Chapter 1494:
Gerald added quietly, “I’ll let Wesley know how you feel, but the choice will still be his. Carola, if you truly want to rebuild the bond, give it time. Don’t hold his distance against him—two decades apart won’t heal overnight.”
Carola nodded, a gentle understanding in her voice.
“I know. Thank you, Gerald.”
She would never blame her son. She had risked everything to bring Wesley into this world—how could she turn resentment on her own child? Wesley’s reluctance, she believed, stemmed from years of navigating life alone, never learning how to lean on family. Sooner or later, he would understand that the pull of blood was stronger than any grievance.
Carola stood gracefully.
“I should go. Thank you again.”
Gerald, ever hospitable, offered to have her stay for a meal, but she declined with a soft smile.
Once she’d left, Gerald instructed the butler, “Call Wesley. Tell him I’d like him to come home tonight.”
The butler hung up the phone and reported, “Mr. Spencer said he’ll bring Miss Harper with him this evening.”
Gerald nodded.
The butler hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back.
Gerald glanced at him.
“Go ahead—speak your mind.”
The butler finally spoke up.
“Mr. Spencer sees through people with startling clarity. He wouldn’t step away from Mrs. Stanley unless he had a reason to.”
Though Carola was Wesley’s birth mother, her efforts to mend their fractured bond were oddly roundabout. Rather than speak to Wesley herself, she turned to Gerald, asking him to push for a dinner between them—an approach that felt strangely detached. If her intentions were sincere, why lean on someone else to persuade Wesley?
Having spent his entire life in the service of the Spencer family, the butler had come to regard both Gerald and Wesley as more than just his employers. They were, in every way that counted, his family. He knew his words might have crossed a line, but after so many years in the Spencer household, he couldn’t help himself. Peace had only just returned to this family—one wrong step, and everything might unravel.
𝙉𝙚𝙭𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙩 𝙂𝖆𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀・ⅽ𝘰𝗺
Gerald understood his concern completely. Still, the Spencer family owed the Myles family far too much to simply ignore Carola’s request. She had reached out; he couldn’t turn her away.
“I know where the boundaries are,” Gerald replied, his voice steady.
“Just this once. Afterward, whatever happens between them is out of my hands.”
Night settled over the estate, painting the house in amber and gold. Wesley and Elena arrived together, their footsteps echoing in the quiet foyer.
Gerald’s face lit up at the sight of them, especially Elena. He gestured in her direction, a hint of excitement in his voice.
“Elena, come here. I found some coffee beans that made me think of you.”
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