Chapter 323
Lewis’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt as if he were spellbound. He stared in shock at the woman before him.
….
She left soon after he was born.
This was the first time that the mother and son had ever met since then…
As a child, Lewis had longed for his mother and once secretly looked at her photos. Though he no longer needed her as he grew up, his exceptional memory hadn’t let him forget her.
He recognized her at first glance.
In that moment, Lewis felt as if the world was spinning, and a nameless gloom and ferocity suddenly surged into his chest. His gaze fixed on her, filled with resentment…
But in the next instant…
The woman he was staring at simply shifted her gaze indifferently and turned to go upstairs.
Her attitude made Lewis feel a stifling sensation in his chest, even more upsetting than before.
She probably didn’t care about his persistent memories at all.
Indeed, she didn’t care about her son at all.
She didn’t care about the fragile baby when he was born prematurely and heartlessly abandoned him at the Horton family. He almost died on the sick bed.
The violence and gloom that imbued Lewis started to fade away, leaving only a profound silence.
In this world, it seemed he was neither cherished by his father nor loved by his mother…
Keira sensed the change in his emotions and was hesitating over why this was happening when Mary’s mother also sensed Lewis’s abnormality and stepped forward, blocking his line of sight.
Mary’s mother said, “Keera, is this your friend? Why is he staring? He can’t look at people like my sister-in-law in that way. She’s of such high standing…”
Sister-in-law…
Keira suddenly understood something and saw the lonely aura covering the man before her, a wave of pity and anger rising in her heart.
She was angry that Sarah didn’t even recognize her own son…
She felt sorry for how distressed Lewis must be feeling at this moment.
Without regard for Keera’s public image, she walked straight to Lewis and took his hand.
Lewis was slightly startled and turned to look at her.
Keira nodded at him.
Lewis looked away, his voice hoarse. “I’m fine.”
His restrained demeanor was hardly that of someone who was fine.
After patting Lewis’s hand, Keera turned to Mary’s mother. “I’m going to see Mary.”
Mary’s mother nodded. “Alright, Keera, you’re a good friend of Mary’s. Please go and talk to her so she doesn’t do anything rash. It would be foolish. This child can help her marry Mr. Ellis, and her future will be bright!”
Keira maintained a stern face upon hearing this and then turned to Lewis. “Wait for me here.”
But Lewis stubbornly followed behind her, reiterating, “I’m fine.”
Keira had no choice but to take him upstairs.
As soon as they arrived at Mary’s room, they heard Sarah’s cold voice. “Mary, if you don’t want to marry Ellis, then don’t keep the child. You can’t let a child tie you down.”
Right after she spoke, Keira heard a low snort of laughter beside her.
She couldn’t help but feel a surge of pity for Lewis again.
Then she knocked on the door, not looking at Sarah but speaking directly to Mary. “Mary, I’ve come to get you.”
“Okay.”
Mary had already packed a few clothes and came straight out upon hearing the words.
Keira took her suitcase, about to carry it downstairs when Lewis took the suitcase from her hands.
It was then that Sarah suddenly said, “Stop.”
Lewis stiffened.
Sarah approached, her gaze sweeping over him once more, before settling on Keira. “Thank you for taking care of Mary.”
“It’s no trouble. She’s my friend,” Keira’s voice carried a hint of hostility. “I wouldn’t be so heartless as to leave Mary behind.”
Her words carried an unspoken implication.
Whether Sarah caught the hint or not, she merely nodded slightly.
Keira then helped Mary downstairs.
The three of them, each with their own thoughts, left the house without uttering a word.
With Shirley present, Mary’s parents didn’t dare to make too much of a scene. Seeing that Mary was going to move out, they didn’t do much to stop her; they just looked a bit sheepish.
Keira left with Mary, feeling relaxed, and they headed back to the South family residence.
This small villa of the South family might only have three floors, but it had five bedrooms.
After cleaning out one of the guest bedrooms, Mary moved straight in.
Looking at Mary, then at a downcast Lewis, Keira found herself at a loss for whom to comfort first. While she was still hesitating, Lewis suddenly said, “I’m fine.”
He repeated “I’m fine” three times, making Keira feel that she had thought too much.
She said to Mary, “Mary, you should get some good rest first.”
Only then did she take Lewis back to the master bedroom. After closing the door, she went straight into his arms, attempting to drive away his loneliness with her warmth.
Lewis held her, and from an angle Keira couldn’t see, the corners of his mouth slowly curved into a smile.
Seeing Shirley surely made him feel sad.
But Lewis had always been someone who could control his emotions. He had been this way since childhood and was accustomed to that pain. Aside from some initial emotional turbulence, he had already calmed down.
There were already too many pitiable people in this house.
First, there was Amy, and now Mary had arrived.
If he didn’t act a bit more pitiable himself, where would she find the time for him?
The completely clueless Keira…
Mary’s sadness came swiftly and left just as quickly. When she woke up the next day, she had mostly returned to normal and was even busy with work.
She said to Keira, “Today, the Davis family, the Olsen family, and the South family signed their cooperation agreement. There’s a celebration banquet tonight that we need to attend, Miss South, is that okay with you?”
Keira said, “No problem.”
She glanced subconsciously at Lewis, only to see him slowly say, “I’ll go too… is that okay?”
Mary didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t help but poke Keira. “Your little boyfriend here seems to be a bit too clingy.”
Keira was caught between laughter and tears.
In the evening, after handing Amy over to the nanny, the three of them got dressed up and attended the celebration banquet.
Lewis didn’t bring a suit and was still dressed in his casual sportswear. When they pulled up to the banquet, Keira and Mary got out of the car, and Lewis went to park.
He was treated just like a driver.
Yet he didn’t look the slightest bit offended.
Keira and Mary waited at the entrance for a moment until Lewis parked the car and came over, then the three of them entered together.
The celebration banquet was attended by people from the Olsen Group, the Davis family, and Keera Technology, so there was no requirement for evening gowns, and both women wore business attire.
Upon entering, they needed to sign in with the staff. Keira wrote Keera’s name.
Just then, a luxury car pulled up brashly at the entrance, and two uninvited guests emerged. They were Christina and Victoria.
Dressed in fancy evening gowns, they instantly became the center of attention as soon as they stepped out of the car.
Employees of the Olsen Group who hadn’t yet entered immediately surrounded them, exclaiming, “Miss Christina, Miss Victoria, long time no see!”
Victoria responded with a slight smile.
Mary whispered to Keira, “This Victoria was previously low-profile, but now she’s taken a high-ranking position in the Olsen Group. It’s amazing how fortunes can rise. I heard it’s because there was a marriage contract between the Horton and Olsen families years ago. I bet she’ll eventually marry that divorcee, Lewis.”
Keira didn’t know what to say.
She had just finished signing her name and stepped aside.
Mary was still craning her neck, looking at the spectacle, when she said to Lewis, “Your turn to sign.”
The “divorcee” Lewis gave her a cold glance and then quickly signed his name at the registration.
Now it was Mary’s turn. She finally averted her gaze back to the registration area, casually scanning upward.
She still didn’t know the name of Keera’s little boyfriend…
But when she saw the signature above, she froze.