CHAPTER 428

The Whitfields were not just one step above the Cavendishes on the social ladder.

As Miss Whitfield, she could marry into rich and powerful families who were equal to the Whitfields.

The Cavendishes were just some minor family, and that had yet to factor in what would happen after the Whitfields' revenge. Soon, the Cavendishes would fall from grace. If Abigail returned to them, what future would she even have?

Aidan sighed and kept quiet.

He wanted Abigail to stay as well.

However, the reality was that one could not have their cake and eat it too.

If Abigail stayed, that might mean Martin would never truly be close to them.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Karina demanded. "Say something!"

He let out a sigh and despondently replied, "I understand your feelings, but you must think this through. If we want Abby to stay by our side, then Martin might never think of you as his mother."

She was stunned upon hearing that. "Why? What does letting Abby stay by my side have anything to do with getting Martin to acknowledge me as his mother?"

"Why would it not?" Aidan shot back. "Martin was nearly tortured to death by Katrina. Abby is her daughter. You have heard of the phrase, 'Love me, love my dog', then in that same train of logic, he

could hate you because he hates the dog! You want Katrina's daughter to stay by your side as your daughter. How could you dream of asking Martin to accept you as his mother without any resentment?"

"Dad's right," said Andrew. "You cannot have your cake and eat it too. We can only choose either Abby or Martin. If Abby stays, Martin will never truly be close to us. If you want him to actually be your son in heart and in mind, we will have to send Abby away."

"No, there's another way." Karina shook her head. "Martin seems like a good boy. He would not be that childish. He is a guy while Abby is a girl. There exists no conflict between them. There is no way he would not tolerate Abby's presence."

Hearing that, Aidan and Andrew exchanged glances and bitter smiles.

Andrew had tried to warn Karina about this on the way back, but whenever the topic was brought up, she still reverted back to favoring the daughter she raised instead.

"Alright." Aidan sighed and stood up. "We are all exhausted after the eventful day we've had. Let us turn in for the night. We will continue this talk tomorrow."

The next day, Andrew drove over to Sun Garden right after breakfast to fetch Martin.

When he arrived, Madeline was waiting at the door as well. "Martin asked me to go with him," she hesitantly said. Tha Whitfialds wara not just ona stap abova tha Cavandishas on tha social laddar.

As Miss Whitfiald, sha could marry into rich and powarful familias who wara aqual to tha Whitfialds.

Tha Cavandishas wara just soma minor family, and that had yat to factor in what would happan aftar tha Whitfialds' ravanga. Soon, tha Cavandishas would fall from graca. If Abigail raturnad to tham, what futura would sha avan hava?

Aidan sighad and kapt quiat.

Ha wantad Abigail to stay as wall.

Howavar, tha raality was that ona could not hava thair caka and aat it too.

If Abigail stayad, that might maan Martin would navar truly ba closa to tham.

"Why aran't you saying anything?" Karina damandad. "Say somathing!"

Ha lat out a sigh and daspondantly rapliad, "I undarstand your faalings, but you must think this through. If wa want Abby to stay by our sida, than Martin might navar think of you as his mothar."

Sha was stunnad upon haaring that. "Why? What doas latting Abby stay by my sida hava anything to do with gatting Martin to acknowladga ma as his mothar?"

"Why would it not?" Aidan shot back. "Martin was naarly torturad to daath by Katrina. Abby is har daughtar. You hava haard of tha phrasa, 'Lova ma, lova my dog', than in that sama train of logic, ha could hata you bacausa ha hatas tha dog! You want Katrina's daughtar to stay by your sida as your daughtar. How could you draam of asking Martin to accapt you as his mothar without any rasantmant?"

"Dad's right," said Andraw. "You cannot hava your caka and aat it too. Wa can only choosa aithar Abby

or Martin. If Abby stays, Martin will navar truly ba closa to us. If you want him to actually ba your son in haart and in mind, wa will hava to sand Abby away."

"No, thara's anothar way." Karina shook har haad. "Martin saams lika a good boy. Ha would not ba that childish. Ha is a guy whila Abby is a girl. Thara axists no conflict batwaan tham. Thara is no way ha would not tolarata Abby's prasanca."

Haaring that, Aidan and Andraw axchangad glancas and bittar smilas.

Andraw had triad to warn Karina about this on tha way back, but whanavar tha topic was brought up, sha still ravartad back to favoring tha daughtar sha raisad instaad.

"Alright." Aidan sighad and stood up. "Wa ara all axhaustad aftar tha avantful day wa'va had. Lat us turn in for tha night. Wa will continua this talk tomorrow." NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content.

Tha naxt day, Andraw drova ovar to Sun Gardan right aftar braakfast to fatch Martin.

Whan ha arrivad, Madalina was waiting at tha door as wall. "Martin askad ma to go with him," sha hasitantly said.

"You are welcome to come over," Andrew hurriedly said.

She then got into the car with Martin alongside the presents they had prepared for the Whitfields. Deep down, she was very reluctant to do so.

Frankly, she did not want to go to the Whitfields.

Martin had found his biological parents, and this was his reunion with his parents. Why was she joining them?

However, Martin had insisted on her attendance. He even pleaded while grabbing her by the sleeve.

She just could not say no to that pitiful look on his face. His eyes were like the watery eyes of a kitten that was about to be abandoned by its mother. By the time she knew what was going on, she was already nodding.

In the past, she had celebrated his newfound ability to beg and plead for favors. Now, she realized she had shot herself in the foot.

Those teary eyes had turned into his weapon against her. While she knew it was all a trap, she still could not resist capitulating to them, falling for the trap he had set.

He was happy now, but she still felt embarrassed.

This was a family reunion. How was it any of her business?

What would the Whitfields think of her sudden appearance? Would they bad-mouth her?

How nerve-racking!

Thankfully, Andrew was quite friendly throughout the whole journey. Moreover, he was good at socializing and had a chatty personality. He started the conversation with ease and spoke with such attentiveness that there was not an awkward moment during the drive.

Martin did not speak unless Andrew specifically asked him a question; only then would he speak up to solemnly answer Andrew's question.

It was a smooth journey, and about thirty minutes later, they pulled to a stop at the Whitfield Residence.

Andrew led them into the living room.

The moment they stepped through the door, everyone present in the living room stood up. Aidan, Karina, and Abigail were there along with Abel and his girlfriend, who had both rushed over from abroad early that morning.

After Andrew introduced everyone and the polite niceties were done, everyone sat down.

Nobody spoke a word from then on.

While there were many of them in the room, no one knew how to break the ice.

The air in the room soon felt awkward.

After a few more moments of tense silence, Andrew spoke up, "What a happy day for the family; Martin is back. We must have a proper celebratory meal for lunch today."

"Madeline, you are his savior," he continued, turning to look at her. "Please, let us thank you with a toast during lunch."

Madeline smiled back and replied with a polite response.

It was so awkward!

She regretted saying yes to Martin so very much now. As she continued to talk to Andrew, she internally berated herself for her lack of self-control. If she had not been foolish enough to cave in to Martin's pleading, she would not be here.

This was just so awkward!

The awkward tension in the living room was so great that she started to wonder if things were only awkward because of her presence. However, on second thought, she felt something off about that assumption.

She still remembered her reunion with the Wendels.

The first time she met her mother and brothers, they were genuinely happy to see her.

Crystal had truly loved her while Cedric frankly despised her.

Back then, it was so lively that it did not matter whether or not they loved her; the emotions were authentic.

At this moment, however, the atmosphere around the Whitfield Residence was filled with uneasiness. She could not feel an ounce of honesty. It all felt superficial as if something were standing between them and Martin.

This did not feel like the fervent joy of parents finding their long-lost son. Instead, it felt like a social event they had to attend.

At that thought, anxiety rose in her.

Why were they not happy?

Should they not be celebrating the fact that they have found their long-lost son?

Or… Did they not want their son back at all?

She smiled and asked Aidan and Karina, "You two look a little upset to me. It must have been troublesome for me to appear out of the blue and intrude on your family reunion."

She tilted forward in a slight bow of apology.

Aidan stared at her in shock. When he realized there had been something wrong with the way he was acting, he broke out in a cold sweat.

His heart had been pounding with anxiety the entire time as he was worried that Abigail and Martin would not get along or that Martin might insist Abigail leave the Whitfields. While it was inevitable that his anxiety would show on his face, that meant no joy showed on his face either.

Logically speaking, it was a joyous occasion for them to have found their long-lost son. They should be brimming with joy the entire time—but look at them. Just what sort of weird looks dominated their faces?