novelxo Chapter Gud Wife 176
Chapter 0176
[The past, Hesperia]
"Mr.
Bartz, you found me. What do you want? The last time I saw you, you were very clear-you couldn't help me any more than you already had. I'm immensely grateful you; thanks to your help, my daughter and I are still alive. But ever since Peter died, I swore I'd have nothing more to do with you or anyone connected to your world," Mary said, feeling exposed and cornered.
Inside, she was a storm of nerves, but she knew she had to appear strong-for herself and for her daughter, Serenity. She needed to make it clear that she didn't want to have anything to do with anyone or anything related to Valentia.
"Mary, can I invite you for a coffee so we can talk calmly? I promise I won't take more of your time than necessary," Marcus offered.
"Don't you realize I'm at the hospital because of my child? I don't have time for coffee."
"Your daughter is in good hands," Marcus said. "She's already here, and the hospital won't discharge
and her until tomorrow. As for me, I'm just waiting for my friend to wake up. We were in an accident,
honestly, I need to sit down and rest." He gestured at the neck brace he was wearing.
"Even so, I'll say it again-I have nothing to discuss with you. I'm grateful for your help two years ago, but I
don't want to cause you more problems. Your financial help was a blessing during my pregnancy, but if
you want to be reimbursed, I only have a hundred pesos in my wallet. That's all I can give you."
가
Marcus sighed heavily, his patience tested. The woman before him was no longer the same broken girl he had seen in Galea. Though young, her demeanor had hardened, and it was clear she didn't trust anyone connected to the Palmer family. She had endured too much, and the only person who had helped her back then-Peter-had been taken from her.
"I'm sorry about your accident, Mr. Bartz. I hope Mr. Frederick recovers quickly, but I need to get back to my baby. As you can see, it's just the two of us, and I won't leave her alone. If you can't say what you need to here, I'll leave you now. I have to go."
"Mary, I just want you to know that I regret how I treated you back then," Marcus said, his voice softening. "It wasn't my intention to speak to you the way I did, but the situation was spiraling out of control. I was shattered, and I couldn't show that-not in front of the Palmers, who were fighting over what was left of my friend. I know that's not an excuse, but it's the truth. The situation overwhelmed me, and in the end... well, in the end, we both lost. Just as you lost the father of your daughter, I lost my friend-my brother.
Mary watched as the imposing man's tough exterior melted away, leaving behind the expression of a sad, wounded boy. Her anger and her sharp words began to soften. He was right. The two days she had spent at the house after Peter's death had been utter chaos.
She remembered the shouting, the accusations-none of the Palmers had ever set foot in Peter's home before that day, yet they all insisted on deciding what should happen, ignoring the opinions of the grieving woman who should have had the final say.
Mary's lower lip trembled, and tears filled her eyes. She swallowed hard and gently placed her hand on Marcus's arm.
Chapter 0176
#25 BONUS
"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "But when I arrived in Hesperia, I decided to forget everything that happened. I truly appreciate what you did for me. Without you, I wouldn't be alive, and without your financial help, things would have been much harder. I would have found a way to survive, even during my pregnancy, but my daughter and I wouldn't have starved-I promise you that."
She paused, her voice breaking.
"The day I arrived here, I cried for a single day. After that, I swore I wouldn't cry again-not for my own sake, but for my daughter's health. Then she was born and there wasn't time to be sad anymore. Like I said, it's just the two of us now. There's no more luxury, no mansion, no fancy dinners. This is the real world. If I don't work, there's no money for food, mille or diapers. So, instead of accepting handouts, I've chosen to work and raise my daughter on my own and I'm proud of that."
"Mary, please don't misunderstand me," Marcus replied, his tone earnest. "I just want you to know how much Peter meant to me. He wasn't just a friend; he was the only family I had. I loved him like a brother. I know you never heard about me from him, but I knew about you. He was so happy with you.
"I know you don't want anything to do with the Palmer family, and I respect that. But my only connection to them was through Peter. Once he was gone, I had no reason to stay in Valentia.
"Peter was my friend, and because of that, I'm asking you to let me be part of your daughter's life. Now that we've found each other again, no matter how unlikely the circumstances, I don't want to lose contact with you both. Please let me help-if not for you, then for her. It's the least I can do to honor Peter's memory."