Patricia had really hoped that Dora wouldn't have said anything.
'Her comment would only make my mom believe that my condition is worse than it is! "Mom, you really
don't need to worry."
With a helpless look on her face, Patricia subconsciously walked to Giselle's side.
Gently grabbing her wrist, Patricia forced a smile onto her face.
"Yes, you being too worried will only stress Patricia out more!"
Richard said again as he winked at Patricia.
‘Fortunately, Richard is here, or I wouldn't have been able to make my mom feel at ease on my own.’
Taking a deep breath, Giselle masked her sad expression.
‘Richard has a point.I don't want to upset Patricia because I am being too emotional.’
"Well, let me see how badly you are hurt!"
Giselle said as she changed the topic at once.
What worried her was the severity of her daughter's injury.
If Zac hadn't informed her that Patricia was in the hospital, she would not have found out that her
daughter was injured.
Thinking of Zac, Giselle looked around for him suspiciously and asked in a loving voice, "By the way,
where is Zac? Why isn't he here with you?"
Patricia frowned and rolled her eyes when Giselle mentioned Zac's name.
Unconsciously, she looked away to avoid eye contact with Giselle.
"Mom, he is a busy man.He doesn't have a lot of free time."
Patricia managed to find an excuse to ward off her mother's questioning.
Giselle and Richard knew Patricia was making up an excuse, but they didn't call her out on it.
They guessed that the young couple must have argued with each other again.
And being the elders, they knew better than to interfere before they made the situation worse.
Hearing this, Dora, who was standing outside the door, was surprised and looked at Patricia's face,
searching her eyes for something.
‘If I remember correctly, Mr.Reynolds came here this morning and purposefully brought her
breakfast.But he said that he couldn't stay because of some urgent matter.I didn't expect Miss Patricia
to misunderstand his intentions.I will find an opportunity to clarify the situation for Mr.Reynolds.After all,
as an outsider, I can see that Mr.Reynolds cares deeply for her.’
After making up her mind, Dora continued to stand at the door.Patricia couldn't stand her mother's gaze
boring into her back.
She invented a multitude of excuses until Giselle gave up and shifted her eyes away from Patricia.
"Patricia, please be careful.Remember to listen to the doctor and be mindful of your diet," Giselle
reminded her worriedly.
Patricia nodded, afraid that her mother's apparent worry would increase if she shook her head to
protest.
Giselle was relieved to see Patricia taking heed of her words.
Looking at the time, she turned to Richard in a panic.Patricia was confused when she saw the
distressed look on her mother's face.
Before she could inquire about it, Giselle spoke up.
"Richard, please take good care of Patricia for me.I have to go home.Grandma..."
Giselle stopped short of completing her sentence, thinking it wiser to not say more than necessary.
She lowered her head, but not before Patricia saw her dejected expression.
‘She must be referring to the old lady of the Lowell family.After the incident at the rose garden, the
members of the Lowell family have imposed more and more rules on mother, treating her like a
prisoner.’
"Mom..." Patricia called out gently.
As she was about to say something, Richard signaled for her to keep quiet.
After that, Giselle quickly disappeared from her sight.
Patricia was confused by the look she saw in Richard's eyes.
It appeared that he had something he wanted to say to her.
Before she could speak, Richard looked at her gently and said, "Patricia, you're a smart woman.I know
you'll understand what I'm about to tell you."
Through her befuddlement, a trace of vigilance flashed across her clear eyes as she awaited Richard's
next words.
Seeing the baffled look on Patricia's face, Richard got straight to the point with her.
"I hope you can keep your distance from your mother."
Startled by this news, she looked at Richard in confusion.
Patricia believed that Richard wasn't the type of person who would deliberately keep her away from her
mother unless he had a valid reason for doing So.
Richard beamed when he took in Patricia's calm and sensible demeanor.
He admired the fact that she could remain so composed even after hearing what he had said.
This was quite a commendable deed.
‘No wonder the Veyron Corp was able to win over the cooperation with the Reynolds Group. Her
personal charms must have played a big role in securing that deal.’ Richard liked her more and more.
Smiling kindly at Patricia, he continued, "I know I'm asking a lot, but I'm doing this for your mother's
sake.After all, in the Lowell family..."
"Okay, I understand."
Patricia immediately agreed to Richard's request.
If she had to guess, her mother's hardships in the Lowell family had a lot to do with her latest scandal.
And although Richard tried his best to protect her mother, there were times when even he failed.
Since Richard was the only one on her mother's side, when he went up against many of the Lowell
family members at once, it sometimes became too much for him to handle.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?"
Richard was surprised at how readily Patricia accepted his request.He looked at her in disbelief.It was
a difficult request for him to ask Patricia to separate herself from her mother.
And if he had any other alternatives, he wouldn't have asked such a thing.
But Giselle’s situation within the Lowell family was getting more dangerous, so he needed to do
something.
Patricia smiled when she saw the shocked expression on Richard's face.
In a firm voice, she said, "Uncle Richard, I understand what your intentions are.You're just want to
protect my mother, as do I."
‘After all, I chose my path when I decided not to enter the Lowell family with my mother.So, in order to
protect my mother, I need to become stronger.If my mother can't live a good life in the Lowell family
and is disliked by the family members because of my scandal, then I'll be sad and think I wasn't a good
enough daughter.’
The firmness on her tone shocked Richard.It was hard to imagine such a young woman showing this
much determination.
"Giselle is so lucky to have a daughter like you," Richard murmured as he lowered his head in guilt.
"No, my mother is lucky to have met you!" With a bright smile, she waggled her eyebrows at Richard.
As a child, Patricia had witnessed the many ways Sullivan had abused and beaten Giselle.
In her heart, Sullivan was a horrible human being.
But when her mother had met Richard, it was as if spring had come.
Patricia believed that Giselle could have a bright future with Richard.
It didn't matter to her that she would be seeing her mother less frequently.
What mattered was her mother's happiness.
So long as Giselle was in good spirits, Patricia would be content.
Hearing Patricia say this brightened his mood.
His gloominess disappeared, and he couldn't help but be amused by her.
'l am lucky to have such a sensible daughter.’ Dora, who was still on her duty outside, accidentally
overheard their conversation.
She was astonished by what she heard and didn't know how to describe her feelings.
‘Why does Miss Patricia have to suffer so many difficulties? Her wounds haven't healed yet.
It's so inhuman to ask her to agree to such an unreasonable request!’ Feeling sorry for Patricia but not
being in a position to say anything, Dora decided to inform Zac of what had transpired and have him
console Patricia.
As soon as Richard left her room, Patricia's bright smile melted away and was replaced by a touch of
sadness.
Seeing the forlorn expression on Patricia's face, Dora quietly spoke while applying medicine on her.
"Miss Patricia, you seem so sad right now."
Hearing this, Patricia shook her head slightly.
In fact, it wasn't sadness that she felt but helplessness.And although she had expected this outcome,
she couldn't help but sigh.
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