Flash Marriage: My Penniless Billionaire Husband

Chapter 409: I’ll Be Home Soon

He approached Yvonne, she suddenly threw herself into his arms.

"Don’t say anything," she said with a trembling voice.

James raised his eyebrows at that, "What happened, Yvonne?"

"Don’t ask, don’t ask me anything, please," she implored.

Confused thoughts came to James’ thoughts, and he dispelled them at once at her words, consoling her, "There, there, don’t get so upset."

He held her tightly.

Yvonne closed her eyes in relief, a tear rolling down her cheek.

They spent the night speechless, each with their own confidences.

The next morning, Yvonne got up early.

After a whole night of struggle, she made up her mind to accept whatever decision James would make.

She dressed herself up, waiting for his declaration.

But he never mentioned it... as usual, he went to the bathroom to wash up, and then asked her to have dinner together downstairs.

He didn’t seem prepared to disclose her secret; instead, he appeared more considerate than usual.

It was not until he walked out of the gate and headed for the company that she couldn’t resist the urge and reached forward, asking, "Are you sure there’s nothing you need to tell me?"

A puzzled look flickered across James’ face. He replied, "Yes?"

Yvonne paused for a moment and said, "Oh, um... Perhaps I’m mistaken. Go ahead."

As she was about to turn and leave, her arm was grabbed, and when she turned back, her gaze met James’.

He was contemplating her with his amorous eyes, which spoke louder than

words... which she forbidden before... would have to show his concern for her.

He said, "No matter what happens to you, be sure to let me know, okay, Yvonne? Let’s shoulder it together."

The way he spoke it, the gentleness in his voice, took Yvonne’s breath away.

She had an urge to ask him what was in his mind, and her mouth was opened, yet nothing was said.

With a secret sigh of pity, James said, "I’ll be home soon."

He gave her a loving pat on the head and left. Staring at his disappearing figure, Yvonne collapsed. "I didn’t tell him."

Mrs. Taylor’s voice came from behind.

Yvonne froze with astonishment. It took her long to collect herself, and when that was done, she turned to Mrs. Taylor.

"Mom... you knew it already?"

Mrs. Taylor cast a meaningful look at her and said, "Let’s talk somewhere else."

Yvonne closed her eyes and nodded, "Okay."

She followed Mrs. Taylor into her car.

Yvonne had no idea where they were heading, but she was quite sure what she was about to face.

To her relief, Mrs. Taylor was the first one she’d have to talk about it with.

Were it James, Yvonne didn’t know how she’d face him.

The car soon stopped at the gate of a villa.

Mrs. Taylor got out of it with the help of her chauffeur.

And Yvonne followed them.

Instead of directly going in, Mrs. Taylor stopped before the venerable gate, looked up at it with reverence, and asked Yvonne, "Do you know what place it is?"

Looking at the letters "TAYLOR’S MANOR", Yvonne judged it was the old residence of the Taylors.

...

But Yvonne didn’t hasten to give her answer, for she knew that Mrs. Taylor did not intend for her to know where it was but how important it was.

Yvonne was right. Rather than demanding an immediate answer, Mrs. Taylor just said, "Follow me."

She nodded and followed Mrs. Taylor in.

The manor, with a European style, looked much more splendid than one might assume judging by its gate.

With each corridor and threshold serving to intensify the significance and solemnity of the core of the residence, Yvonne found her steps increasingly heavier.

She knew what an old residence meant for a big family, and it was with this significance that the members were seldom allowed to enter it, unless something of great importance was to take place there.

As for Yvonne, however, she wasn’t quite sure her business was important enough to be dealt with here.

What was clear to her was that now she was brought here, it was by no means a trifle.

With a butterfly in her stomach, Yvonne entered the stately house following Mrs.

Taylor.

She felt her feet were as heavy as a thousand pounds when she set them on the floor.

Somebody had been expecting them. They accomplished a series of rites under the guidance of the person.

And when all was done, Mrs. Taylor turned and asked Yvonne, "I suppose you know why you’re here today, don’t you?"

His expression, as well as her tone, was not as amiable and gentle as it always was but rather stern, even cold.

Yvonne took a deep breath and lowered her eyes. "Go ahead please," she ventured.

She was prepared for the worst consequences.

Mrs. Taylor cast a glance at her and continued, "Seems you’re well-prepared for it, then I’ll be straight with you. The land you’re now standing upon buries the bodies of the venerable ancestors of the Taylors, and in the presence of them, you’re now standing trial for fraud. Mark it in mind every word that comes of your mouth must be utter truth and nothing else, remember?"

Yvonne replied with a nod of the head and got ready for the trial.

Mrs. Taylor looked solemnly at Yvonne and uttered, "Why did you marry James?"

The question was beyond her expectation... she expected Mrs. Taylor would

ask her about her incapacity first.

And having not thus psyched herself up for it, she paused for a long while, murmuring, "I...I..."

Mrs. Taylor interrupted her, "Of course you don’t know how to answer it, for you married him with a single view to seeking your vengeance. You married him because you want to make use of the influence of the Taylors to take your revenge on Grace White, your aunt, isn’t it?"

These remarks stunned Yvonne, and she found it hard to deny since Mrs. Taylor got her right: their marriage was based on a lie.

She closed her eyes in helplessness.

Mrs. Taylor snorted, "Now you’ve succeeded in manipulating James into revenging your aunt, what else are you going to do?"

Yvonne didn’t reply. Instead, she lowered her head.

"You might as well finish the questioning in one go, mother, please."

Yvonne expected the sentence to be declared as soon as possible, lest she’d have to suffer prolonged and unnecessary torture.

"Well, well. Now your purpose has been achieved, and you won’t bother to spare me a minute?" sneered Mrs. Taylor.

Knowing that arguments would merely add fuel to the fire, Yvonne decided not to defend herself, supposing, in addition, it might help to alleviate Mrs. Taylor’s anger.

Mrs. Taylor didn’t care much about Yvonne’s response. She went on, "But I can let it go. As the old saying goes, ’Let bygones be bygones.’ The next question I’m going to ask you, is of more significance."

She paused, and, with an abrupt change of mood, there appeared righteous indignation in her eyes.

"Tell me the truth, did you know you are unable to conceive before you married James?"

...

Hearing this, Yvonne shook her head relentlessly.

"Well... that is to say, you got to know it when you received the results of the physical exam?"

Yvonne nodded.

Mrs. Taylor’s fury had subsidized somewhat, yet she remained indignant.

"Then why didn’t you tell us?" she questioned.

"I..."

Yvonne was at a loss for words, for she found herself unable to provide a justifiable reason... she had been selfish, after all.

Mrs. Taylor drew her judgment from Yvonne’s long silence, and chuckled sneeringly, "I thought you were basically a good girl, despite your calculation, but now I know I’m wrong, utterly wrong. Never in my wildest dreams did I think you’d be so selfish. Now, answer me, am I a good mother to you?"

Yvonne blurted out, "Of course you are."

She added, "You are a most benign mother to me."

Yvonne closed her eyes in pain. Mrs. Taylor’s words hit the tenderest part of her heart... he source of the utmost guilt in her conscience.

Mrs. Taylor nodded her head and asked with a mournful expression, "But look at what you’ve done to me! You knew you can’t conceive, and you kept lying to me. What do you think I am? A fool?"

Yvonne’s face turned fairly pale.

"I’m sorry, mom. I didn’t mean it... I..."

"Save it! Even a hundred apologies can’t make up for what you’ve done to us."

Mrs. Taylor interrupted Yvonne and collected her thoughts. She said, "There is no point in arguing. I’ve consulted the doctors, and they told me there is no way for you to have a baby, even though test tubes. So, what are you going to do with it? Are you going to keep James in the dark?"

Yvonne shook her head, "I’ll tell him the truth when appropriate."

"What about next?"

Mrs. Taylor pressed. "What happens when he gets to know it?"

Yvonne remained silent.

Looking at Yvonne, Mrs. Taylor softened and said, "Yvonne, mom understands that there’s nothing you could do with your problem. But you know a family as large as the Taylors must have a descendant."

Yvonne was well aware of it long before and psyched herself up for it.

Mrs. Taylor continued, "Think about James. He may dismiss the idea that having a baby is necessary, but people change: as he gets old, his passion for you will fade, and he starts to get bored with you; he might transfer his affections from you to somebody else. What are you going to do then? Can you lump it?"

The question hit the most vulnerable part of Yvonne’s heart.

Abruptly, she looked up at her mother-in-law, anxiety and fear in her eyes.

Realizing those words might be too harsh for Yvonne, Mrs. Taylor adjusted her tone, "These are but my hypothesis, of course, but what if they truly happen one day? Can you place all your trust in James and hold it firmly that he’ll never cheat on you? Can you?"

She went on, "Perhaps I’m not wise enough to lecture you, but at least I’ve spent one or two more decades than you do. And if you ask me what these decades have taught me, I’ll tell you this: Never trust men. Men change, and love is temporary for all of them. They change when they are ambitious, stressed, or seduced; they’re likely to change literally every moment, as long as the distraction is seductive enough. And when that happens, you’ll found yourself a hindrance to his further development."

Mrs. Taylor paused for a moment and, remembering the past, her face darkened.

She said with profundity, "I know how tough it is for a woman to be left alone. Fortunately, I’ve got James beside me. But you’re different, Yvonne, think about it. Well, let’s call it a day. Go back and think it twice before you make up your decision."

With that, Mrs. Taylor patted Yvonne’s shoulder and walked out.

Standing in the empty house, Yvonne felt penetratingly cold.

Mrs. Taylor’s words, like a hill, landed on Yvonne’s shoulders.

The weight didn’t come from James, nor the Taylors or Yvonne herself.

Instead, it was from something called ’confidence’.

Did she have the power to wield it?

Yvonne thought to herself that hadn’t she undergone what happened these days, she might be able to wield it.

But now, she was not sure.

She was uncertain whether she had enough confidence to combat the fierce oppositions of the Taylors.

She was uncertain whether her confidence could sustain the faith that James would never change.

She thought to herself, "Life is long and we are alone and vulnerable. Maybe one day we’ll both get tired of each other."

"And then there’s Mrs. Taylor. She certainly wouldn’t be at the whim of me."

Yet it seemed to her that Mrs. Taylor was not as impassive as she appeared, otherwise she wouldn’t have taken Yvonne to this venerable residence.

She could, as the first resort, find somewhere simple and relaxed.

And yet, she had chosen to have the conversation taken place here.

Looking down at the ground which buried the ancestors of the Taylors, Yvonne, however, didn’t feel due reverence, for they were all but strangers to her.

But for James, she’d never be here and stay for a while with them.

Yet now she was here, and she felt, to some degree, her fate might have been entangled with theirs.

And perhaps she’d be one of them one day.

Yvonne never believed in supernatural powers, but at this moment, she clearly had the eerie sensation of a penetrating chill, which swept over her and drove her nearly crazy.

She hurriedly escaped it.

The moment she rushed out of the manor, Yvonne came to realize where the chill came from... the guilt in her heart.

Yes, guilt, a sense of unremitting guilt that would keep her company for the rest of her life.

With mixed feelings in mind, Yvonne went back home battered of her senses.

As she entered her house, Yvonne saw a group of workers busy to and from, carrying a bunch of things that looked quite familiar to her.

She recognized momentarily they were detached from stuff in the baby room upstairs.