Understanding the Past
Now, he wanted to take this opportunity to get to understand everything he didn’t know about his parents.
Rose lowered her head and drank tea calmly. Standing behind her, Mary continued to tell him about the
past.
“When Master Homer was eleven, he avoided all the Fuller Family’s security guards and shook off his
bodyguards, then secretly went to Westsanshire alone. Master Homer’s departure was simply bad news
for the Fuller Family, and everyone thought he had been abducted, causing Old Mr. Fuller and Old Mrs.
Fuller to nearly faint from the shock.
Even us, the staff, were extremely anxious and nearly flipped the city over looking for him, but after we
searched for three days, we still didn’t find Master Homer. We had no idea where he went either. After all,
technology was still underdeveloped back then, and even if the Fuller Family was powerful, it was not
easy to find someone. Just when we thought Master Homer had really gotten abducted and we were
turning desperate, he suddenly came back. When he came back…”
“What happened?” Toby narrowed his eyes.
Mary sighed. “He came back looking dejected. When he saw us, he immediately started crying, saying
that Valerie didn’t remember him anymore, and she had another friend. That friend happened to be
Connor.”
At that point, Toby could guess what happened after. Pursing his thin lips, he said solemnly, “Has Dad
never gone to look for Mom since then?”
“Yes.” Mary nodded. “When Madam Valerie reached twenty years old, the Johann Family suddenly came
to marry her into the Fuller Family. They said that it was an arranged marriage, but it’s more accurate to
say that they wanted the Fuller Family to help them. At that time, the Johann Family had already begun
to go downhill. Originally, Old Mr. Fuller and Old Mrs. Fuller didn’t agree to the marriage, but Master
Homer had heard it and agreed, so the marriage contract between Master Homer and Madam Valerie
was set just like that.”
“Then, did you know about Mom’s relationship with Connor back then?” Toby frowned.
Rose replied angrily, “How could we have known? At that time, not even the Johann Family knew, let
alone us. Your mother and Connor kept their relationship secret and never told anyone. If we had known,
we would’ve never agreed to your father’s engagement to your mother, and even if your father wanted to,
we wouldn’t have allowed it.”
The other couple was already together, but if her son still got engaged to the girl, what would he
become? A homewrecker who showed up halfway? How could a woman as arrogant as her allow her
son to become the other man in a relationship? However, that was how God played games with people.
Her son thought he could finally be with the girl he liked, but unexpectedly, that girl was already with
someone else. Her son, by mistake, still became a third party who was inserted in someone else’s
relationship. Her heart hurt just thinking about it!
“When did you find out?” Toby’s frown deepened even further.
The anger on Rose’s face was unabated. “A month before the marriage, your mother suddenly made a
fuss about not wanting to get married, and she unintentionally blurted out her relationship with Connor. At
that time, your dad and I happened to be at the Johann Residence to deliver something, and we
happened to hear her words when we walked to the door. Toby, you have no idea how your father looked
when he heard that.
He was completely stunned, and his face had turned white. As for me, I was so angry that I wanted to go
in and settle this with the Johann Family to ask them what this was about. Why did they hide the fact that
their daughter had a boyfriend without even saying anything when they got engaged, and only waited
until they were about to get married to say it? Even then, they didn’t tell us to our faces. However, I was
stopped by your father before I could go in. Your father dejectedly told me to forget it and begged me to
go back.”
Rose wiped the corners of her eyes. “Though I was angry at the behavior of the Johann Family, I felt
more hurt for my son, so I didn’t enter in the end. I left with your father and returned to Seafield. After we
came back, I asked your father what he planned to do now, but he didn’t answer and locked himself in
the room for three days. After the third day, he came out in a haggard state and told me in a hoarse voice
that he wanted to terminate the marriage contract. Your grandfather and I agreed, and we went to
Westsanshire the next day to prepare to terminate the marriage contract. But little did I expect, the
Johann Family disagreed, and your mother was unwilling as well.”
“She didn’t want to?” Toby narrowed his eyes in confusion. Didn’t she love Connor a lot? If there is a
chance not to marry Dad, shouldn’t she seize the opportunity? Why would she be unwilling?
“Yes, she was very unwilling.” Rose nodded. “This marriage contract was originally proposed by the
Johann Family, so it’s normal for them to disagree, but it surprised us greatly that your mother was
unwilling as well. However, we quickly figured out the reason, which was because the Johann Family
needed the help of the Fuller Family. In fact, at that time, although I was very unhappy with the Johann
Family, because of your father’s liking toward your mother, even if we canceled the marriage contract, I
was willing to help the Johann Family, and I believe your father thought the same as well. Hence, I told
them my thoughts very clearly, then asked your mother if she wanted to cancel the marriage now.”
“My mom still disagreed.” Toby guessed the outcome in an instant. If she had agreed, his parents
wouldn’t have gotten married.
Rose sighed. “That’s right. Even though I told her so clearly that I’d help the Johann Family even if there
was no marriage, they were still unwilling. They felt that without the help of marriage, my words would
still be unreliable. Not only that, but your father was a romantic. In the past, it was for your mother, and
later for Jean. After hearing that your mother was unwilling to cancel the marriage contract and had even
broken up with Connnor, your father immediately changed his mind and was willing to proceed with the
marriage. I was so angry that I wanted to beat him up, but as a mother, I could never win over my own
children. I finally agreed, and at the same time, I had a talk with your mother.”
“What did you tell Mom?” Toby looked at her.
Rose waved her hand. “What else could I say except the usual stuff? I knew your mother loved Connor,
so I told her that since she’s willing to marry my son, then she’d better forget about Connor as soon as
possible and concentrate on being the daughter-in-law of the Fuller Family and the wife of my son. The
Fuller Family would not treat her badly since it was her own choice after all, no? It wasn’t that we didn’t
give her a chance, but she still chose your father in the end. Since she had made her choice, I told her
not to regret it and think about her duty.”
“But my mom didn’t keep her promise.” A sardonic smile appeared on the corner of Toby’s lips. “She
never forgot about Connor.”
“Yes. She had promised me that she would forget about Connor and be a good wife to your father, but
she went back on her word. Not only did she not forget that man, but she also refused your father’s
advances. Your father obviously felt sad, but he was still willing to help her.” Rose angrily pounded the
ground twice with her cane, making a loud thumping sound.
“I was so angry. I was angry at your mother for treating my son like this. Since she had already married
into our family, she was the Fuller Family’s daughter-in-law, but she was still hung up on another man.
What did she take your father for? Did she look down on him that much?” Rose striked her chest in
agony.
“All this time, I was aware of your mother’s treatment toward your father, but I thought that it was none of
my business to interfere in their relationship, so I had never asked and always turned a blind eye to it.
Still, after witnessing it too many times, it was natural that I would be unhappy.”
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