CHAPTER 190: CHAPTER 190: PARENTAL LOVE

After listening to Susan Wilde talk about her recent life with Owen Bellamy, she couldn’t help but think of Ryder Griffin and Sheila Yardley. Hopefully, she was just overthinking.

Shannon Quinn didn’t know Owen Bellamy very well, but it was clear to see Susan Wilde liked him.

During casual conversations, Susan Wilde would always mention Owen Bellamy unintentionally, and she would smile warmly whenever she spoke about him.

In terms of work, Susan Wilde was quite competitive, but when she was around Owen Bellamy, she became a complete little woman, very reliant on him.

The wedding hadn’t ended when Shannon Quinn received a call from Julian Yardley.

"Hello, where are you?" His tone was still very impatient.

"What’s the matter?" Shannon Quinn asked casually.

"My mom heard from Sheila Yardley that you’re back? She wants you to come over for dinner, where are you? Should I come to pick you up?"

Julian Yardley seemed afraid she might refuse, so he didn’t even ask if she wanted to go, but instead just said he’d come to pick her up.

Shannon Quinn pondered for a moment. Since Catherine Yardley was discharged from the hospital, she hadn’t visited or contacted her, but she usually learned about Catherine’s condition through Sheila Yardley. She believed Catherine did the same to find out about her, otherwise, Catherine wouldn’t have known she was back so quickly.

Since becoming a mother herself, her perspective on Catherine Yardley had changed. After thinking about it, she said, "Send me the location, and I’ll come over by myself."

After the wedding ended, Shannon Quinn took Leo and hailed a taxi to Catherine Yardley’s current residence.

After Catherine Yardley was discharged, Julian Yardley rented an apartment near the company, a two-bedroom, one-bathroom place where only he and Catherine Yardley lived. Sheila Yardley would occasionally come back for a meal and some fun, but until now, everyone in the family still thought Sheila Yardley lived at school.

When Shannon Quinn arrived, Sheila Yardley was already waiting downstairs.

Seeing Shannon Quinn carrying the child in one hand and holding fruits in the other, Sheila Yardley hurriedly stepped forward and affectionately took Leo: "Shannon, you didn’t need to buy anything."

"Picked up a few things on the way."

"Come on, let me take you upstairs. I told Mom this morning that you were coming, she’s been talking about you non-stop."

Shannon Quinn just smiled and followed Sheila Yardley into the elevator.

Leo wasn’t shy either, looking around with big eyes, humming his own language.

After going upstairs, they turned right from the elevator, and saw a door open with the aroma of food filling the air.

Seeing this scene, Shannon Quinn felt an unexpected warmth in her heart, as if she was truly understanding the word "home."

"Mom, look who’s here!" Sheila Yardley, upon reaching the door, shouted towards the kitchen.

Soon after, Catherine Yardley came out, wiping water off her hands with her apron. Seeing Shannon Quinn and the child, she merely smiled, seeming to have numerous things to say, but not knowing where to start, finally just politely said, "Take a seat, Shannon. I’ve prepared a few simple dishes; they won’t be done for a while yet."

Seeing the undisguised joy in Catherine Yardley’s eyes, Shannon Quinn asked her: "Need any help?"

"No, no, everything’s nearly ready. We’re just missing some condiments; Julian’s gone downstairs to buy them. It’ll be ready soon. Elaine, accompany Shannon to the living room and watch some TV."

While Catherine Yardley spoke, her gaze consistently drifted toward Leo, seemingly wanting to inquire about him, yet fearing Shannon Quinn would find her intrusive, she cautiously refrained.

Sitting on the sofa with Leo, Shannon Quinn observed the surroundings. The apartment wasn’t very large, and the walls still had some chaotic crayon scribbles, presumably the "works" left by a child from the previous tenant. The furniture was also worn, yet everything felt warm and cozy to Shannon Quinn.

The apartment was very tidily arranged, though somewhat cluttered, everything was neatly organized.

Sheila Yardley washed some fruits and placed them on the coffee table, and Shannon Quinn didn’t remain idle. Seeing Leo wasn’t resistant or uneasy in the unfamiliar environment, she let him play by himself.

Shannon Quinn then went to the kitchen and seeing unprocessed vegetables next to the sink, she rolled up her sleeves and walked over.

Catherine Yardley just then noticed her, hurriedly said, "No need to come, you’ll dirty your hands."

"It’s fine."

Seeing Shannon Quinn’s attitude seemed the same as before, Catherine Yardley felt both strange and happy inside.

So she let Shannon Quinn wash the vegetables while she turned around to stir the soup in the pot and then asked Shannon Quinn: "Has the past year been good for you?"

"Yes, everything’s been pretty good."

"It must be tough taking care of the child alone? You look thinner."

With her head down, Shannon Quinn’s eyes fixed only on the vegetables in her hands, she then asked Catherine Yardley: "How are you? How did you manage back when you were raising the two siblings alone?"

Catherine Yardley paused, seeming to recall some unpleasant past, yet simply smiled faintly: "It’s all in the past."

Shannon Quinn knew that a woman raising children on her own must have endured many hardships. She herself was somewhat fortunate, at least financially she didn’t have many worries. She was capable of earning money, and Vincent Rhodes hadn’t neglected her either, the child support arriving on time every month, never lacking.

"After so many years, why haven’t you found someone?" Shannon Quinn asked Catherine Yardley.

Catherine Yardley stopped her movements and said with a smile, "I’m already getting on in years, the children have grown, no need to find someone."

"But back when they were still young, why didn’t you look for someone then?" This question was something Shannon Quinn also wanted a convincing answer for herself, because people around her often asked why she didn’t find someone else to marry while her child was still young and she was still young.

She would always say she hadn’t met the right person, but in her heart, she simply had no intention of doing so, and she didn’t know why.

Catherine Yardley said, "Sometimes marriage is really a constraint because nobody knows if the man found will be reliable, I didn’t dare to gamble again..."

Becoming more curious about those past events, Shannon Quinn asked, "Can you tell me about the past?"

Catherine Yardley glanced at her, then turned to look outside the door, seeming worried that Sheila Yardley and Julian Yardley might hear.

Seeing Sheila Yardley outside playing with Leo, naturally, Catherine Yardley wouldn’t refuse Shannon Quinn, so she spoke: "When I was young, my parents divorced, I lived with my father, and after he remarried, he no longer cared for me. I met your father when I was twelve, he was seven years older than me, the leader of delinquents near the school, often causing trouble, aggressive towards everyone, but from the day we met, he took care of me. Over time, we fell in love..."

Recalling these moments, Catherine Yardley’s eyes grew misty; although young, the love was pure.

After a pause, Catherine Yardley continued, "When I was seventeen, I gave birth to you. Your father passed away before you were born, and word spread in town that the Yardley girl had a child with some wild man outside. My father thought I was disgraceful and gave me a few hundred bucks and a train ticket to leave."