Chapter 238 Never fall in love with him!
Theodore seemed to understand the complexity in Lucia's eyes and raised his hand to wipe his tears and responded, "Mommy, I understand and I will always be good and listen to Grandma Esmae and wait for
Mommy and Daddy to pick me up."
Lucia took Theodore's small body into her arms, not letting him see her tearful eyes.
At 9 p.m. Lucia and Theodore returned to Chicago, where they met Brown's butler and ten male servants at the airport.
Lucia saw the situation and found it both funny and annoying. Was she planning to arrest them?
"William!" As soon as he saw the butler, Theodore jumped over excitedly. William, the butler, had always been very good to Theodore, and because he was a bit older and always treated him as his grandson, Theodore was very close to him.
"Mr. Teddy," William smiled at the sight of Theodore, picking him up before saying to Lucia.
"Miss Lucia, Mrs. Brown is waiting for you."
"I know." Lucia responded and followed them to the car.
In the car, Theodore excitedly told William about what happened in Hawaii and the beautiful scenery. William lovingly looked at him and listened to what he said. Only Lucia was silent all the way, looking out the window. No one knew what she was thinking.
Finally, they arrived at Browns Manor. William held Theodore in his arms as soon as he got off the car, said to Lucia that Brown was in the study and then took the child upstairs first. It should also be an order of Esmae in advance.
Taking a deep breath, Lucia walked toward Esmae's study.
Knocking on the door, she heard Esmae say, "You're willing to come back?"
A single sentence revealed Esmae's unresolved anger.
Lucia had a forced smile and walked into the study, answering in a low voice, "I'm back."
Esmae watched Lucia walk into the study and gestured with her eyes for her to sit down on the couch before Lucia spoke.
"Esmae, Teddy misses his dad. Arthur is Teddy's father anyway. I can't let my child's expectations go unfulfilled."
Looking at Esmae, Lucia sincerely explained her intentions.
"So you'd rather lie to me." Esmae said coldly.
"I'm sorry I kept this from you." Lucia said with undertone to express her apology.
"Lucia, you forget who sent Teddy to me months ago, crying to me about Arthur's treachery, do you remember?" Esmae intoned.
"It's me," Lucia admitted, "but ..."
"The father of the child does not have to be only Arthur, and a father's love is not something that only a biological father can give. Just as I treat you, I believe I love you enough to call it a mother's love." Esmae looked at Lucia and said, and the words seemed to have a deeper meaning.
"Of course, the impression of my mother faded long ago, and it was you who made me feel motherly love again." Lucia's eyes were already slightly moist when she said this.
Esmae's kindness to herself was something she had not forgotten.
"So you'll listen to me, won't you?" Esmae asked Lucia seriously.
Lucia lowered her eyes, thought for a long time and then nodded. She knew that she was not asking this for no reason.
"Good, then you do as I say and prepare to get engaged to Spencer." Esmae dropped this bombshell on Lucia without warning. "What?" Lucia immediately lifted her head at the sound of her voice, hardly believing her ears.
"You heard me right, I want you to get engaged to Spencer." Esmae's voice implied an unquestionable determination.
"But," Lucia stood up anxiously, "you know Spencer is not a good person. He is extremely scheming, and he deals with people ..."
"Is Arthur better?" Esmae did not wait for Lucia to finish but shouted, and Lucia suddenly stopped talking.
Seeing that Lucia was in pain, Esmae was distressed, but she did not make this decision at random, but after careful consideration.
"Even if Spencer is not a good person, he's still Arthur's cousin. I'm not afraid you'll hate me. I just want you to carry this identity that you'll never have any attachment to him again!" Esmae did not hide her purpose.
Lucia was stunned and sat down on the couch in dismay, knowing that she was serious.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.
Esmae's heart softened when she saw Lucia like this, and she got up from her chair and went to Lucia's side and said in a softer tone.
"Otherwise, you'll marry Reynolds. He doesn't mind who Teddy is, and he'll love you."
Reynolds was Esmae's son, and had fallen in love with Lucia at the first sight. Over all these years, he took care of her so much but Lucia only treated him as a brother.
"No way!" Lucia refused immediately, "I've always thought of Reynolds as a brother!"
Between Spencer and Reynolds, Lucia preferred Spencer because Reynolds was her Esmae's child. She did not want to agree to the marriage reluctantly because she wanted to escape from something. She will not love Reynolds, and she cannot selfishly force a loveless marriage with Reynolds.
Esmae seemed to have expected Lucia to answer this way. The reason she asked Lucia that question was just to get a chance for her son, and since Lucia had already refused, she said in a cold voice, "Then get engaged to Spencer!"
No more bargaining.
Lucia realized this and looked at Esmae in a daze, as if had lost all her soul.
Esmae saw the situation and reassured her, "Lucia, do not worry. Although Spencer's character is not good, he is serious about you. After you are engaged, I must supervise him. He will not let you suffer anything."
Lucia had no doubts about Esmae's words. In addition to her identity as Esmae's beloved "goddaughter", she knew Spencer will certainly care for her after the engagement. And he may even be better than Arthur when it came to take care of her, but ...
She didn't love him! For the rest of her life, she will never fall in love with him!
"Esmae, why do I have to make a choice ..." Tears slid down her eyes. Lucia said sadly. If she said yes, she and Arthur would be really impossible to be together, though she knew it was bad enough now. "Because you are the child I love." Esmae replied softly, hoping Lucia would understand her pain. She didn't want to see her hurt again, even if she had to entrust her to a person like Spencer.
Lucia pursed her lips, let her tears slip freely, and finally nodded gently in Esmae's eager gaze.
"Esmae, I'll do as you say."
After Lucia's vacation, Eduard found she had changed. Even if she once encountered Arthur's betrayal, Lucia's pride had never lost. But now, as if her soul was taken away, she looked depressed, which made him heartbreaking.