Chapter 623
Keira was in just as much pain as her son. Her words of comfort were as much for herself as they were for him.
She held him tightly, her tears soaking the shoulder of his shirt. In a single day, she had not only been betrayed by the woman she thought was her daughter but had also learned the cruelest truth of all: her real child had died at birth. The daughter she had raised for decades was a stranger with no blood connection to her.
The pain of it was a physical blow. She had never even had a chance to say goodbye to her own baby, and instead had raised a viper who nearly destroyed them all.
At his mother’s words, Stuart’s composure finally broke. Tears streamed down his face. For twenty years, he had been trapped in his own body. As a son, he had failed to care for his aging mother, instead causing her endless worry. As a husband, he had failed to protect his wife and give her a happy life. And as a father, he had missed his daughter’s entire childhood. The guilt was crushing.
Keira could feel his anguish. She patted his back, her own voice thick with tears. “It’s going to be okay, Stuart. Everything will be okay.” She had once believed he would never wake up, but now, thanks to his daughter, he was back. Surely, her daughter-in-law would return to them too. “The most important thing now is for you to focus on your recovery. Don’t think about anything else. You need your strength to find Carey p>
At the mention of his wife, the dam of Stuart’s emotions burst. “Mom!” he cried out, his voice raw with pain. “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry I failed you, I failed Carey, and I failed Caitlin!” He had failed everyone. He clung to his mother like a small child who had been hurt, his shoulders shaking with twenty years of pent-up grief and regret. Twenty years, wasted. He wasn’t worthy of being a son, a husband, or a father.
If only he had listened to his father’s last words, if only he had been more cautious of Amanda, things might have been different. But he had been too confident, too trusting. Amanda was the sister he had grown up with. Even without a blood bond, he believed their connection was real. He remembered how close they were as children. When she came home from school abroad, she always brought him little gifts. When his mother scolded him, Amanda would be the first to defend him, indulging him unconditionally. Their bond had seemed stronger than that of any biological siblings. How could a sister possibly harm her own brother?
He had never built a wall around his heart where she was concerned. After Ann was born, he had gifted his niece a townhouse. When he took over Gonzales Holdings, he not only cleaned up the financial messes Amanda and her husband had left behind but also gave them a substantial sum to fund their next venture. Even as their investments failed time and again, he continued to support them without complaint, ensuring they never had to worry about money. All he wanted was to see his sister happy.
And his trust had been repaid with blood.
No one could understand the depth of his regret. He had been a fool. They say growth comes at a price, but for Stuart, the cost had been fa too high.
“Mom, it’s all my fault. I was so stupid! I trusted the wrong person. If it wasn’t for me, none of this would have happened p>
Keira wept with him. “No, Stuart, don’t say that. It’s not your fault. It’s mine. I’m the one who raised a viper in our home p>
The two held each other, each taking the blame in a desperate attempt to ease the other’s burden.
Caitlin approached them quietly, holding out a tissue to wipe their tears. “Grandma, Dad, this isn’t your fault. You can’t keep blaming yourselves.” Amanda may not have.
been brood, but she had bot have
raised
by Keira, just like Stuart. Who could have ever predicted that a child you raised with love would turn into a monster?
“Dad,” Caitlin continued softly,
“Grandma’s right. The most
important thing now is to get strong and focus on getting better. I believe Mom is out there somewhere, waiting for us to bring her home.” It was a gut feeling a daughter’s. Intuition. She was sure ofit. Carey was still alive.
“Okay,” Stuart nodded, forcing a small smile. “I’ll listen to you, Caitlin p>
Looking into his daughter’s eyes, he could almost see his wife smiling back at
him.