Chapter 1157

Rosalind had suspected the two of them were sneaking around for a while now.

And after their New Year’s visit to the Harcourt house, all her suspicions had been entirely confirmed.

As Noreen’s mother, Rosalind naturally didn’t approve.

After all, this was the man who had hurt her daughter in the past.

So, ever since they got back, Rosalind had been planning to sit Noreen down for a serious talk.

That happened last night.

She had walked out to the balcony to find Noreen, only to accidentally overhear a conversation between her daughter and Claire.

Noreen and Claire had originally been talking about Claire’s divorce from Felix Quigley, but the topic had inevitably shifted to Seth.

Claire had asked her, “How long are you planning to keep this from your mom? I honestly think she already knows.”

This had been heavily weighing on Noreen’s mind, and since she didn’t have a solution, she hadn’t brought it up.

Hearing Claire ask, she rubbed her temples. “I honestly don’t know.”

Claire leaned over the back of her chair. “Does being with him make you happy?”

“Yes,” Noreen answered without hesitation.

“I can tell. Honestly, lately, you completely look like a woman thriving in love, practically glowing with happiness,” Claire sighed softly. “If I can see it, how could your mom not?”

“I think you should just be completely honest with her. She loves you so much, and like me, she only wants to see you happy. If she knows this makes you happy, she’ll support whatever choice you make.”

“Besides, Seth donated a kidney to her. That’s a massive, life-altering favor.”

Noreen sighed heavily. “That’s exactly what I’m worried about. I’m terrified she’ll think Seth is using that to emotionally blackmail me. I’m afraid she’ll think I can’t tell the difference between gratitude and love.”

“Well, can you?”

“Of course I can.” Noreen shook her head. “If I was still eighteen, maybe I’d confuse the two.”

She smiled, her expression softening completely. “But I’m thirty now. I’ve been through everything I need to go through. I know the difference.”

“I’m not with him because he gave my mom a kidney. I’m with him simply because he’s Seth.”

Claire smiled knowingly. “As long as you know the difference, that’s all that matters.” Rosalind had been standing in the shadows of the doorway the entire time.

The glass of water she had meant to bring her daughter slowly grew cold in her hands.

Noreen’s words had landed perfectly, syllable by syllable, in her ears.

And those words acted like a surgical scalpel, cleanly excising every last bit of worry from her heart.

…

When Seth received Noreen’s call, he was still buried in the paperwork Jude had dropped off.

Jude, dying of boredom, had fallen asleep on the sofa.

He was right in the middle of a dream about a beach vacation when He

a loud crash jolted

leaped off the couch. “Earthquake?!”

“No, I dropped a glass,” Seth said, his tone remarkably steady.

“Oh.” Jude flopped back down, ready to resume his nap.

But Seth nudged him awake. “You handle the rest of these files. I’m heading out.”

“Where are you going?” Jude asked, confused.

Didn’t he say his schedule was completely clear today?

Seth walked over to the closet to find a suitable outfit.

This was an official home visit. He needed to look the part.

“How long will you be gone?”

“Are you coming back?”

Seth ignored the barrage of questions, pulling out a dark overcoat. He slipped it on and furned te Jude.

How does this fol

sŵnovels

Jude scoffed. “You look good in

6ally everything. You could wear a

burlap sack and make the cover of a magazine. Why are you asking me?”

name?”