Chapter 238 Chapter 238
He had thought about this very question before, in the dead of night, when he was alone and the freshness of his new relationship was fading. And it wasn't just once.
He had been feeling overwhelming and suffocating anxiety since the moment he learned that Caroline was with that mysterious man. That Nicholas.
Although he had been quite upset when Caroline turned her back on him and ended their relationship so coldly at the hospital, he never imagined he would feel so... terrified. So lost.
In his arrogant heir's mind, he had always assumed that Caroline still loved him madly, even after the betrayal and the breakup.
They had known each other for ten years. He was her first love. It was impossible for her to simply erase a decade of feelings overnight, right? She certainly wouldn't fall in love with another man so easily.
Besides, Edward's ego convinced him that Caroline would never find another man more exceptional, rich, and powerful than him. Having been engaged to the future patriarch of the Collins family, her standards would be unattainable. There weren't many men in the world who could catch her attention or surpass what he had to offer.
Edward went so far as to think that, at some point, Caroline would not be able to bear the pain, regret her wounded pride, and come crawling back to him in search of reconciliation.
He had even fantasized about this scenario. If she really did come back crying to him, he obviously couldn't resume the official engagement—after all, Claire was pregnant—but... as long as Caroline didn't demand the legitimate title of Mrs. Collins, he could keep her around. He could give her money, apartments, jewelry, anything she wanted. He would continue to pamper her behind the scenes. He would have her as his perfect mistress, while Claire would be just the mother of his heir.
He eagerly waited for her to beg for him.
But who in their right mind could have predicted the appearance of that damn Nicholas?
According to Edward's superficial investigations, that man was just a “distant relative” of the renowned and unattainable Wolf family. But even if he was just a high-ranking executive at the Wolf Corporation, his income and influence must be astronomical.
And worst of all, that man's appearance was an insult to everyone else.
Even though he was a vain man, Edward was forced to admit that Nicholas's beauty was the most overwhelming and impressive thing he had ever seen in high society. That kind of aristocratic face and sculpted body was attractive enough to make even married women drop everything and throw themselves at his feet.
And that's when panic set in.
At this point, Edward was no longer sure if Caroline still cried for him. The unshakable confidence he had in his own charm had crumbled.
If Caroline had really fallen in love with Nicholas... what would he do?
The terrible truth hit him like a punch in the stomach: he still loved Caroline. Deeply.
What he felt for Claire arose only from the fact that it was a forbidden affair, a clandestine and invigorating relationship that massaged his ego because Claire treated him like a god. And then... carelessness happened, the baby arrived, and now he was chained to responsibility.
But aside from the excitement of betrayal, he realized that he didn't actually like Claire that much. She was shallow compared to Caroline.
Edward's silence lasted much longer than necessary.
Mrs. Collins got her answer in the silent pain stamped on his face. How could she not recognize her own son's anguish?
“Edward... you never really wanted to break up with Caroline, did you?” Mrs. Collins sighed heavily, feeling a mixture of pity, anger, and disappointment. “You're regretting it now.”
But what is the point of your belated regret? I know Caroline. We watched her grow up. You betrayed her in the nastiest way possible and then traded her for her sister. Caroline would rather break than bend. She will never forgive you. “Mother...” Edward rubbed his face with both hands, his voice choked with frustration and helplessness.
“Since you know perfectly well that we can never be together again... why are you throwing this in my face now? What's the point of torturing me with what I've lost?”
He also knew Caroline's relentless personality. She was gone, and she had left him with nothing but the ashes of his terrible choices.
Mrs. Collins looked at her son with utter contempt, the man who had driven away the daughter-in-law she loved and respected so much. “If it weren't for your total inability to control your instincts and for having slept with another woman, my real daughter-in-law would still be with us.”
“Mother, must you be so cruel with your words?” Edward retorted, his pride wounded. He was used to being idolized, respected, and feared by others. Being dissected and exposed so crudely by his own mother made him feel cornered and defensive.
But Mrs. Collins felt no need to spare her son the embarrassment. “Cruel? You think I'm being cruel? Tell me, Edward, did you think it was cruel when you destroyed Caroline's life? Did you even think about her when you were rubbing up against her sister behind your fiancée's back?”
The matriarch didn't bother to lower her voice.
Although she knew her son's relationship with Caroline was a broken vessel that could not be mended, she could not contain her anger and indignation.
And the more she thought about what the family had lost, the more she detested Claire. If it weren't for that woman's cheap and calculating seduction, Edward and Caroline would be at the height of their engagement. They would probably be married later this year. And if all went well, she would soon be holding a legitimate grandson and pure heir to the Collins family.
Edward pressed his temples, frustration overflowing. "What's the point of bringing this up again? The past is dead! No matter how much you detest Claire, the child she is expecting is my flesh and blood. She is innocent. I will marry Claire, whether you agree with it or not. I am a man and I have to take responsibility for my actions and my child.
Mrs. Collins stopped pacing the room. An ironic, ice-cold smile curved her painted lips. “I will not prevent you from taking your beloved ‘responsibility.’”