Chapter 148


    Chapter 148 Engagement to Wedding


    After Charlotte said that, she picked up her bag from the ground and walked out of the ward in a hull.


    Watching her retreating figure, Cherry trembled with anger. She pointed to the spot where Charlotte


    had stood just now and gritted her teeth.


    “Erin, look at your aunt! Is she even human? Even if she apologized and knelt down for forgiveness, it


    was all an act! Both she and Grayson probably wish for my early death, those inhumane beasts-


    Looking at her mother, Erin said seriously, ‘Mom, since you think so, you shouldn’t let those shameless


    people have an easy life. You should live well in the future. You’re better off living out the rest of your


    life happily than wallowing in their betrayal.”


    Although Cherry’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, she was determined. “You’re right. We shouldn’t let


    them have the satisfaction of breaking us down. Erin, you must promise me that you’ll work hard in


    acting and strive to seed as soon as possible. Let your biological father, Steven, see how well I’ve


    raised you! And let Charlotte see how outstanding my daughter is! Then only she’ll know her daughter


    can’tpare.”


    Cherry’s words carried strong subjective emotions, but Erin understood her. She replied, “Mom, as long


    as you and Gavin are doing well back home, I’ll be at ease filming in any city.”


    Cherry nodded with remorse. “I know. I was wrong this time and made you worry. Such things will


    never happen again. I promise you!”


    “Really?” Erin was afraid that Cherry might suddenly change her mind. What if she started obsessing


    over it againter?This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “Yes, really. I realized through this experience that it’s better to be alive than to be dead. I’ve always


    lived so positively and optimistically. I won’t let an unfaithful man be the end of me! It’s just not worth it.


    In my heart, you and Gavin are the most important. You’re my reason for staying alive and moving on,”


    Cherry said, her eyes turning red again.


    Erin took out a tissue from her bag and handed it to Cherry. She said with earnestness, “Mom, you’ve


    worked hard for me and Gavin for most of your life. You don’t need to work so hard anymore. If you


    want to keep the mart, go on ahead. If you don’t want to, just sell it to someone else. I’ll focus on acting


    wholeheartedly now that I’ve closed my online store. Don’t worry, I won’t let you down!”


    Cherry nodded with relief. Her eyes were filled with hope as she looked at her daughter. This daughter


    of hers had always been mature and considerate as she grew up. She never caused any trouble for


    Cherry. This was something that she’d always been d of after divorcing


    Steven. 1


    Erin took out a bank card from her wallet and handed the three hundred thousand dors she earned


    from selling her online store to


    Cherry.


    “Mom, here is three hundred thousand dors. You must ept it. I know the mart is doing well, and


    you won’tck money for your daily expenses. This is a fund for Gavin’s future college education.


    Steven paid for my education, after all. I must repay this favor, or I won’t feel


    at ease.”


    Cherry looked at her daughter. Although she was reluctant to ept the money, at her daughter’s


    insistence, she took the bank card and said, “I’ll keep this money and not spend it. You don’t need to be


    responsible for Gavin’s college expenses. That’s something we, as parents, should take care of. Even


    if I don’t live with Grayson anymore, Gavin is still his biological son. He can’t shirk his responsibilities.”


    Erin nodded and said, “As for matters of the heart, I have nothing much to say as your daughter. I just


    want to say that if you don’t want to be together with Grayson anymore, don’t force yoursell to stay with


    him.”


    “Alright, I know. You don’t have to worry. Go back and continue filming. I’m fine now!”


    To ease her mother’s mind, Erin lied, “Mom, the crew is on a break for the next few days, so I’m not in


    a hurry to go back.”


    “Really? You’re on a break?” Cherry’s expression lit up. She was genuinely happy to have her daughter


    apany her for a few more days.


    Erin nodded and said, “Yes, really. I’m not lying to you.”


    “That’s great! Let’s go back now. Hurry and call your brother. Tell him there’s no need to buy food


    anymore,” Cherry instructed, as if


    suddenly wanting to focus all her attention on her children.


    How could Erin not understand Cherry’s intentions? She gently pressed Cherry’s shoulder and said,


    “Mom, don’t bother. Stay in the hospital for these two days. I won’t go anywhere. I’ll just sit here and


    chat with you.”


    “But Erin, I’ve taken up too much of your time-”


    Cherry’s concern that she was taking up too much of her daughter’s time tugged at Erin’s heartstrings.


    She hugged her mother without


    saying a word, her eyes watering as she tried her best to hold back her tears.


    Not long after, Gavin returned. Cherry started eating breakfast even though she couldn’t really eat


    much. However, for the sake of her children’s peace of mind, she took each bite with determination.


    The moment she had some time to herself, Erin went to the corridor outside the ward to make a phone


    call. She needed to ask for leave from the director. She wouldn’t be able to film for at least two days.


    Although it was still early, she felt that sending a casual text message to the director would be too


    informal. Therefore, she made a phone call, as it was more proper to do so. After learning of her


    situation, the director was very understanding. He told her not to worry and that she should prioritize


    being with her family. He would reschedule her scenes to be shot at ater time.


    Erin hung up gratefully. Then, she thought about calling Roman. However, upon seeing the time, she


    gathered that Roman might still be


    asleep, so she sent him a text message instead.


    With her phone in her hand, she thought about Gaston, but she didn’t dare to ask about his condition.


    She was afraid that she would receive bad news if she asked. But then Erin thought of Simon. She felt


    that it was easier for her to ask Simon about their grandfather.


    So, she sent a text message to Simon. “Has your grandfather’s condition improved?”


    Unexpectedly, Simon replied quickly. “Thank you for your concern. He’s no longer in the critical stage,


    and he has woken up.”


    This news relieved Erin as if it were her own grandfather who was fine. She was so excited that she


    immediately called Chandler, but once


    again, it was Kyle who answered the phone instead.


    “Hello, Ms. Lane.”


    Kyle’s voice didn’t reveal any emotion, and Erin’s heart skipped a beat. She didn’t expect that Chandler


    still wouldn’t take her calls. She felt a faint sense of disappointment, but she patiently said to Kyle,


    “Hello, Mr. Morn. Chandler’s grandfather is no longer in a critical state, is


    he?”


    Kyle sounded slightly surprised. “How did you know?”


    “I–I asked Simon,” Erin confessed truthfully and exined herself to avoid any misunderstandings.


    “Actually, I was afraid to ask Chandler


    himself, fearing that I would hear bad news-”


    “I see what you mean, Ms. Lane.”


    After saying that, Erin didn’t know how to continue with the conversation. She vaguely felt that Kyle was


    in a pinch at that moment.


    After a few seconds of silence, she finally asked, “Mr. Morn, is there something you’d like to tell me?”


    Kyle fell silent at that question.


    This made Erin nervous. She didn’t know what Kyle wanted to say or if he didn’t intend to say anything


    at all. It made her feel uneasy.


    Why wouldn’t Chandler answer her calls? Did he not even have a moment to himself?


    “Mr. Morn, are you still there?” Erin forced herself to sound calm.


    Kyle couldn’t hide it any longer. He said, “After waking up in the Intensive Care Unit, Old Mr. Frost had


    a private conversation with Chandler. He wishes to see Chandler get married and have children when


    he’s still around. So, the engagement banquet scheduled for September


    ninth will now be the wedding date instead.”


    This came as a bolt from the blue to Erin. Her hands trembled as she held onto her phone, and she


    didn’t dare ask further. She hadn’t


    misheard it. Kyle deliberately spoke slowly and clearly, and she heard it loud and clear.


    Erin felt like she was falling into an endless abyss, where she could no longer see a glimpse of light.


    She covered her chest with one hand. The dull, suffocating sensation spreading from her heart made


    her grit her teeth. The indescribable pain caused her legs to go weak. Instinctively, Erin reached out


    and grabbed the edge of the window in the corridor, preventing herself from copsing on the ground in


    public.


    She finally understood why Chandler didn’t answer her calls. He couldn’t face her and deliver this news


    in person.


    “Ms. Lane?” Kyle asked cautiously.


    When he asked for the third time, Erin finally came back to her senses. She calmly said, “Thank you for


    informing me of this, Mr. Morn. I


    understand.”


    She didn’t know what else she could say. She couldn’t utter words of indifference, nor could she give


    insincere blessings. She could only hold onto herst shred of dignity and pride, and hold herself back


    from crying as she spoke to Kyle.


    “Ms. Lane, I hope you can understand Chandler’s situation. Although Old Mr. Frost got through the


    critical stage this time, the attending doctor informed him that he doesn’t have many days ahead. Old


    Mr. Frost has always cherished Chandler since childhood, and Chandler also respects and loves him


    deeply in return. Faced with a dying old man’s wish, Chandler really can’t bear to-”


    Erin suddenly interrupted. “Mr. Morn, say no more. I understand all of this. I truly do. I know how difficult


    this is for him. I have some things to take care of, so let’s stop here.”


    As she reached the end of her sentence, she couldn’t hold back her tears any longer. Her tears fell,


    and if she didn’t hang up the phone soon, she was afraid she would start crying out loud.


    “Ms. Lane, if you need any help, feel free to call me anytime.”


    This was probably also what Chandler meant.


    “Thank you. Goodbye.” Erin put her phone into her handbag with trembling hands. Then, with both


    hands covering her tightly closed eyes,


    she tried to force the tears back.


    However, the tears kept flowing uncontrobly through her fingers.


    At this moment, she felt as if she was standing on a deste snowy mountain peak, shivering in the


    cold wind. The coldness she felt in her chest wouldn’t dissipate no matter what, and the sobs she


    suppressed in her throat made it feel like someone was choking her.


    Before breaking down and crying, Erin hurriedly ran downstairs. She ran all the way to the ground floor


    of the hospital, where there was a pavilion and an artificial stream. A group of robust red carp swam


    back and forth in the stream peacefully, juxtaposing with the young girl breaking down intensely in the


    pavilion.


    She suppressed the overflowing grief in her heart and cried for a long time, long enough for Gavin to


    call and ask where she was with concern. Erin had to pretend that everything was fine and made up an


    excuse of going out to take care of something.


    Gavin said, “After you’re done,e back to the hospital. Ian is here.”