Chapter 238: I Am Disappointed in You
"Your dad’s a bastard!"
Mandy Halloway broke free from her restraints and wiped away her tears indignantly.
She rubbed the red marks on her wrists left by the ropes, so angry that tears continued to stream down her face.
"What on earth happened?"
"I’m going to divorce your father."
Nina Halloway’s eyes widened. "Divorce?"
"He has an illegitimate daughter, the same age as Alaric. It’s that Assistant Wynn."
"Lydia Wynn?"
"Yes, that’s her."
At this point, Mandy Halloway wasn’t going to hide it anymore; there was no point in keeping it a secret.
She used to want to give her children a complete family, but now they were grown up with their own jobs and lives. She no longer needed to compromise or make any sacrifices.
Seeing Nina Halloway’s lips parted in speechless shock, she wiped the tears from her face with the back of her hand and spoke to her daughter with grim seriousness. "Nina, you were born in Unisia. Back then, your father and I were in the middle of a divorce. He cheated on me. I went to Unisia to get away from him and find some peace while I was pregnant."
Bringing up the past was like tearing open a bloody wound. Mandy Halloway didn’t want to show her weakness in front of her child, but she had to let Nina know the truth.
"Your father chased me all the way to Unisia and begged me to come back. He swore he would never betray or deceive me again, but he broke his promise. He cheated again when I was pregnant with Alaric and even fathered an illegitimate daughter. This time, I won’t believe a word he says. We must get a divorce! You’re lucky you came when he wasn’t here. If he were home, you probably wouldn’t have been able to see me."
Nina Halloway was still processing her mother’s words. Cheating, illegitimate daughter—these words completely shattered the image of Quentin Blackwood as a loving father in her mind.
The man who, no matter how busy with work, was always devoted to his family, who loved his wife and children... had actually made the same mistake most men make.
She thought her father was different—a responsible, faithful man who was loyal to his family and marriage. But it turned out he not only cheated but also had an illegitimate daughter.
At that moment, Nina Halloway’s faith in family and marriage completely crumbled.
"Nina, Mom’s packing a bag to leave this place. Call Alaric and ask him who he wants to live with after your father and I divorce. I hope both you and Alaric will come with me. Quentin Blackwood doesn’t deserve you..." Mandy Halloway said as she got off the bed and strode into the walk-in closet.
She pulled her suitcase out of a cupboard, opened the wardrobe, and began frantically throwing her clothes into the case.
"Mom, Sophie’s been diagnosed with leukemia."
Nina Halloway’s words brought Mandy Halloway’s rant to a sudden halt.
The woman looked at her in disbelief. "What did you just say?"
"Sophie is sick. Alaric has been with her at the hospital for the past few days. He couldn’t get through to you or contact you at all, so he asked me to come back and check on you."
Mandy Halloway’s tears, which had stopped, started to fall again. "How could that child get the same disease as her mother? It’s not even hereditary!"
"Mom, let’s just pack your bags first."
If Quentin Blackwood were to return, they might not be able to leave so easily.
Nina Halloway went into the walk-in closet and helped Mandy Halloway pack.
About ten minutes later, they each carried a suitcase downstairs.
Ethan Austin was waiting on the ground floor, nervously rehearsing how he would greet her parents. He practiced how he would respond if they asked about him, his whole body tense. He took deep breaths, terrified of making a bad impression on her elders.
Just as his forehead was beading with nervous sweat, Nina Halloway came downstairs with Mandy Halloway. Both of their eyes were red, clear evidence that they had been crying.
"Ethan, there’s been a change of plans."
Nina Halloway said only this before shoving her suitcase at him, asking for his help to carry it out.
Without a word, he took the suitcase Nina handed him, then grabbed the one from Mandy Halloway’s hand as well. He carried one in each hand and strode outside.
"I’ll drive myself to my family’s home. See you at the hospital later."
Mandy Halloway, walking behind, finished speaking and then asked Nina, "How is Sophie doing now?"
"She just had an abortion today."
Mandy Halloway was shocked. "She was pregnant?"
"Yes. The doctor recommended terminating the pregnancy. There was no other choice. We’ve all been tested for a match, but the results aren’t back yet. Mom, when you get to the hospital, remember to have your blood drawn for testing. As long as one of us is a match, Sophie can be saved."
Mandy Halloway nodded. She went straight to the garage and drove her car out.
Ethan Austin, not understanding what was happening, helped put the two suitcases in the trunk of the car. Then, Mandy Halloway got in and drove off alone.
He stood there, stunned, and looked at Nina Halloway in astonishment. "Weren’t I supposed to meet your parents?"
"Some other time."
"What happened?"
Mandy Halloway had left in such a hurry, with two large suitcases, as if she were running away from home. He didn’t even have a chance to greet her properly.
"Let’s go back to the hospital first."
Nina Halloway got into the car. Unlike usual, when she would always sit in the passenger seat, this time she opened the back door and sat in the rear, her mind heavy with worry.
Ethan Austin had a feeling something major had happened. Seeing Nina Halloway in such a bad mood, he didn’t say anything more. He just got in the car and drove back to the hospital.
Inside the car.
The atmosphere was more oppressive than ever before.
Nina Halloway stared at her phone for a long time before finally dialing Quentin Blackwood’s number.
It rang for a long time. Just as she thought Quentin Blackwood wouldn’t answer, like the last few times, and was about to hang up, the call connected.
"Nina, I’m about to start a meeting. If it’s something important, can we talk la—"
"Sophie has been diagnosed with leukemia. Get to the hospital as soon as possible to have your blood drawn for a matching test."
Her tone was cold. She wasn’t acting cute with her father like she usually did. Instead, she got straight to the point, said what needed to be said, and hung up.
She didn’t even call him "Dad."
Quentin Blackwood sensed something was wrong with her mood and called her back, but no one answered.
Soon, he received a message on WhatsApp with the hospital’s location, followed by a message: "I’m very disappointed in you. If you get a divorce, I’m siding with Mom."
Quentin Blackwood’s heart sank. He immediately dialed the housekeeper’s number and was told that Mandy Halloway had already packed her bags and left.
How could he possibly worry about a meeting now? He rushed out of his office toward the express elevator, dialing Mandy Halloway’s number as he went.
Mandy Halloway rejected his calls. He called again and again, and she hung up on him every time.
By the time he rushed to the Halloway Family’s home, Mandy Halloway had already packed her bags and was holding her car keys, ready to drive to the hospital.
They ran into each other in the courtyard. Mandy Halloway was extremely cold. She gave him a brief, indifferent glance, decisively got into her car, and drove out of the courtyard. He had no choice but to follow in his own car.
He followed her all the way to the hospital, chasing her into the inpatient wing and managing to squeeze into the elevator with her to go upstairs.
The entire time, Mandy Halloway completely ignored him.
"Are you here for the matching test?"
Mandy Halloway didn’t want to talk to him, but thinking of Sophie Shaw, she grunted with a cold expression. "I suggest you get tested too. Even if we get divorced, Sophie is still our daughter-in-law."
"I’m already here, so of course I’ll do it."
The two of them first met with Sophie Shaw’s attending physician to understand the situation, then followed a nurse to have their blood drawn.
Throughout the entire process, they didn’t exchange another word.