Cheating was an unforgivable sin, especially when it was someone like Malcolm who did it time and


    time again.


    To let him walk away with nothing would be letting him off too easy.


    After all, Lizzie''s mom, Gina, had given nearly two decades of her best years.


    Hearing that, Lizzie looked up at Anthea, stunned.


    Divorce?


    Since discovering her father’s infidelity, the thought of her parents splitting up had never crossed


    her mind.


    She still harbored hopes of winning back her father. "Annie..."


    Anthea continued, "Lizzie, can you tell us about Gina?"


    Lizzie nodded, tears brimming as she spoke of her mother.


    No one knew Gina better than her daughter.


    As Lizzie spoke, her sorrow deepened.


    Gina had devoted her prime years to Malcolm, and Malcolm had betrayed her as she approached


    her twilight years.


    There could be no greater tragedy.


    "That jerk!" Tanya mmed her hand on the table, unable to suppress her rage. "He''s nothing but


    scum! A man like that doesn''t deserve to be your dad! And he sure as hell doesn''t deserve your


    mom!"


    Tanya was genuinely furious.


    How was Malcolm any different from those typical bad guys in old tales?


    And poor Gina was still in the dark.


    Realizing she may have gone too far, Tanya quickly added, "Lizzie, I''m angry at the situation, not at


    you. Don''t take it personally!"


    Anthea brought over three milkshakes, handing one each to Lizzie and Tanya. "Lizzie, your mom''s


    strong and kind. She''s given so much for your family. If you keep hiding this, you''re not protecting


    her but hurting her! As a wife and a mother, she has every right to know the truth!"


    "But what if... what if she can''t handle it? I''ve talked to a counselor before, and they said that as


    their child, it''s best not to get involved in my parents'' affairs, so I''ve kept it to myself..."


    Anthea frowned. "Are you sure the person you consulted was a professional?"


    Lizzie nodded.


    Tanya scoffed, "What kind of lousy advice is that? I hope that stupid expert gets a taste of their


    advice. Let her find out her husband''s cheating and her kid getting the same terrible guidance!"


    Anthea continued, "That ''expert'' is all wrong. To put it bluntly, they''ve got it all twisted. No decent


    person would ever defend a homewrecker and a cheater! You must understand how much your


    mom has sacrificed for this family over the years!"


    After a pause, Anthea asked, "Lizzie, are you afraid your mom might do something drastic, like


    hurting herself or worse?"


    Lizzie sighed and nodded.


    Anthea said, "Lizzie, your mom''s a grown woman. They say women are fragile, but mothers are


    invincible. Her resilience is far stronger than you can imagine!"


    "So, you''re saying... my mom won''t do anything rash?" Lizzie clung to that hope like a lifeline.


    "No, she won''t! You must believe in your mom. She''s a strong person. She wouldn''t throw away her


    life over a man!" After all, Gina had built a life from scratch in Cloudcrest. It was clear she wasn''t the


    type to give up easily.


    Anthea pressed on, "The truth alwayses out. If you keep shielding your dad and hiding the truth


    from your mom, and once the truthes out, she might be pushed over the edge."


    "Lizzie, remember. Your mom went through much to bring you into this world. In your family, you


    should be on her side. When she confronts disappointment and betrayal, you should stand by her,


    not cover for your dad! Doing that might make her feel like an outsider, and if ites to that, you


    might lose her for good."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    Anthea wasn''t being dramatic.


    Gina was the victim! Her two decades of devotion could end up being for nothing if she found out


    her husband and daughter had betrayed her.


    Even as a bystander, the thought was heartbreaking.


    Hearing that, Lizzie panicked, shaking her head vigorously. "No! That''s not it! I don''t see my mom


    as an outsider. I never have..."


    She wanted to protect her mother, not see her hurt.


    "But by hiding the truth," Anthea said, looking into Lizzie''s eyes with a stern expression, "you are


    treating her like an outsider. Put yourself in her shoes. Wouldn''t you feel utterly betrayed if you were


    your mom and learned the truth, wouldn''t you feel utterly betrayed?"