Chapter 251
Chapter 251
Eloise and Valencia talked a bit more. Eloise needed to rest, so Valencia said goodbye and left.
Valencia and Sophia walked out of the bedroom one after the other.
Suddenly, Valencia stopped and called out to Sophia ahead of her.
"Sophia, can you...talk with me for a bit?"
Sophia glanced at her, stayed quiet for a moment, then nodded.
Sophia leaned against the windowsill to steady herself.
Valencia stood across from her, head down. Her lips moved a few times, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.
Sophia suddenly understood and spoke first. "Do you still want to talk me into getting back with Nicholas?"
Valencia was silent for a long while, then slowly nodded.
The warmth on Sophia's face faded bit by bit.
Seeing Sophia's expression change, Valencia got nervous and started stumbling over her words. "Sophia, I don't mean anything else. I'm not trying to guilt you. It's just...you and Nicholas have had it rough all these years, and Eloise needs a complete family. I..."
"You don't have to say it," Sophia cut in. "I already brought up remarrying Nicholas."
Valencia froze, a flicker of hope in her eyes.
"But this time, he turned me down," Sophia said.
That little spark in Valencia's eyes went out right away.
She stood there stunned, like she couldn't process it. It took several seconds before she found her voice again.
"He turned you down? How could he? Is he out of his mind? After all these years..."
"Aunt Valencia," Sophia suddenly called her.
The name stopped Valencia cold.
"Have you ever thought about how Nicholas feels?" Sophia asked.
Valencia opened her mouth on instinct, but didn't know what to say.
"After all this time, you still haven't learned to think about other people's feelings?" Sophia asked.
"You don't have to think about mine. I'm not your daughter, so you don't owe me anything. But what about Nicholas? You've never once tried to see things from his side, have you?"
Valencia clenched her jaw.
"What is he scared of? What is he worried about? Do you know? Have you ever wondered?" Sophia's voice finally carried a trace of anger. "He wants to get back with me so badly, but he forces himself to say no. Do you really understand why?"
Valencia stood frozen.
She suddenly realized she had never really thought about any of this.
She felt ashamed and couldn't bring herself to say another word.
Footsteps with a cane echoed from the stairs. Both women turned to look. Nicholas was slowly making his way up, leaning on his cane.
"What did you just say to her?" Nicholas asked.
Valencia didn't dare answer.
Nicholas didn't need her to.
One look at Sophia's face told him everything.
He slammed his cane on the floor and snapped, "Mom, if you come here again and say the same things, you can forget about ever seeing the kid again."
Valencia's face went white.
"Nicholas! I'm your mother! I only said a few words. Is it really that serious? I flew all the way back from London just to see Eloise. I..."
"It is," Nicholas cut her off.
"Why?" Valencia's voice shook.
"What did I do wrong? I just want you and Sophia to get back together. I want Eloise to have a real family. I want..."
"What you want is for yourself," Nicholas said flatly. "You never once thought about whether Sophia wants it, whether Eloise needs it, or whether I...can handle it."
Valencia paused, then suddenly got angry.
"I know, but that's exactly why I can't..."
She lowered her head as tears fell.
"I already know I was wrong. I just want to make it up..."
Valencia started sobbing.
"All these years you wouldn't see me, and I accepted it. I know I messed up badly! I never thought Natalia was that kind of person, Nicholas! If I'd known she would do that to you..."
"Shut up!" Nicholas exploded.
Ignoring his leg, he stepped forward hard and grabbed Valencia's arm.
"Come outside with me!"
"Nicholas!" Sophia gasped and instinctively tried to stop him.
Nicholas's body swayed. The sudden move was too much for his leg.
But he caught himself before he fell.
He stared at Valencia, eyes bloodshot with real anger.
"Nicholas!" Valencia panicked.
"I was wrong, I really was. Please don't be mad! Your leg..."
"I said, come outside with me," Nicholas growled through clenched teeth.
Sophia watched him nervously, wanting to calm him down but afraid of making it worse, so she stayed quiet.
Nicholas yanked Valencia forward, his own body jerking with the motion.
Worried about his leg, Valencia had no choice but to follow him out.
They walked far into the yard, well out of Sophia's hearing. Nicholas still turned back to check.
Sophia stood by the window, watching them with worry.
But when she met Nicholas's eyes, she understood right away.
He didn't want her to hear whatever he was about to say.
Sophia stepped back twice and waved at him.
She knew what Nicholas wanted to tell Valencia—things he had already told her, the things he no longer planned to hide.
Nicholas smiled at her.
Even from that far away, Sophia could tell his eyes were a little red.
But he held it together and smiled anyway.
Sophia's nose stung. She couldn't keep watching, so she turned and walked away.
Nicholas watched her back disappear, then immediately turned a cold stare on Valencia.
"What the hell were you thinking?" he said icily.
"I've told you countless times—stop bothering Sophia, stop bothering the kid. She's kind enough to let you, her grandmother, see the child, and you push it. You even ask her to get back with me?"
Valencia's tears poured down.
"Nicholas, listen to me. Actually, I..."
"There's nothing to say!" Nicholas roared.
"Do you even know what you were saying just now? You almost dragged up what happened between Natalia and me..."
Nicholas took a deep breath and closed his eyes.
When he opened them, the cold in his gaze was even heavier.
Like a bottomless pit ready to pull Valencia in.
This time, Valencia was truly scared. She stumbled back a step.
"I...I was wrong. I won't say anything like that again! Please, don't look at me like that. I promise, from now on, I'll only come to see the child. I won't say anything else!"
"You think there's going to be a 'from now on'?"