Chapter 211
Billy isn’t even your biological son! Why are you raising someone else’s child? Why willingly endure such humiliation?”
Catherine’s words hung in the air like a toxic cloud. She was certain this revelation would be the fatal blow that would shatter Henry’s obsession with Sophia.
She had raised Henry from infancy, been there for every milestone, every fever, every triumph. Catherine had always assumed he would side with her, especially when it came to Sophia. After all, he had despised that woman for years. How many times had she heard him say he couldn’t stand the sight of ber?
Yet now, for that worthless woman, Henry was willing to utter words that threatened their mother son relationship.
Catherine watched Henry’s face carefully, waiting for shock to register in his expression.
She expected anger, disbelief, perhaps even gratitude that she’d finally revealed the truth.
Instead, Henry let out a short, mocking laugh.
N
“Is that supposed to be a problem?” His voice was eerily calm, his eyes never leaving hers.
Catherine blinked rapidly, genuinely confused by his reaction. “What do you mean? The child isn’t yours! She deceived you!”
Henry shook his head slowly, his expression hardening. “She never deceived me about Billy. From the very beginning, she was completely honest. She told me clearly the child wasn’t mine, and she never asked me for anything. In fact, she’s been raising Billy entirely on her own.”
His voice took on a reflective tone. “I’ve been wearing the title of ‘father‘ for years, but what responsibilities have I actually fulfilled? What right do I have to judge her?”
Catherine stared at her son as if seeing a stranger. When Sophia had married Henry, already pregnant, Catherine had immediately hired investigators to find the biological father. Yet despite her best efforts, they had found nothing.
After the wedding, Sophia’s pregnancy had elevated her status in the Harding family overnight, making her a hero for continuing the family line. Catherine had felt her own position threatened and directed all her resentment toward Sophia.
But now, even her son was openly taking Sophia’s side. How could she swallow this humiliation?
Henry stepped closer to his mother, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper: “Let me make one thing absolutely clear: whether Billy is my biological son or not doesn’t matter. Sophia is my woman. She is my wife. Even if the child isn’t mine, as long as she is mine, I will protect her and treat her well.”
The fierce determination in Henry’s words stunned Catherine. Even when dealing with Isabella, Henry had never shown such intense protectiveness. This was a side of her son she didn’t recognize.
Catherine stood frozen, speechless in the face of Henry’s unwavering resolve. After several moments, she realized there was nothing more to say. Clutching her chest, she stumbled toward the door.
She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly remembered her original mission. Whirling around, she rushed back to Henry.
“I don’t care how you feel about protecting Sophia,” she said desperately. ‘I’ll make you one offer: release Grace from confinement, and I’ll try to be nicer to Sophia. I’ll stop giving her a hard time!”
Henry’s response was immediate and final: “Grace committed serious offenses that damaged our family’s reputation, She needs to reflect on her actions thoroughly.
Catherine felt a stabbing pain in her chest at his refusal. She raised her finger, pointing it directly at Henry’s face, ready to unleash a torrent of accusations. But she stopped herself just in time.
If after Richard had already grown cold toward her, Catherine lost Henry’s support as well, how would she survive in this household?
With tremendous effort, Catherine swallowed her angry words. She let out a cold snort instead, then turned on her heel. Her high heels clacked loudly against the marble floor as she stormed away, each step punctuating her fury.
1/3
Chapter 211
Hentz watered his mother’s retreating heure until the disappeared from view. Only then did he torn Bia attention to the kildier, padron, Ka confirming there was no sound coming from inside, he finally steel famurit to w**
That night, Henry dreamed of the evening he had rescard Sophia from the rain. In his dreast, after pulling her from the water, ha uturad af far intonatre
Had they met somewhere before?
The question lingered in his mind even as he dried deeper into deep.
While Henry wrestled with half forgotten memories, I slept more peacefully than I had in months. The next morning, sunlight filtered through the winddor of the children’s bedroom, filling the space with a warm glow.
When I opened my eyes, I found Billy already sitting beside me. The little boy was watching me sleep, his big eyes filled with satisfaction. The moment he saw his mother awaken, he leaned down and planted a noisy kiss on my cheek.
“Did you sleep well last night?” I asked affectionately, brushing his hair back from his forehead.
Billy cocked his head to one side. “Do you want to hear the truth?”
My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Have you not been telling me the truth before?”
Billy’s small face turned serious as he explained, “Aunt Betty is really nice, and her apartment is comfortable, but it never felt like our home.” He gestured around the room, his expression brightening. “This is home.”
I studied my son’s face, surprised by his maturity.
The sincerity in his eyes made my heart ache. At just five years old, Billy understood the meaning of home.
“You miss living here?” I asked softly.
Billy nodded eagerly. “I miss my toys and my big bed and the garden where we plant strawberries.” He hesitated, then added in a smaller voice, ‘And sometimes… I miss Dad too.”
The mention of Henry sent a familiar pain through my chest.
Despite the divorce papers I’d signed and my determination to move on, this house still held so many memories.
Not all of them were bad. There had been moments–brief, fleeting moments–that might have grown into happiness if given the chance.
But that chance was gone now. I wouldn’t make the mistake of hoping again.
‘Let’s get you dressed,” I said, deliberately changing the subject. “We need to go soon. Aunt Betty will be wondering where we are.”
As I helped Billy into his clothes, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had changed. Henry’s behavior yesterday had been… different.
His resolute stance against his mother, his insistence on maintaining distance while we slept, the genuine hurt in his eyes when I rejected his invitation to return–it all felt like a glimpse of the husband I had once hoped he would become.
Too little, too late, I firmly reminded myself.
One day of decent behavior couldn’t erase six years of neglect.
The Ex–Wife’s Redemption. A Love Reborn
