CHapter 119


    Major Gat watched Ashlyn, her expression one of utter despair. He had been with Marcel for


    many years, witnessed their journey together.


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    Throughout the years, countless people had suggested Marcel consider divorce,rgely due to


    Ashlyn’s… indescribable behavior!


    When they were at the military base, she had the audacity to try setting up some of the female


    officers with her own nephew, and it was due to Marcel’s reputation that things were


    suppressed quickly. Not to mention the asions when she covertly took items from the base to aid


    her family financially!


    Marcel’s divorce papers were quickly approved, undoubtedly influenced by Ashlyn’s tarnished


    reputation.


    “Has Marcel lost his mind? We’ve been married for so many years! I need to find Tristan!”


    Ashlyn immediately dialed Tristan on her smartphone. As soon as he answered, her tears started to


    fall. “Tristan, has your father gone mad? He actually wants to divorce me!”


    Tristan was taking the wheelchair from his daughter, heading inside the Schnabel Manor in Serene


    Haven.


    “Oh, that’s actually good news. It’s about time. Don’t worry, after the divorce, I’ll send you to


    Gerastor Retirement Home. It’s the best of its kind. I’ve also enrolled Yvonne in Gerastor University


    to get her focused and out of the house.”


    They really wanted to get rid of her and Yvonne!


    Ashlyn panicked. “No, Marcel can’t do this to me! I’m your mother, and you’re my son, you have to


    take my side! Marcel can’t bully me like this! Have I raised you for nothing? You ungrateful child!”


    Tristan had long since been worn down by Ashlyn’s antics. “Mom, sometimes I wonder how you


    turned into the person you are now. When I was little, you weren’t like this at all.”


    Tristan’s words, meant as a mere reflection, seemed to light a fuse in Ashlyn.


    “What do you mean by that? Are you implying I’m not your mother? I have always been this way! If


    you prefer someone else, go find some floozy to be your mother! Ha! No matter what, I am luckier


    than some!”


    Who was she referring to?


    Tristan felt a headacheing on and didn’t want to argue further.


    “Mom, stop making a scene. The divorce papers are already stamped. Whether or not you sign


    them doesn’t matter much now. Your marriage with Dad is over. Rest assured, I’ll take good care of


    you. Tomorrow, you’ll go to Gerastor.”


    11:13


    The date on the divorce papers was fromst month.


    Last month, Marcel had already prepared to divorce her!


    Ashlyn clenched her teeth, venomously saying. “Marcel, are you really going to burn all your


    bridges? Turn your own children against you? You’ll regret this one day!”


    Marcel scoffed. “Regret? The thing I regret most is marrying you!”


    “Oh, so you finally admit it. Are you still pining for that tramp Harriet Lambert?”


    Marcel lost his temper. “What does Harriet have to do with this? Stop talking nonsense; I don’t want


    to say another word to you! Tomorrow, you take Yvonne to Gerastor, or you can go back to the


    sticks!”


    He wanted to send her back to a life of hardship just because she mentioned Harriet, that ill–fated


    woman!


    Noe’s eyes flickered with curiosity.


    Why did Grandpa and Ashlyn mention the same name as Old Mrs. Lambert? It was probably just a


    coincidence, right? There were many people with the same names back in the day.


    Noe had never heard Old Mrs. Lambert mention knowing the Schnabel family; it probably wasn’t


    rted to her grandfather.


    Marcel, frustrated, hung up the phone, grumbling about Ashlyn’s behavior.


    Sexton snickered beside him. “That’s what you get for wronging Harriet back in the day. Karma,


    that is.”


    “How did I wrong Harriet? I returned from a mission, and she was gone. I came home to a


    bloodbath… Why am I even exining this to you! Why don’t you go back to your own home? This


    is my house!”


    Sienna quickly chimed in. “Dad, you just got discharged today, and I asked the kitchen to prepare a


    nutritious meal suitable for the elderly. We should have Mr. Sexton and Palmer here and have a


    family dinner to celebrate.”


    At the mention of a family dinner, Marcel’s eyes welled up with tears, but he was still relentless


    in his banter.


    “Who’s family with him? Our Noe hasn’t agreed to marry into their family yet! Noe, listen to me.


    You’re still young. Let’s focus on your education first and get to know each other slowly. If it doesn’t


    work out, you can always return the goods to their origin.”


    Noe twitched at the corner of her mouth.


    That’s just like what Beckett had said. It seemed family members had simr ways of thinking.


    Sexton jumped in, “My grandson isn’t good enough? No worries, Noe, take a look at the other


    grandsons in our family they’re all great! If Palmer isn’t the right fit, there’s always the next


    one!”


    11:13


    The two old men went back and forth, arguing as if they woulde to blows if not for the


    wheelchairs between them.


    Noe exchanged a resigned yet amused look with Palmer. Despite the noisy scene, there was a


    sense of warmth.


    “Maybe you should take your grandpa Sexton home?”


    “The house is empty, and it’s just me and Grandpa. Can’t my fiancée begrudgingly offer some


    shelter?”


    She didn’t mean to drive them away, especially since Sienna and Tristan had left them behind. She


    couldn’t bear to upset the elderly.


    While everyone was focused on the bickering elders, Palmer walked over to Noe, took her hand


    in his warm palm, and held it firmly.


    “Let go.”


    “Just for a moment, my fiancée. Consider it a fare for the ride earlier?”


    Noe sighed, “Mr. Pock, is this how Uber is charging these days?”


    Palmer’s gaze deepened, as if peering into an abyss when he looked at Noe. He didn’t take his


    eyes off her.


    “I wouldn’t mind if you want to pay with a different method;st night was pretty great, after all


    Speaking ofst night, nothing had really happened between them, not even a stolen kiss under the


    mistletoe, yet the mere mention of it caused Noe’s cheeks to flush with the slightest hint of pink.


    She red at Palmer, puffing up her cheeks in indignation like a little chipmunk.


    Beckett stepped between the two, taking hold of each of them, forcibly separating them.


    The smile on Palmer’s face froze instantly!


    As Palmer watched Beckett escort Noe away, he couldn’t help but feel that the Schnabel family


    had perhaps too many brothers. He had thought having a few more people to dote on Noe would


    be nice, but it turned out it meant having a few more rivals vying for his fiancée’s


    attention!


    Dinner was a lively affair, with Sienna’s mother Freya heading back to theb to continue her


    research, and Sienna’s father Merrick Horwich being whisked away by Sienna to stay with


    them.


    The three old–timers got so heated in their discussion they almost came to blows, none willing to


    back down.


    After dinner, Marcel challenged Noe to a chess game. “Noe, that chess problem you left for me


    last time, I couldn’t figure it out for the life of me. You’ve got to show me how it’s done!”


    for


    11:13


    Merrick let out a scoff. “Pathetic. At your ripe old age, you still can’t best a kid like Noe at chess.


    Some people just regress the older they get.”


    “Hey! Merrick,e on over. I don’t believe for a second you can beat Noe at this game.


    Sweetheart, if you win against this old codger, I will let you take the reins of apany for a spin!”