After Nana spoke, she paid no attention to Carl and went straight out of the airport, waving to hail a taxi. Carl watched Nana’s retreating figure, a fleeting sense of loss in his eyes.
Nana was very nervous in the car. When she finally arrived home, she almost ran inside, shouting, “Mom, Mom, how are you? Should we go to the hospital?”
As she spoke, she quickly entered the living room. However, when she saw her parents sitting on the sofa, both with serious expressions, her mother turned her face away upon seeing Nana return.
Nana was stunned for a moment, and it took her a while to gather her thoughts. “Dad, Mom… What’s wrong? Mom, aren’t you sick?”
Jerry only raised his head at this point, letting out a heavy sigh. “If we didn’t tell you, would you have known your mom was sick? You’ve probably been in Guavo all this time, accompanying that guy Lawrence!”
Nana’s eyes widened, suddenly understanding everything. She stood still for a long time, finally moving her lips with difficulty, “Mom…”
Tracy looked up at her daughter standing by the door. During the time they hadn’t seen Nana, she had lost a considerable amount of weight and looked much more haggard.
As a mother, who wouldn’t feel heartbroken for her daughter?
“Nana,” Tracy called her, waving for her to sit beside her. “This time, something big happened, and you and Jane went to the earthquake-stricken area to help, and we didn’t know. If something happened to you because of William, what would your dad and I do? You should also consider our feelings.”
“Nana, are you back together with William? Do you know how worried we were when you went to the disaster area to save him?” In contrast, Jerry didn’t have a pleasant expression. He cherished his daughter, and of course, he would be angry now.
“We’ve raised you so well, not for you to suffer with that poor boy! Nana, you should understand, we brought you up not for you to endure hardships with William. He has nothing now and can’t provide you with a secure life. In the future, you will understand. Sometimes, mutual liking is not enough to reach the end.”
Tracy covered Nana’s hand, speaking with deep meaning.
Nana hadn’t expected her parents to react this way. She was anxious, and her eyes turned red, but she had no desire to cry. She urgently explained, “Dad, Mom, why are you doing this… Actually, I’ve broken up with William now…”
“Broken up?” Jerry and Tracy exchanged a glance, both clearly showing disbelief in each other’s eyes. Their daughter, who went to the earthquake-stricken area to save William, was now saying she had broken up. Would they believe it?
“No, Nana, you’ve never been like this before. This time, your mom and I called you back to let you stay at home for a while, not to go anywhere.”
“No! I can’t!” Nana heard this and was very surprised. Subconsciously, she stood up, her attitude more intense than ever before.
At least it was much more intense than when she was with her parents before. “You -”
Jerry was about to get angry when a knock on the door interrupted them. The father and daughter were facing off, but Tracy, worried, glanced at the door and went to open it. She found Carl standing outside.
When Carl saw Tracy, he nodded politely and said, “Hello, madam. I’m here to find Nana… Is she at home?”
Hearing the familiar voice, Nana turned her head subconsciously and saw Carl walking in. She frowned and was about to speak when the man walked to her side. One hand gently rested on Nana’s shoulder, though it quickly loosened, revealing a polite and humble smile. He nodded to Jerry and said, “Hello, sir.”
Jerry and Tracy both knew Carl was a well-known celebrity. Seeing him come to their house and being so familiar with their daughter, they were both surprised and suspicious. Jerry paused before asking, “I know you. Your name is Carl, and you know… Nana?”
Carl glanced at Nana, a smile unconsciously appearing on his face. He nodded emphatically and, the next moment, held Nana’s hand. “Uncle, Auntie, actually, I’ve been with Nana for a long time. She just agreed to be my girlfriend. She told me a while ago that her mom is sick and needs to come back. I originally wanted to come back with her, but she didn’t let me, so I… came quietly.”
When he said this, Carl couldn’t help but smile awkwardly.
Nana was still somewhat in shock. When she felt Carl holding her hand, she instinctively tried to pull away. Upon hearing his words, she looked even more surprised. However, with her parents present, she couldn’t refuse. She reluctantly lowered her eyebrows, looking at Carl with a mix of anger and confusion, and subtly pulled her hand back.
Tracy, on the other hand, was looking at Carl with satisfaction. She often saw this young man on television – handsome, a celebrity, and impressive on stage. If he was Nana’s boyfriend, her daughter would have a great future in front of their neighbors!
Jerry, however, remained skeptical. His gaze shifted between the two, finally settling on Nana. “Nana, why have we never heard you mention dating him? Are you intentionally teaming up to deceive us?”
Nana didn’t want to involve Carl, especially since she had already rejected him. She was about to deny it when Carl leaned in and whispered in her ear, lowering his voice, “Nana, I’m doing this for your own good. If I pretend to be your boyfriend, your parents won’t keep you locked up here. You don’t want to stay away from Guavo, right?”
This statement undoubtedly struck a chord with Nana. She turned to look at Carl, bewildered. After making eye contact with the determined look in his eyes, she had no choice but to give in. Faced with Jerry’s questioning, she nodded.
“Yes, we’ve only been together for a short time. I thought this matter was too significant… so I didn’t tell you. After all, Carl is also a celebrity. Mom, Dad, you won’t be angry, will you?”
After saying this, she sighed silently in her heart, unconsciously squeezing the hem of her clothes. She didn’t want to be confined at home, and she didn’t want to be away from William. She really missed him.
Seeing her daughter admit it, Jerry temporarily dispelled his suspicions and nodded, feeling relieved. “Since you two are together, I can rest assured. But Nana, for such a big thing, you should have told us, don’t let us worry about you.”
Tracy, with her heart completely at ease, regarded Carl as her potential son-in-law. She looked at him with increasing satisfaction.