Chapter 340 So upset

The old lady said nothing.

Agnes, how could “unfilial” possibly describe her?

But the woman still couldn’t bring herself to scold her.

“Get up. Don’t let people laugh at us.”

“Mom...”

“Get up quickly...” She began to cough.

Seeing the woman so upset, Agnes had no choice but to stand up and pour her a cup of water herself.

After drinking the water, the old woman felt a little better.

“How have you been all these years?”

Agnes replied, “Mom, I’m doing just fine.”

She nodded. “That’s good, that’s good.”

It seemed that as long as Agnes was doing well, she had no other wishes. Besides, more than a decade had passed, how could she possibly harbor even a shred of anger toward Agnes?

All she felt was day-after-day concern and longing.

As long as Agnes was doing well, that was more important than anything else.

Agnes’ eyes stung again.

She couldn’t help but clasp her mother’s calloused hands, sobbing incoherently.

“Mom, it was all my fault back then. I shouldn’t have treated you that way. Don’t worry... I’m doing pretty well now. From now on, I’ll take good care of you until you live to be a hundred!”

Grandma sighed. “I’m old now... half my body’s already in the ground. I don’t need your filial piety. I’m already satisfied that you’ve recognized your mistakes and are willing to make amends. Besides, the one you need to make amends to is your daughter, Lana. Now that you’re back, don’t forget to treat Alana well and make sure she has a good life...”

Hearing this, Agnes’ tears flowed even more freely.

*********

Alana sat quietly in a chair outside the hospital room.

She didn’t know what was happening inside the room, nor did she want to go in and see. She simply waited in silence.

She didn’t know how much time had passed.

The door to the ward opened, and Agnes walked out. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

Alana glanced back at Agnes, her expression calm.

She thought to herself, Grandma was just talking about Agnes just the day before yesterday; now that she’s seen her today, she must be quite content.

Agnes wiped her tears with a handkerchief. Seeing that Alana was still there, she couldn’t help but walk over to her.

“Lana, can you chat with me for a bit?”

Alana refused. “I don’t have anything to talk to you about. Since you’re out here, I’m going in to see Grandma.”

Agnes reached out to stop her. “Wait! There are some things I need to tell you.”

Alana frowned.

Seeing her frowning, Agnes sheepishly withdrew her hand. She had to emphasize,

“It’s very important.”

Alana assumed it was about her grandmother. After a moment’s silence, she nodded.

“Okay, go ahead.”

Agnes seized the opportunity to say, “Let’s find a place to sit down.”

********

At a coffee shop.

Alana and Agnes found a table and sat down.

Agnes called over a waiter.

Then she asked Alana, “Lana, what kind of coffee do you like?”

Alana looked directly at the waiter. “I’ll have a coffee with milk and three parts sugar, please.”

Agnes felt hurt that Alana had deliberately ignored her, but she didn’t say anything.

She also told the waiter, “I’ll have the same.”

About five minutes later, the coffee arrived.

Agnes took a few sips of her coffee but remained silent.

Alana grew impatient. “If you have nothing to say, I’m just going to head home.”

Agnes choked on her drink and slowly set her coffee down.

“Lana, how have you been all these years?” Her eyes were filled with genuine concern.

But to Agnes, it all seemed ridiculous.

“Whether I’ve been doing well or not has nothing to do with you, does it?”

Agnes felt guilty. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to know how you’ve been living these past ten-odd years.”

“How I’ve lived my life is none of your business either.”

Agnes was hurt by Alana’s cold words and didn’t know what to say for a moment.

Alana glanced at Agnes. “If you’re only asking how I’ve been these past years, then I don’t see any point in continuing this conversation.”

Agnes shook her head. “No, that’s not it. I came to see you for more than just that...”

“Then what else is there?”

Agnes hesitated.

She sighed, wondering whether to speak...

“Just say what you want to say. I don’t have time to waste on this.”

To Agnes, those words sounded truly heartless.

But considering what she was about to say, wasn’t she being just as heartless?

Agnes asked, “Alana, you’re in a relationship, aren’t you?”

Alana frowned; the question came out of nowhere.

Agnes continued, “The guy you’re dating, his name is Stephan, right?”

Alana asked in confusion, “How do you know?”

Could it be that Grandma had just told her?

Agnes bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, then finally said, “That call yesterday morning... I was the one who called you...”

Alana froze, momentarily unable to process it. So it was that call.

But looking at Agnes’ expression, and recalling the anonymous call she’d received that morning...

A familiar voice, an identical name...

Whoosh!

Alana sat up straight in her seat.

Her eyes narrowed in disbelief as she stared at Agnes. “You... and Darla...”

Agnes found it hard to bring herself to say it, but now that things had come to this, she had no choice but to admit it.

“Yes.”

“When I left back then, it was because I left with Darla’s father, Henry. His ex-wife died in a car accident, leaving behind a daughter who was very young at the time. That daughter is Darla Gordon.”

Alana’s mind went blank.

She never would have imagined that the world could really be this small.

Just yesterday, she had been absolutely certain that the woman on the phone could never be her mother, Agnes.

But today, reality had dealt her a harsh blow.

She wasn’t stupid. Agnes’ call yesterday had already revealed her intentions.

So, now that Agnes had specifically sought her out for a private conversation, it could only mean...

Ha!

Alana really found it quite funny.

Her biological mother had abandoned her when she was five and hadn’t given her a second thought for over a decade.

When she suddenly reappeared, Alana had assumed Agnes still felt a shred of guilt and wanted to apologize or something. But she never would have imagined...

Agnes had come for Darla! How ironic!

Judging by Alana’s reaction, Agnes must have realized that Alana had figured out her true intentions.

She felt even more guilty inside, but she had to steel her resolve. “Lana, I’m sorry.”

“Can I ask you to do me a favor? Could you break up with Stephan and let Darla have him?”

Just as she thought!

Even though she had guessed it, hearing it come out of Agnes’ mouth still felt ironic.

At first, she’d actually thought Agnes felt guilty toward her, but upon second thought, if Agnes truly felt guilty, she wouldn’t have abandoned her and not once thought of coming back to find her for over a decade.

Alana laughed sarcastically. “Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?”

Agnes hesitated for a moment, then nodded. “Yes. I know this must seem abrupt, but I’m doing this for your own good.”

If she didn’t persuade Alana to break up with Stephan, Darla wouldn’t let her off easily.

So, she was asking them to break up out of concern for Alana.