Chapter 944
Lena’s heart trembled slightly at Aaron’s words, but she pretended not to hear and busied herself playing in the snow. Though she tried to conceal it, Aaron saw through her attempt. She was avoiding him, but he had no intention of letting her escape this time.
Later, Lena received a call from her mother, Briana, just after finishing a surgery. “Mother dearest, what’s your command?” Lena answered cheerfully.
“You’ve been staying with your uncle recently, haven’t you?” Briana asked.
The question made Lena tense. A bad feeling crept in. “Yes, why?”
“You should know what your uncle has been up to lately, right?” Briana continued.
Lena was confused. “Mrs. Lane, can you just say it directly? This suspense is making my blood pressure spike.” She had just stepped out of the operating theater and entered her break room.
“Your uncle’s heart isn’t in the right place anymore,” Briana said with a heavy sigh.
Lena froze. The phrasing was sharp, but not entirely accurate. They weren’t in a romantic relationship, so how could it be described as his heart straying? Still, Lena had a feeling she understood what her mother meant. It seemed Briana had discovered Aaron’s decision to reconnect with his biological family. Ever since learning about this, Lena had been on edge, but the inevitable had finally arrived.
“How did you find out?” Lena asked cautiously.
Briana’s tone shifted, sharp and accusing. “Lena, you knew this all along! Why didn’t you tell me?”
The sudden outburst made Lena wince. She pulled the phone slightly away from her ear and could still hear her mother’s quiet sobs.
“You’re all grown now, wings spread wide, ready to fly away from me…” Briana’s voice cracked.
“Mom, I didn’t tell you because I knew you’d react like this. Besides, Uncle said he’s only acknowledging his biological family, not leaving ours,” Lena explained, trying to calm her mother down.
“You don’t understand,” Briana snapped. “The heart that longs for the sea will always seek the horizon. If he doesn’t want to leave us, then why acknowledge them at all?”
Her mother’s strong-willed personality left no room for argument.
Chapter 944
That was a good question, one Lena had also asked Aaron. He had simply replied, “You’ll understand when the time comes.” Lena had her suspicions about his reasons, but even she didn’t dare admit them to herself, let alone voice them to Briana.
“I have no idea. Now that you know, why don’t you ask him yourself?” Lena decided to stay out of it. She didn’t want to get caught in the middle of this storm.
“Lena, did you support or encourage him to do this?” Briana’s trust in her daughter seemed shaky at best.
“If you’re already suspicious of me, my answer won’t matter. Think whatever you like. Either way, it’s not my business. Rain will fall, and people will make their choices,” Lena said curtly, feeling a pang of frustration. She hated being doubted, even by her own mother.
“That’s not what I meant. I was just…” Briana tried to explain but stopped halfway through. “Never mind. I’ll ask Aaron myself. What is he thinking? Does he have no conscience left?” Lena could feel her mother’s anger radiating through the phone. She had anticipated this the moment Aaron told her about his decision to reconnect with his biological family.
The family conflict had finally erupted. After some thought, Lena decided to call Aaron. He didn’t answer immediately, and as she waited, her thoughts drifted. When his voice finally came through the line, it brought her back to reality. “Lil’ Lena?”
She cleared her throat. “Uncle, my mom knows about you acknowledging your biological family. She’s really upset.”
“She came to you about it? Did she give you a hard time?” Aaron’s first concern was for her.
“No, she just asked if I knew. But she’ll probably reach out to you soon,” Lena said, pausing before adding softly, “Uncle, she’s really hurt.”
Though Briana’s tone had been more angry than sorrowful, Lena knew it stemmed from her deep care for Aaron.
“I know. I’ll explain everything to her. Don’t worry,” Aaron reassured her gently.