Meanwhile.

Downstairs in the living room.

Unable to wait any longer for Donald to return, Tansy sat on pins and needles.

Finally, she couldn't hold back anymore. She grabbed Charlotte's hand and pleaded softly, "Lottie, could you come upstairs with me to check on him?"

"Sure."

Charlotte didn't refuse. She helped Tansy up and they made their way to the second floor.

Just as they reached the door to the study, they heard Samantha's sharp reprimands.

"You're going to stay right there on the floor today and take a good hard look at yourself."

"Think about how Tansy and Hector managed to survive all these years."

Hearing the voices, Tansy's face paled, and she hurriedly pushed the door open.

Seeing the haggard man kneeling on the floor made her heart ache.

Her knees gave out, and she sank to the floor beside him.

Seeing this unfold, Charlotte furrowed her brow slightly, then quietly closed the door and left them to it.

"Child, what are you doing?"

Seeing Tansy suddenly drop to her knees, Samantha rushed forward, trying to help her up. "You're still hurt, get up."

"Yes, please get up."

Kevin chimed in from the side. "This has nothing to do with you."

"It does, Mr. and Mrs. Gates." Despite her injuries, Tansy knelt perfectly straight, her reddened eyes fixed on the elders as she explained earnestly. "Back then, it was my father who captured Donald and brought him to The Stygian Syndicate, and then forced me to try and pull him into it."

"Later, he left because of my mistakes. I was the one who deceived his feelings."

"All the blame lies with me. Please, don't punish him."

Donald stared at her quietly, his expression grim.

"We know, we know all of that." Samantha crouched down as well, gently supporting the fragile Tansy, softening her voice. "Child, Donald just told us everything."

"You had your own struggles. You nearly lost your life trying to save him, and then you had to raise a child all by yourself."

"We don't blame you, we truly don't."

This girl was so kind-hearted.

If it had been anyone else, Donald probably wouldn't have made it back four years ago.

"Mrs. Gates..."

Tansy had assumed that once she revealed the truth, his parents would despise her. She never expected this.

"Hurry and get up." Samantha urged anxiously, but to no avail. Frustrated, she smacked Donald. "You idiot, hurry up and help your wife off the floor."

Donald frowned, gently lifting Tansy up and helping her onto the sofa.

"Mr. and Mrs. Gates, I am so sorry."

Tansy carried a deep sense of guilt over what had happened back then.

"Let's not dwell on the past. Let bygones be bygones." Samantha sat down next to Tansy, taking her hand affectionately, her eyes crinkling into a simile, "Child have you thought this through

"Huh?"

Tansy looked up, staring blankly at Samantha, not understanding what she meant

by 'thought this through'.

"Out of the three brothers, Donald is the least romantic and the most straightforward." Samantha held Tansy's hand, speaking earnestly. "He runs around outside year after year andis rarely home."

"More importantly—"

Samantha glanced at Donald's slightly tanned face, leaning in close to Tansy's ear, lowering her voice to complain, "He's getting older, and he's not even that good- looking."

"You're so gorgeous, there's no need to settle for less."

Hearing his own mother trash-talk him, Donald's expression completely fell.

He had seen people pull the rug out from under others, but never with such dedication.

He seriously needed to remind Samantha that she was actively pushing away her daughter-in-law and grandson.

Even a saint would be baffled by her strategy.

"No."

Understanding Samantha's words, a

flush spread across Tansy's cheeks, and she quickly explained in her halting Eldorian, "No, Donald is wonderful. I won't marry anyone else, I only want to marry him."