Jessica paused in washing the vegetables, caught off guard by her daughter’s unexpected question. “Why do you want to know?” she asked, her voice tinged with surprise.
Dolores looked down, gathering her thoughts. “I just want to understand. After all, when you arranged the marriage with him, I was only two years old. Why would you…”
“The past is best left in the past. Can’t remember much of it anyway,” Jessica replied dismissively, not eager to delve into old memories. She placed the washed vegetables on the shelf and turned her attention to Dolores, sensing that something was amiss. “Tell me, what’s troubling you?”
Dolores sensed her mother’s reluctance and decided not to push further. Instead, she took the opportunity to test the waters. “Mrs. William wants to establish a branch, and she wants me to be in charge of it…”
“That’s good news,” Jessica responded, pushing her daughter away gently. “Let me handle the vegetable cutting.”
Dolores stepped back, leaning against the stove, deep in thought. “But the branch is located in China…”
“What?” Jessica interrupted Dolores before she could finish her sentence. She was aware of LEO’s strict rule against establishing branches in foreign countries.
Mrs. William now wanted to set up a branch in China?
Frowning, Jessica noticed a series of strange occurrences lately. She put down the kitchen knife, wiped her hands on her apron, and grabbed Dolores’s arm, her voice demanding the truth. “Tell me, are these things related to him?”
Dolores knew that if she was going back to her home country, her mother would eventually find out. She admitted, “Yes…”
“What are you thinking?!” Jessica glared at her daughter, anger burning in her eyes. How could Dolores forget the suffering she had endured so quickly?
“Tell me, what was your situation back then? Where was he when you faced the most difficult times? If it weren’t for Sampson Herbert, would you still be here? How can you not distinguish between right and wrong?”
Dolores turned her head away, reluctant to return to her home country partly because of the past and partly because of Matthew Nelson.
She knew it was a transaction, but when he proposed a divorce, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.
The car accident had left her physically and mentally exhausted.
That’s why she didn’t want to go back to a place that would force her to confront those memories.
“Mrs. William is firm. If I don’t go back, I’ll lose my job.” Dolores, as the sole breadwinner of the family, knew the importance of her job.
Jessica resumed slicing the potatoes, picking up the kitchen knife once again. She remained silent for a while before speaking, “You can go back.”
Dolores was taken aback. Jessica actually agreed.
“But on one condition.”
Dolores sighed, knowing it wouldn’t be that simple.
“Promise me you’ll marry Sampson, and then I’ll agree,” Jessica stated her condition.
Compared to Matthew, Jessica held a more optimistic view of Sampson, who had helped Dolores on multiple occasions.
“Mom…”
“This is not negotiable. If you’re jumping back into the fire, I can’t just stand by. You’re my daughter, and I’m doing this for your own good. What’s wrong with Sampson? He’s handsome, he’s successful, and most importantly, he loves you. How many men would wait for six years…” Jessica looked at her daughter earnestly. “Don’t you have a heart? Can’t you see what he’s done?”
Indeed, Sampson was an exceptional man. He had been there for Dolores during her most challenging moments, supporting her and her family.
Dolores acknowledged the truth in her mother’s words.
However, Jessica was unaware that Sampson’s mother had approached Dolores before.
Dolores was human too; she had her own feelings. Of course, she had once harbored some affection for Sampson.
After all, he had treated her well.
But Dolores had no intention of telling Jessica about this. Jessica always worried about her future, fearing that having children would make it hard for her to find a suitable partner.
If Dolores revealed that Sampson’s mother had approached her, expressing her desire for Sampson not to marry Dolores, it would only fuel Jessica’s anxieties about her future, causing her to overthink things.
“Mom, marrying someone I don’t love won’t make me happy either.”
“But he likes you, treats you well. Isn’t that all you need? Feelings can be developed over time. Once you’re married and living together, you’ll see each other every day. Naturally, feelings will grow,” Jessica tried to persuade Dolores earnestly.
Dolores felt helpless. She lowered her head, rubbing her forehead, feeling an overwhelming sense of exhaustion.
Jessica didn’t understand the pressure exerted by Matthew.
Dolores was left feeling powerless.
“Mommy.”
Samuel stood at the kitchen entrance, a small figure but with a strong presence. He had heard everything Dolores and Jessica had said, fully aware of the conversation.
“Mommy, we’re from China. Sister and I have never been to our hometown. Now that we have the opportunity to go back, isn’t that a good thing?” Samuel looked at Dolores and Jessica with innocence in his eyes.
“You’re just a kid, what do you know?” Jessica waved her hand, indicating for him to return to the living room.
“Even though I’m young, I still have my rights. I can make decisions. I support mommy going back,” Samuel said with a serious expression. “I was born to mommy, so naturally, I’m from China. Of course, we should go back.”
Dolores glanced at Jessica. They had never discussed their father.
Dolores had mentioned Sampson’s research once, speculating that their father could be from another country, but their physical appearance resembled Dolores, making them look like people from China, without any trace of characteristics from that other country.
That was something Dolores was grateful for-that her children shared her skin color.
Her son didn’t have blond hair and blue eyes.
“Samuel,” Dolores called out to her son.
“Mommy, let’s go back. I want to see mommy’s hometown anyway,” Samuel blinked, looking at her with hope.
Dolores went over and hugged Samuel tightly, holding him close. Her emotions overwhelmed her, making it difficult for her to speak.
Jessica couldn’t bring herself to say any more weighty words, but her stance remained firm. “You should consider what I’ve said.”
“Grandma, mommy doesn’t like uncle. Why do you insist on them being together?” Samuel appeared wise beyond his years. “I think mommy deserves better.”
Jessica snorted, what did he know at such a young age?
“Tell me, what does your mommy deserve?”
Samuel tilted his head. “I’m not telling you.”
That was because Samuel was still searching.
He sought advice from his teacher, who told him that, like his mother’s situation, she needed to find someone more handsome and prosperous than her ex-husband in order for her to let go of the person who had left her first.
Let him realize that abandoning his mommy was his loss!
He had information about Matthew being in China. That’s why he insisted on going back.
As his teacher said, if you know your enemy well, you’ll win.
For Samuel, that meant Sampson didn’t meet his requirements. Despite being better than average, Sampson still fell short of Matthew.
His mommy could never marry someone who was inferior to Matthew.
He had to be better than him!