his head.
Nora said, "Because my mother said that if I stand out, people might come after me."
Quentin narrowed his eyes at these words.
Nora looked at him. "I told him this."
She was referring to Ian.
They had just reunited, but she was not used to calling that person "father." She could not bring herself to call him "father."
Quentin understood.
Ian felt that Joel and Quentin could protect her well and that she would live well. Therefore, he had lost the will to live and wanted to reunite with Yvette.
But when he found out that his daughter was in danger, as a father, how could he leave?
He had to live and help her get rid of all obstacles!
Especially that danger… Ian subconsciously felt that it had something to do with Yvette leaving him back then!
This was Nora"s guess.
Yvette had suddenly run away from home and told the public that she had eloped with someone, but she had given birth to her. In addition to the organization Morris had mentioned…
She felt that Yvette"s departure back then might have been to protect Ian.
Ian clearly thought of this as well, and Nora told him, "The first DNA test showed that my genes have mutated. Logically speaking, we could never acknowledge each other. But Mother left my umbilical cord blood behind."
Yvette had preserved Nora"s umbilical cord blood because she wanted to have a contingency plan when she was at her wit"s end.
If Nora was to ever get involved in this, Ian could protect her appropriately and fulfill his responsibility as a father.
Even if Nora did not need his protection, if this responsibility could make Ian want to live, she did not mind being protected.
However, Quentin suddenly understood something. He looked at Nora seriously. "Nora, don"t worry. I will help you guard your ident.i.ty!"
If there was any danger, he would protect his cousin!
Nora: "?"
—
In the suburbs.
Joel was hugging Tanya. "I don"t know what Nora said to make Uncle Ian want to live, but I know that I can"t lose you again, Tanya."
When Uncle Ian lay on the hospital bed and recalled what had happened back then, he said the thing he regretted the most was not insisting on being with Yvette. At that time, Joel had thought of Tanya.
He did not want the tragedy to repeat itself.
When Tanya heard this, she stopped struggling. She closed her eyes tightly as tears started pouring. "Even if I don"t mind Mia"s existence, what about Hillary?"
"Hillary doesn"t matter."
Joel said, "Tanya, back then, I was tricked into being with her. But all these years, apart from Mia, there"s nothing between us. I gave her the t.i.tle of fiancée because I didn"t want Mia to not have a mother. But I told her long ago that when Mia turned five and became sensible, we would end the engagement. The last time I chased her away from the Smiths, it was to end the engagement.
Tanya was stunned.
Hillary was clearly saying that they were very loving.
However, compared to Hillary, she trusted Joel more.
She was not a romantic. The reason she chose to believe Joel was because she understood Hillary"s character!
But even so, she did not expect such a misunderstanding to have happened back then.
She asked again, "But her Facebook post…"
Joel explained again, "It was Mia"s birthday yesterday. I took a gift from her at the entrance of her house and left. As for the restaurant, it was only me and Mia. She followed us there by herself."
Tanya was stunned.
Joel hugged her. "Tanya, I don"t know what else I need to do to make you forgive me, but do you know how happy I was when I heard you say that you were jealous?"
The man no longer had the aura he had in front of outsiders. At this moment, he was as happy as a child who had eaten candy. "At that time, I was thinking that even if you hate me or resent me, I won"t let you go this time."
"…"
The wind around them seemed to have stopped.
The birds and insects were all silent.
Tanya only felt that at this moment, her broken heart seemed to have been filled with healing medicine as he comforted her.
She did not know what to say.
She did not know if she should forgive this man for that night.
Even if it was not his fault that he had been schemed against…
She did not know if she could be a good stepmother, either…
She did not even know if it was right for her to pursue happiness like this before her child was found…
Before she could think, the man suddenly held her shoulder and made her slowly turn her head.
The man stopped talking and lowered his head to cover her lips.
That familiar cool breath suddenly invaded her mouth, making her brain explode.
The memories in her body seemed to have returned before her rationality, making her almost give in without any resistance…
She was in a sorry state and quickly retreated.
However, he continued to press her hard and domineeringly. It was as if he wanted to claim sovereignty over every part of her mouth.
"Agh!"
Suddenly, a voice was heard.
The two of them froze and hurriedly looked at the door. They saw Mdm. Florence covering her eyes. "Goodness, Miss Tanya, Mrs. Hunt asked me to see if you were around. You… you two lovebirds can continue. Pretend I didn"t see you!"
With that, she ran off in a hurry.
Tanya: "…"
Joel: "…"
The two of them were feeling a little awkward. It did not seem appropriate to continue what had just happened. However, if they did not continue, they would be at a loss if they just stood there.
Tanya said, "Let"s talk inside."
She turned and opened the door.
Joel followed behind her obediently. He did not look like the tyc.o.o.n who ran the business world at all.
After the two of them entered the room, Joel took the initiative to say, "You haven"t eaten yet, right? I"ll cook something for you."
Tanya nodded in a daze. At that moment, she seemed to have completely forgotten that this was her house.
When Joel entered the kitchen, Tanya had yet to return to her senses.
At this moment, her phone suddenly rang.
She picked up the call without even looking at it and accidentally put it on speaker. Hillary"s voice came from the other end. "Tanya, do you think Joel will return to your side just because you"re back? Let me tell you, the person he loves is me. He"s right beside me now. Our family of three is going to eat together. Stop daydreaming!"