Ever since Carl was rejected at the hotel, he hadn’t truly let go of Nana.
The thought of Nana soon giving birth to their child filled Carl with guilt and worry.
A child couldn’t be without a father, and Nana needed his care.
However, their relationship was at a standstill. Even though Mrs. Waters was still in the hospital, Carl couldn’t abandon Nana and ignore the situation.
That day, he had visited the hospital to see his mother and noticed Grace sticking close by her side, so he turned around and left.
He drove to Nana’s parents’ house, fully aware that he wasn’t welcome, but he braced himself and knocked on the door.
“What are you here for again? Haven’t you done enough harm to my daughter?” Jerry’s face darkened as soon as he saw Carl outside the door.
Tracy heard the commotion outside and hurried over to scold Carl. “It’s because of you that my daughter, with a big belly, has gone missing. How dare you show up at our door!”
Upon hearing that Nana wasn’t at home, Carl was both shocked and deeply concerned. “How could this happen? Didn’t Nana say she wanted to safely give birth to the child by her parents’ side and asked me not to come anymore?”
He distinctly remembered Nana saying those words before he left the hotel.
“We brought our daughter back home, but she disappeared again. She left the house a few days ago without having lunch, and there’s been no sign of her since!” Jerry exclaimed angrily, pushing Carl to the side of the stairs.
In order to drive Carl away, Tracy grabbed a broom and rushed into the hallway to threaten him. “If you don’t leave, I won’t be polite! Even if my daughter comes back, we won’t let her see you again!”
Under the forceful expulsion of the two, Carl eventually left dejectedly.
Back in his car, he felt ashen and his mood sank even lower.
“Where are you, Nana…”
Carl was filled with remorse, muttering to himself over and over again.
Just then, his phone on the dashboard rang, and he saw it was a call from his mother. Suppressing his irritation, he answered the call.
“Mom, I have something urgent today. I’ll probably be late to visit you at the hospital.”
“Carl, Mrs. Waters said she wants you to accompany her and have a talk. You should come earlier,” came Grace’s voice from the other end of the line. She knew Carl didn’t go to the film set and deliberately urged Mrs. Waters to call him back.
But Carl remained unmoved and coldly refused, “I don’t have time right now. If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”
After days of reflection, he realized that it was his long-term neglect of Nana’s feelings that had hurt her so deeply.
If he had been attentive to Nana before, perhaps they could have faced Grace’s pregnancy ultimatum together.
After hanging up the phone, Carl knew that Nana had already blocked him. To avoid any disturbances, he turned off his phone.
In the following time, he drove through the streets and alleys, frantically searching for any trace of Nana.
Unfortunately, even until the next morning, Carl couldn’t find her as he had hoped.
His mind was in turmoil, his body weary and exhausted. Unable to hold on any longer, he parked the car by the roadside and fell asleep.
Two hours later, when Carl woke up from his slumber, he looked at the bustling street but still didn’t see Nana’s figure.
“Nana, you’ll never forgive me, will you?”
With disheveled hair and a grimy face, Carl felt regret and sadness, knowing that Nana had probably gone into hiding to avoid him. His mood sank even further.
He then headed to the hospital, dragging his heavy body into the ward.
However, as he pushed open the door, Carl found the hospital bed empty.
“Mom…”
In that moment, Carl felt disoriented, his initial reaction being that something had happened to Mrs. Waters.
He rushed into the consultation room in a panic and asked the doctor. After inquiring, he found out that Mrs. Waters had been discharged from the hospital and had returned home with Grace that morning.
Relieved that everything was fine at home, Carl let out a sigh of relief and decided to continue searching for Nana.
Two days and nights had passed since Carl learned about Nana’s disappearance.
Finally, he decided to give up the aimless search and drove home in a daze.
At the moment, Grace was comforting Mrs. Waters in the living room, pretending to be understanding and patiently listening to her complaints.
Mrs. Waters was furious for not seeing Carl for two days. She didn’t even care about her meals, ignoring the snacks placed in front of her.
“This is outrageous! He’s a typical case of forgetting his mother after marrying a wife!”
The more Mrs. Waters spoke, the angrier she became. Suddenly, she shook off Grace’s hand and said, “Don’t try to persuade me anymore. I’ll pretend I never gave birth to this son!”
Seeing Mrs. Waters in a fit of anger, Grace patted her back and tried to calm her down. She patiently advised, “Mrs. Waters, Carl does care about you. He’s just been busy these past few days. Once he’s done…”
“Don’t believe his nonsense! They’re all excuses!”
Mrs. Waters glared angrily and indignantly said, “A mother knows her child best. I know exactly where he’s been these past two days!”
With that said, Mrs. Waters vented her emotions and then began to worry about her future daughter-in-law.
“Grace, I know you’re reasonable and always think for the sake of the family’s harmony, but how can I watch you suffer?”
Both of them understood each other without saying it out loud. Carl had been missing for so long, and there must be a strong connection between him and Nana.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Waters. Actually, it’s my fault for ruining Carl and Nana’s relationship. I’ve been feeling guilty all along.”
Grace pretended to be embarrassed, speaking softly with her head down.
“Silly girl, don’t think that way. Love doesn’t come in a specific order. It’s the capable one who wins. I will stand up for you!”
Grace’s magnanimity made Mrs. Waters even more remorseful.
Although Nana’s child in her belly was Carl’s, Grace’s child would also carry the Waters family’s blood.
If Mrs. Waters had to choose, in the future, she would definitely favor the child born to Grace.
While the two were talking on the sofa, a disheveled Carl walked through the door.
“So, you still know how to come home?”
Initially, Mrs. Waters was happy to see her son return, but she put on a stern face and scolded him, “You’ve been gone for a few days. Do you still see me as your mother?”
During the time he was searching for Nana, Carl had hardly closed his eyes.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his gloomy face showed signs of exhaustion.
Facing his mother’s reproach, he responded coldly, his expression devoid of emotion, “I’ll go upstairs and get some sleep.”
After saying that, Carl ignored Grace on the couch and walked quickly towards the stairs.
“Hold on! I have something to ask you.”
Suddenly, Mrs. Waters stopped Carl, pressing him with an intimidating tone, “Have you been with Nana these past two days?”
Carl was taken aback, seeing his mother’s angry expression, he bitterly smiled in self-mockery, “As you wished, Nana has disappeared. She won’t bother you anymore. Are you satisfied now?”
Hearing this news, a trace of surprise flashed in Mrs. Waters’ eyes. “She disappeared? When did this happen?”
Mrs. Waters’ incessant questioning irritated Carl. He knew his mother would only be happy to see Nana disappear from this world.
“I don’t need to explain so much to you.”
Carl’s voice was filled with sorrow, anger, and despair. After speaking, he quickly returned to his room.