"Eve, don't be too hard on yourself. Jack's actions are a result of his own twisted values. They have nothing to do
with you or your mother. If she knew how strong you are now, she would be proud of you." Ethan's words were
gentle yet assuring, like a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds, illuminating the darkness in my heart.
I nodded, trying to calm my emotions.
Learning more about the past only deepened my pain; | had never expected to find myself in such a situation.
Yet, smatters could only be approached step by step, just as my thoughts felt increasingly complex at this
moment.
"However, there's something | need to discuss with you. I've found that Jack's misdeeds go beyond this one
instance, but I'm unsure if you want to hear it," Ethan said.
As | heard what Ethan said, | felt a surge of conflicting emotions: the fear of the unknown mixed with a
determination to uncover the truth.
| looked up at him. His gaze was deep and powerful as if assuringhe would stand by my side no matter what
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtlay ahead.
"Ethan, just tell me. No matter how cruel the truth may be, | have the courage to face it." My voice was soft, yet
it conveyed an undeniable resolve.
He nodded slightly, a complex expression flashing in his eyes as he considered his words carefully.
"Eve, I've uncovered ssecrets about Jack and your mother's marriage, as well as why he strayed onto a path
of no return. These secrets might reveal shidden aspects of your family's past and could change your
perception of him."
My heart tightened as if an invisible hand was gripping it tightly. Those warm yet blurry memories began to swirl
in my mind, each attempt to piece them together accompanied by a ripping pain.
Yet | understood that only by confronting this suffering could I truly find liberation.
"Tell me, | need to know the truth." | took a deep breath, striving to keep my voice steady.
Ethan sighed softly and began to speak, "Jack was once a young man with great ambitions. However, family
pressures and the treachery of business gradually led him astray.
en
"More importantly, he becembroiled in a complex commercial struggle, and to protect himself and the Wiley
family's interests, he had to make sregrettable decisions. Your mother's presence was initially a bright spot
in his life, but.
ultimately, she couldn't escape the whirlpool."
"What did he do?" | struggled to ask, each word feeling like it was forced from my throat.
"He becinvolved in illegal
dealings, including money
laundering and corruption... These actions not only ensnared him in quagmire but also implicated your mother.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmShe had to endure
humiliation for the family's sake and Sometimes beca pawn in his game."
Ethan's words fell uponlike cold raindrops, each one chilling my heart more than the last.
| closed my eyes as tears streamed down silently. The beautiful memories | once cherished becpale and
powerless in this moment.
| had never imagined Jack could be such a man nor that my mother would suffer such immense pain.
"Then why didn't she leave him?" | choked out.
"Because she loved you and the family. She believed that if she held on long enough, one day she could change
Jack and bring him back to the right path." Ethan's voice was filled with sympathy and respect as if he held my
mother in high regard.
"But sadly, she never lived to see that day."