Chapter 37 Does She Still Love Him?
Even though Candy didn't directly name who she was talking about, Holden understood exactly who she meant.
But...
Holden frowned. It wasn't that he didn't trust Candy's judgment, but when it came to Anne, he couldn't help thinking about their previous arguments. That noble duke's daughter had said she wouldn't stoop to fighting over him, and she didn't want her child to have the Titan family's blood flowing through their veins. Every single word had trampled Holden and his family into the dust.
According to what Anne said, this noble lady, the current duke's pride and joy, probably wouldn't do something like arranging for people to give someone the cold shoulder behind their back.
Holden pressed his lips together. "It shouldn't be her. She's already gone home and has nothing to do with me anymore."
But Candy didn't see it that way. In her eyes, all women in this world except herself were pitiful and pathetic, unable to survive without a man. Someone like Anne, a sheltered flower who had her beloved husband stolen by Candy, would definitely resent her and seek revenge. How could she just do nothing?
She let out a cold laugh. "It's exactly because she went home that she'd feel more and more bitter about it. Think about it - she's a duke's only daughter who couldn't win her husband's affection, and her schemes against others were discovered and stopped by us every time. If you were her, how could you not be angry?"
Hearing this, the old lady also frowned. She looked at Holden, a dark gleam flashing in her eyes. "Could it be that day when we told her we'd send her to a nursing home - she's been holding onto that, wanting to get back at us?"
Candy gasped at those words.
What kind of place was a nursing home? Forget Anne - if someone planned to send her there and she found out, she'd probably be furious and find every way possible to deal with them!
And they had said this right to the face of a noble lady - this was basically grinding Anne and the Virlet family's dignity into the ground!
And the key point was, they would actually send a family woman to a nursing home?
She asked in disbelief, "You were going to send someone to a nursing home? Holden, why didn't you ever tell me?"
If this family really did such things, her father might find another reason to prevent her marriage to Holden once he found out.
Besides, didn't this prove that the Titan family didn't treat their women like human beings at all?
Holden's expression darkened. One reason he hadn't told Candy about this before was because he was afraid she'd think his family would casually dispose of daughters-in-law without giving them proper respect, which someone like Candy, who had military achievements, would definitely find unacceptable.
He quickly grabbed Candy's hand, interlocking their fingers. "Darling, let me explain. At that time we thought she deliberately emptied the Titan family's coffers as revenge. You know how much I love you - my body and heart can't be without you. And you said yourself that she'd go crazy with jealousy and do bad things, so when we found out, I was too angry."
"I was afraid that if she got her way, I wouldn't be able to marry you. My love for you made me lose my rationality, which led to that judgment. But we quickly dropped that idea."
Candy lowered her head, hiding the complicated emotions in her eyes.
While Holden's trust in her greatly satisfied Candy's vanity, his words had also unconsciously revealed that she had discussed her views on Anne with him. If the old lady, another woman with deep schemes, heard this, she might think Candy was trying to drive a wedge between the couple.
But...
Candy glanced at the old lady and saw that she didn't seem to have taken Holden's words to heart. Instead, she was half-covering her face with her feather fan, her gaze falling on the haystack nearby, seemingly still thinking about whether there was a connection between the nursing home and this matter. Candy relaxed a bit and smiled in response.
"Darling, of course I trust you. You'll definitely protect me."
The old lady was indeed thinking, but not about threatening Anne with the nursing home. Her gaze swept over Holden, taking in his muscular chest and young, handsome profile, and she became more convinced this was a plot Anne had planned out of love turned to hate, meant to show Holden how foolish the Titan family was to lose a daughter-in-law with such a powerful background.
But if it was love turned to hate, wasn't it ultimately about the man?
Even though Anne had spoken so righteously before, she had spent three years at home waiting for Holden - how could she not love him?
If Holden was willing to go apologize in person now and say some sweet words, as long as he got her into bed and made her unable to live without him, wouldn't she obediently listen to Holden's requests and have all those nobles look after the family? They could even have another child with Holden, and then they could rise to the top through that child.
By then, forget these minor nobles around them - even that Conor who used to look down his nose at everyone would have to bow and greet her, the grandmother of a duke's grandchild!
The more the old lady thought about it, the more possible it seemed. Her attitude toward Holden softened and she put down her fan. "Holden, come closer. I need to discuss something with you."
Holden, confused, let go of Candy's hand and walked to his mother's side, bending down so she could whisper in his ear.
Satisfied by her son's obedience, the old lady whispered, "If I asked you to ride to the Virlet family's territory right now, how confident are you that you could win Anne over?"
Holden glanced nervously at Candy, making sure she hadn't heard his mother's words, then lowered his voice, somewhat uncomfortable. "Mother, what are you talking about? Anne and I are already divorced."
"So what if you're divorced? Forget that you haven't married Candy yet - even if you had, isn't it common for nobles to have affairs?"
The old lady looked at her son teasingly. "I've been thinking - if Anne really did this, she must still be holding a grudge about the nursing home thing. You were husband and wife after all, so she must still have feelings for you. If you're willing to go apologize and say some nice things, she might let us off the hook."
Holden frowned. "But I only have Candy in my heart, and we're about to get married..."