CHAPTER 174: CHAPTER 174: WHAT SHOULD I DO

"So, how is it? Is it good? She’s been tinkering in the kitchen for quite a while," Chloe Quinn asked.

Florence Fuller tried to relax her expression: "Yeah."

Charles Shaw raised an eyebrow at her expression.

Chloe Quinn also happily picked up her chopsticks: "Let me try."

The moment she tasted it, after just a couple of bites, her expression changed.

Evelyn Shaw’s expectant eyes froze: "Is it that bad?"

Florence Fuller’s expression twisted: "Try it yourself."

"She tends to make new dishes taste awful," Charles Shaw said. "This is her second time making this dish."

Christopher Somerset was deeply scarred by the first new dish Evelyn Shaw made.

"Come on, Mom, try it," Evelyn Shaw pouted unhappily.

Amelia Linney smiled and picked up her chopsticks, but Charles Shaw stopped her: "Mom, you better not put yourself through this."

"How can it be called torment, brother? Do you talk to your sister like this? I can cook, after all."

"Yes, master chef," Charles Shaw remembered the first time Evelyn Shaw cooked, which is why he felt sympathetic towards Christopher Somerset whenever Evelyn Shaw tried new dishes.

Florence Fuller chuckled softly, and Amelia Linney served her some food.

Evelyn Shaw puffed her cheeks: "You’re laughing at me, Florence; you’re actually laughing at me. You have to eat another bite before I’ll forgive you."

Florence Fuller closed her eyes: "I still want to live."

Evelyn Shaw: "..."

Chloe Quinn couldn’t hold back her laughter but didn’t make a sound, and Evelyn Shaw noticed: "Sister-in-law."

Chloe Quinn waved her hand: "Sister-in-law wants to live too, sis."

Evelyn Shaw was crushed, and everyone burst out laughing in unison, lightening up the atmosphere wonderfully.

They ate and chatted, reminiscing about the past, then moved on to work experiences, and finally, Evelyn Shaw brought up some industry gossip.

By the time they finished eating, their conversation had gone long enough that the food had gone cold, and Amelia Linney, overcome by fatigue, went to bed first.

During her brief time out of the hospital, she stayed here, and a room had been specially prepared for her.

Christopher Somerset and Charles Shaw went to handle things in the kitchen, while Evelyn Shaw coordinated events with her agent, and Florence Fuller and Chloe Quinn went to the balcony.

"Thank you," Florence Fuller said sincerely.

"What are you thanking me for? We’ll be family from now on."

Florence Fuller blinked.

"Charles took me to meet his mother, and she even prepared a big red envelope for me," Chloe Quinn laughed. "Besides, we help each other. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today."

Florence Fuller squinted her eyes happily in the breeze.

"Your brother and I are planning to get engaged."

Florence Fuller opened her eyes: "So soon."

"It’s not that soon. Your brother is such a good man; I can’t let him go," Chloe Quinn mused. "If not for you, there wouldn’t be a me today, and I wouldn’t have met Charles. But when you think about it, sometimes fate is just so wonderful."

It was rare for Florence Fuller to see her like this. Chloe Quinn was usually indifferent to men; she was open to dating but didn’t let anyone control her.

But Florence Fuller knew that Charles Shaw could sometimes handle Chloe Quinn’s carefree nature.

"So you’re willing to listen to my brother."

"He doesn’t control everything, just things that are good for me. Your brother is really great."

"As if I didn’t know."

Back when they were kids, when they made mistakes and feared getting scolded, it was often Charles Shaw who covered for the two younger sisters.

"Then call me sister-in-law and let me hear it." Chloe Quinn hooked her arm: "Come on, say it quickly."

She was so excited that she even dreamt of Florence Fuller calling her sister-in-law.

Florence Fuller snorted: "I’ll say it when you get married."

"Why not just say it now? What difference does it make?" Chloe Quinn said.

"No rush; I’ll change how I call you after you’ve tied the knot."

Chloe Quinn: "..."

Fine, fine, she’ll wait.

"What are you guys talking about?" Evelyn Shaw joined them from behind: "Want to play cards? We need one more player."

"Sure, let’s do it," Chloe Quinn agreed instantly. "It’s been a while."

Charles Shaw still had to help with the overnight radio broadcast at the TV station, so he couldn’t play.

Evelyn Shaw pulled Christopher Somerset in to join them.

Once the card game started, it was hard to stop.

As they played until exhaustion hit, they glanced outside to see the first light of dawn.

Charles Shaw also returned.

Seeing the four people who had played cards all night, he sighed helplessly.

"I’m exhausted," Evelyn Shaw stood up. "Sleep, sleep, sleep."

"I’m heading back too," Florence Fuller stood up and stretched, having lost more than she won all night, while Chloe Quinn scooped the jackpot.

"Want to grab breakfast before sleeping?"

"No, no," Florence Fuller didn’t even want to change her shoes as she left, then returned: "I’ll text you the code to my house. If mom wakes up and looks for me, she can come over."

"Okay."

Florence Fuller went back, freshened up, and was asleep as soon as she hit the bed.

She woke up at two in the afternoon.

She left her room and heard sounds coming from the living room. Amelia Linney was watching TV and smiled at her: "You’re awake."

"Yeah," Florence Fuller walked over, climbed onto the sofa, and rested against her. "Mom, what are you watching?"

"The cartoon you used to love as a kid. Charles found it for me. I heard you guys played cards all night last night."

"Yeah, it’s been a while."

Florence Fuller lay beside her, feeling a sense of nostalgia from Amelia Linney’s touch on her head.

Amelia Linney gently stroked her long hair: "Chloe and your brother are getting engaged, Evelyn is with Christopher, and you, do you have anyone special?"

Florence Fuller’s eyes flickered.

It seemed they hadn’t told Amelia Linney that she was already married.

Florence Fuller was torn about whether to talk about it, but she thought about her current situation with Ethan Harper.

She felt conflicted.

She knew there were still unresolved feelings for Ethan Harper in her heart, yet she was angry at him for leaving without a word back then.

She couldn’t swallow this resentment.

"Mom," Florence Fuller spoke in a sullen tone: "Back then, I met a really good man."

Florence Fuller began the story from when she met Ethan Harper.

Amelia Linney listened intently, occasionally asking for clarification on parts she didn’t understand. Afterward, she sighed: "Florence, you still have feelings for him."

"I know," Florence Fuller leaned against the sofa. "But I’m just... just so angry with him."

"It’s not really hatred," even after ten years of no contact, Amelia Linney understood her child whom she’d raised for fifteen years: "You’re just mad at him."

Florence Fuller sat quietly on the sofa, feeling a sense of confusion and helplessness. She bit her lip: "So what should I do? I want to let off this steam, but... but I can’t bring myself to, and I don’t want to forgive him that easily either."

"Time will reveal everything. You’re not the stubborn type. You want to forgive him but also want him to realize that leaving silently back then was a terribly wrong decision. Sometimes, Florence, these things are mutual."

"You mentioned he’s come back now, for you, so he must have feelings for you, and he definitely wants to make amends. Besides..." Amelia Linney sighed: "His mother’s death was a huge blow to him."