Chapter 529
Irene felt the resemblance she saw from Sanford wasn’t with Yorick. It was just an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Facing Irene’s assessing gaze, Sanford remained composed. He said, “We’ve met before, at Jennifer’s wedding. You were at the head table. I’m Jennifer’s friend, and I even performed a song for her.”
Irene gasped sharply. She exclaimed, “You’re Jennifer’s friend? I knew it. Not a single one of those Johnstons is any good. Now I see, it’s a scheme.”
Jonathan frowned and snapped, “Enough. What does this have to do with the Johnstons? This is a trap, it must be.”
Noticing Jonathan’s protectiveness over Teresa, Irene immediately dropped the subject. She knew it wasn’t the time to hold Jennifer or Teresa accountable anyway.
Sanford said coldly, “Scheme or no scheme, you’ll know once I take you to see my mother.”
But when it came time to meet Liora, Irene got cold feet. At the hospital entrance, she inhaled sharply, her eyes darting nervously. “I’m not going in to see her,” she blurted.
“Since you’re already here, why not go in? Should the wife be afraid of the mistress?” Jonathan retorted.
“That’s because…” Irene began, but her words caught in her throat again. It seemed she was harboring an unspeakable burden, a secret she could never let Jonathan know.
Jonathan stared intently at Irene for a few seconds, then said after a pause, “What else are you hiding from me? If you don’t tell me, I can’t resolve this.”
Irene stammered, “I’m not hiding anything. Liora is just the mistress. That’s the plain truth.”
Jonathan said firmly, “Then go see her. Whatever needs to be said, say it face to face and get everything out in the open between you two.”
The instant Irene pushed open the door to Liora’s ward, Liora’s eyes met hers. Their eyes locked in a silent confrontation. It was as if the floodgates of time had burst open.
It had been years since they last met, each of their faces now bearing the distinct marks of time. At this unexpected reunion, emotions surged uncontrollably between them.
Liora was the first to look away, unwilling to see Irene, yet seemingly unable to face her either.
Irene saw Liora’s frail appearance and sneered inwardly, ‘Still putting on that same old innocent act, just like before. Being weak doesn’t make you right.”
She strode forward aggressively and snapped, “Liora, it’s you. I can’t believe it. Even after all these years, you still had to stab me in the back. You were the one who left back then, who promised never to return to Nareigh, and who voluntarily gave me those 3 million dollars.
“And now your son has twisted the story, making it sound like our family is ungrateful and heartless, even accusing me of extorting money from you. How can you face your own conscience, Liora? No wonder you developed that heart condition.”
Sanford snapped, “Show some respect to my mother. It was Yorick who abandoned my mother and me first. Otherwise, how could she have ended up like this?”
Irene shot back, “Stop listening to your mother’s lies and twisting the truth. Why don’t you ask that woman in bed herself? Who was the lawful wife, who was the mistress, and who ruined whose marriage?”
Sanford retorted, “Back then, my mother was the heiress of Onlyora Group, wealthy and influential. Why would she ever stoop to being a mistress?”
Liora’s frail voice finally broke through from the hospital bed. She said, “Enough, Sanford.” After a long silence, she continued, “Irene is right about everything. I was the one who came between them first.”