Chapter35

Chapter35

He turned to look at Harriet, only to see her eating slowly with

her head down, each bite of rice smaller than thest.

Looking at Harriet, Ellsworth tried to exin, “Harriet, that’s

not what I meant.”

When Ellsworth spoke to her, Harriet didn’t look up. She held

er fork in silence for a moment, then forced a smile and said, “I

now, it’s fine.”

fter speaking, she took another bite.

e spoon and the te still made a soft tapping sound.

ross from Harriet, Keh saw her eating in food with

r head down. He picked up a piece of rib and put it in her

wl, saying, “If Hara is willing, I would be very happy to

rry her!”

h’s voice was warm and deep. At hisforting words,

rriet’s eyes immediately turned red.

è hadn’t thought much of it before; after all, Ellsworth had

Chan35

always spoken harshly to her over the years.

But everyone’s sympathy made her feel as if she really was

quite pitiful.

Looking at the rib in her bowl, Harriet looked up and smiled,

“Thank you, Ken.”

Thank you for helping her out of the awkward situation.

At Keh’s words, Ellsworth looked up at him.

Keh happened to be looking at him too.

The two brothers locked eyes. Keh’s gaze was cold and

indifferent.

At that moment, Kathie hurriedly apologized to Harriet: “Hara,

I’m sorry. I spoke without thinking. I’m really sorry.”

Kathie didn’t actually think she was wrong; it was just that

Ellsworth’s words had been too harsh. She was afraid Harriet

would be upset, so she apologized.

Harriet looked at her and smiled gently, saying, “It’s okay, Kat. I

know.”‘

Chapter35

She didn’t me Kat. She knew Kat just wanted to stand up for

her.

But her chest felt tight, stifled.

She just… just hadn’t expected Ellsworth to look down on her so

much.

She hadn’t expected that, in his heart, she was so worthless, that after the divorce she would be something he didn’t want.

With Keh and Kathie smoothing things over, Patsy and Tamera finally snapped out of it and scolded Ellsworth and Kathie, “One speaks without thinking, and the other still doesn’t think before speaking. You both need to learn your lesson and

think before you talk.”

“Hara, Ells was just bickering with Kat. Don’t take it to heart.

Eat more.”

Seeing Tamera and Patsy both putting food in her bowl, Harriet smiled and said, “Mom, Grandma, I know. I didn’t take it

seriously!”‘

She said she understood, but on the way back from the

Townsend’s mansion, Harriet waspletely listless.

She slumped weakly in her seat, arms gently crossed, head resting on the headrest, her eyes gazing nkly out the window.

There was no light in her eyes.

So tired.

Her heart was exhausted.

asionally, Ellsworth nced at Harriet in the rearview mirror, seeing her silently staring out the window, but he didn’t

try to talk to her.

It really had just been a heated exchange earlier.

In the driver’s seat, Ellsworth’s phone rang several times, and he

answered a few calls. Harriet didn’t notice at all, just kept

looking out the window.

It wasn’t until the car stopped in the yard and Ellsworth opened

the door for her that Harriet snapped back to reality, hurriedly

grabbed her things, got out of the car, and politely said, “Thank

you.”

After thanking him, she said gently, “You must still be busy, so

I’ll go in first.”

With that, without waiting for Ellsworth to reply, she turned

and went inside.

Hand on the car door, Ellsworth watched Harriet’s back as she

left. Only after she entered the house did he return to the driver’s seat, get in, start the car, and drive away.

Back upstairs in the bedroom, after making sure Ellsworth hadn’t returned, Harriet closed the door, leaned her back

against it, and finally let out a sigh of relief.

She stared straight at the yard outside, her mind reying

Ellsworth’s words from earlier.

She knew it was just a heated exchange.

But it was also what he truly felt. Because he didn’t care about

her feelings, he could blurt it out.

If he cared even a little about her feelings, he wouldn’t have

been able to say it.

She stared at the yard for a long, long time, her eyes calm and

empty.

Gradually, her mood settled.

But she still felt stifled, still felt miserable.

After staring at the yard for a while longer, Harriet finally

opened the door, got in her car, and went to her grandfather’s

house.

At ten o’clock that night, when Harriet returned from the Chavez’s mansion, she went back to the bedroom and saw Ellsworthing out of the bathroom, drying his hair. She paused for a moment, but quickly regained herposure and greeted him with a smile, “You’re home.”