Chapter 17
Andrew brought over everything he had found on Elena’s whereabouts. Robin and Kane went through it meticulously, combing through every detail.
The timeline traced back to the day Elena picked up her divorce certificate. She had boarded a flight to Sutherland and reunited with her mother on that same day.
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Sutherland had a temperate climate year–round, like spring in all seasons, and was famous its blooms–flowers of every kind blossomed there throughout the year.
Elena had bought a small villa–style guesthouse and moved in with her mother. When Willow saw the beautiful house, her face lit up with joy, though a flicker of worry crept in almost immediately.
“Elena, do we have enough money for all this? This place must’ve cost a fortune, and you’ve had it rough these past years in the Marsh family… You should be spending what you earned on yourself.
“You’ve been hurt so much your health has to come first. You must go for a proper checkup. It doesn’t matter what it costs as long as you’re healthy.”
Elena couldn’t help but smile when she heard her mother’s concern.
“Don’t worry, Mom. It didn’t cost much. The Marsh family gave me far more than this.
“I’ve already had my checkup, and there’s nothing seriously wrong with me. I’ll be here with you for a very, very long time.”
Only then did Willow truly relax. She smiled and settled into their new home. Maybe it was the climate, or maybe it was simply the joy of having her daughter by her side, but Willow’s health began to improve significantly.
She still forgot perfect, but she was
doing much from time to time, and her coordination v
doing much better than before. She had always loved life, and tending to the flowers around. the house came naturally to her.
Watching her mother so full of life again, Elena couldn’t help but smile too. At last, she was finally able to give her mother a good life.
Her mother had suffered for far too many years. Willow had been the campus belle, pursued by countless admirers back in the day. She came from a scholarly family, with nearly every relative devoted to a career in education.
If it hadn’t been for Paul, she likely would’ve become a teacher herself. Like many young women in college, the innocent Willow once dreamed of a love story where a domineering CEO fell head over heels for her.
Paul was a young and successful entrepreneur back then, and he arrived on campus to give a
Chapter 17
guest lecture. That was where he met Willow, and the two quickly fell in love.
Willow truly believed she was a princess in a fairytale romance, destined for a happy ending. But reality was cruel.
Just as she started imagining marriage with Paul, his actual wife, Sienna Welch, appeared at her doorstep. Sienna slapped Willow hard across the face and called her a shameless mistress.
It was only then that Willow realized Paul had already married young–through a family- arranged match to a woman of equal status. She bad been nothing more than one of his many fleeting affairs.
Paul left with Sienna and cut off all contact with Willow, as if nothing had ever happened. Only after he disappeared did Willow discover she was pregnant,
Her parents and relatives were ashamed of her, saying she’d brought disgrace to the family, and threw her out of the house. She wasn’t able to terminate the pregnancy as her health was already frail. She had no choice but to support herself and raise the baby on her own.
In the beginning, she still harbored some hope for Paul. She tried to contact him and send him messages, but none were ever answered. Eventually, Willow gave up entirely.
She gave birth to Elena and raised her alone. The two of them survived by leaning on each other through everything.
Back then, her mother had been Elena’s support. And now, Elena could finally be her mother’s.
Elena tidied up the guesthouse and partially renovated it, preparing to reopen it for business. During her six years with the Marsh family, she learned various skills to better take care of
Kane.
Decorating the guest house in a charming, eye–catching way was no problem for her. Just a few days later, the guesthouse opened for business.
Some tourists were drawn in by the cute wooden carvings and beautiful floral wreaths at the entrance. Many stopped to admire them, and several even made purchases. Others were so taken by the aesthetic that they chose to stay.
Business gradually began to thrive.
A rare thunderstorm rolled through that day–rain poured in sheets, lightning flashed, and thunder cracked ominously.
“Mom! Come back inside already! Most of the stuff outside is already taken care of! I’ll handle the rest. Your health is more important!” Elena urged her mother anxiously.
