Chapter 87
"Mommy, when are we going to eat?" Nina ran over happily, breaking the silence. She rubbed against Emily's hand affectionately. "I'm so hungry. I want a big meal."
"Okay, let's go have a big meal." Emily picked up Nina and kissed her soft cheeks twice.
In the past few days, a lot of things had happened that brought her comfort. Although her current efforts weren't enough to take down Brian, even small efforts could lead to big changes. Who was to say that Emily's contributions now wouldn't be the key to her success in the future?
She would just wait quietly for that day, wait for the building to collapse and Brian's true face to be completely exposed.
Emily and William took the children out to eat and didn't return until two hours later.
Aiden was playing with Oscar and Nina in the yard while Emily went back to the living room and made a pot of coffee.
"I'll pour you a cup. Try it."
"Do you have something you want to tell me?" William easily saw through Emily's thoughts, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Just say what's on your mind. I can give you some advice."
"I really can't hide anything from you." Emily smiled with pursed lips and sat down across from William. "Actually, it's not really asking for help. I just want you to help me figure something out."
William frowned slightly.
Emily was still being too polite, making their relationship seem less close than it was.
What he really wanted to hear was Emily talking to him without any reservations, being bold, even rambling, not worrying about any boundaries.
Not like now, distant as if she were a robot, every move carefully measured.
William sighed inwardly and nodded. "What do you want to do?"
"I want to bring my mother here." Emily's expression became noticeably more serious when mentioning her mother.
"You know how Brian tortured my mom. I couldn't help before, but later I sent her to a nursing home, away from all that mess, out of sight, out of mind."
Emily sighed quietly. "In the blink of an eye, my mom has been at the nursing home for quite a while. When I visited her recently, the doctor said she's recovered well. As long as she's not upset, her condition can be controlled."
"She must be bored staying at the nursing home alone, and she misses the children and me. So I want to bring her to live with me, but I don't know if that's the right thing to do."
Emily's eyes were full of uncertainty. "So far, my dad and I have completely fallen out. He won't let me go, and of course, I won't either."
"I'm sure before long, he and I will have a big showdown."
"Actually, I'm mentally prepared. I know what kind of person my dad is, and I know what the consequences will be."
"I'm not afraid of him. I'm just afraid of hurting my mother."
Her heart tightened as she said this.
"My mother is a wonderful person. She shouldn't have to suffer like this. I really feel for her."
"But leaving her alone at the nursing home, I have so many worries. Do you think I should bring my mother here or not?"
Emily had been struggling with this for a long time.
On one hand, she wanted to reunite with her mother. On the other hand, she was afraid this would catch Brian's attention.
Once Brian found he couldn't deal with her, he might target her mother instead, which would backfire.
Emily had been thinking about this for days without making up her mind, which was why she came to ask William's opinion.
After Emily finished speaking, William didn't reply immediately. He looked at Emily for a while and shook his head gently. "Actually, I can feel your hesitation. I know how conflicted you are. If you ask me, you should definitely bring your mother here and let her enjoy family happiness."
William paused, a slight smile appearing on his face, and continued, "When people get older, they care a lot about family. Your mother is no different."
"You just said she's recovered pretty well. Since she can interact with people like a normal person, bringing her here might not be a bad thing."
"Most importantly, you can be with her all the time. Isn't that much better than leaving her at the nursing home?"
"That's true, but I'm really afraid my dad will retaliate against her." Emily said, clenching her teeth. "I hope my mother can have a good life, but the prerequisite is ensuring her safety."
"But honestly, I can't even guarantee my own safety right now. How can I guarantee hers?"
Emily laughed self-mockingly. "But then I thought about it—leaving my mother at the nursing home isn't safe either. If my dad really wants to hurt her, I'd rather have my mother under my nose. That way I can feel more at ease."
"You're right." After listening, William agreed with Emily's thinking. "Then take my advice—do what your heart tells you. I don't think your father would actually hurt you or your mother."
"Why not?" Emily asked curiously.
William just smiled mysteriously without answering.
Why? Of course, because he would use his own resources to protect Emily.
But William didn't plan to say this now.
Because he knew that if he told her, Emily would be grateful, but she would also thank him.
That was the last thing he wanted to hear right now.
Rather than that, he'd keep it secret for now and see what happens.
If someday their relationship could become closer, when Emily thanked him then, he could naturally make his own requests.
He couldn't do that yet, or it would easily backfire, and that would be counterproductive.
Emily kept staring at William, wanting an answer.
But William deliberately kept her guessing and gave a more presentable explanation. "Actually, there's no other reason. I just think your father wouldn't do something that would hurt both sides."
He patiently explained, "You told me before that Brian really cares about his reputation, so he wouldn't easily hurt your mother. But the condition is that you can't push him too hard."
"I understand." Emily's eyes lit up—everything became clear.
If she didn't leave Brian any room to maneuver, he would definitely fight to the death with nothing to lose, and then things would really get out of control.
Emily frowned slightly, her expression thoughtful.
She had to admit William had a point, and this was exactly what she was most worried about.
For now, she couldn't do much to Brian.
"I'll listen to you." Emily nodded.