Chapter 357
“Why?” Eileen, equally taken aback, struggled to maintain her composure. “Wasn’t it Huey’s mother who opposed this marriage? What made you rush into this decision?”
Noticing Ruby’s stern look, Bailee, filled with nervous hesitation, explained, “He severed ties with his mother for me. He wanted to strengthen our bond, to prove to his mother his commitment to our relationship.”
Eileen remained silent, casting a sideways glance at Ruby. Ruby’s chest heaved, her lips quivered.
“Bailee, this is foolish!” Ruby eventually managed to speak. “He disconnected from his mother and secured this certificate without considering her feelings. Did you want to cut ties with me as well? Couldn’t you have discussed this with me first?”
Bailee responded quickly, “I feared you wouldn’t approve. If you had objected, how could I have justified it to Huey? He’s been anticipating this. If I can’t marry him, he would have been crushed.”
“Are you truly happy now that you’re married?” Ruby abruptly stood up, tossing the marriage certificate onto the table. “Do you think you can endure a lifetime without his family’s blessing? And what am I to you? Why couldn’t both families have sat down and discussed this? Winona isn’t unreasonable. Maybe Huey has misrepresented something…”
Ruby’s anger was so intense that it caused her head to throb.
“Mom, let’s not dwell on what’s done. We should focus on what to do next. There is no use in assigning blame now,” Eileen tried to console her.
Overwhelmed, Ruby sank back into her chair, covering her face with her hands.
gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s﹒𝓬𝗈𝗺, the heart of fiction
“Bailee, go to your room. I need to speak with Eileen alone,” Ruby said after a pause.
Bailee, filled with worry, glanced at Eileen, fearing Ruby might be overtaken by her anger or react to the situation entirely.
Eileen offered her a reassuring look. “Go ahead. I’m with her.”
Milford, seizing the moment, took Gabriela upstairs.
The expansive living room, now bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, was occupied only by Ruby and Eileen. Yet, the warm light did little to soften the complexity etched into Ruby’s expression.
“Eileen, what should we do now?”
“They’re already married. We should reach out to Winona. Bailee is certainly no less accomplished than Huey. We shouldn’t fear any harsh criticisms. Besides, you’ve said Winona is reasonable. Perhaps there’s just a misunderstanding we can resolve, hopefully making everyone happy,” Eileen suggested thoughtfully.
Ruby exhaled deeply. “You’re right. That’s the best approach. But I’m concerned about Huey. The entire situation with their secretive marriage could make the initial meeting between our families quite awkward. If their relationship falters later, it might permanently strain family ties.”
.
.
.