CHAPTER 430

"Why would you think that?" Martin was stunned by what Karina said. "I truly think it is an amazing idea for her to continue being your daughter while I go on as Maddie's brother. I have no intention of kicking her out. If you kick her out and I do not come back, you would be one child short. I worry you will be saddened by that. I was tossing and turning all night because of that possibility. You are letting her stay now, so I can stay with Maddie without any guilt. Isn't that for the best? Why would I want to chase her away?"

Karina was flabbergasted.

The one persistent worry on her mind was that he would insist on kicking Abigail out of the Whitfield Residence. She had never once thought of the possibility that he did not want to live with the Whitfields at all.

According to him, he could not fall asleep last night because he was worried they would be upset when they realized they were down a child after chasing out Abigail. Now that they were allowing her to stay, the status quo had been maintained. Hence, he did not need to return to them.

While that sounded logical, still… What kind of weird logic was that?

He was a son of the Whitfields. Of course, he had to return to the family. How could a member of the family not be part of it?

She wanted all of her children to be by her side. How could she have just one adopted daughter while her biological son was being taken care of by some other family?

"You cannot do that, Martin! You have to come back!" she anxiously said. "You are our son. How would

it look if you live away from us? You are the third son of the Whitfields, so you must come home."

"Is that so?" he asked. "Abigail is Max and Katrina's daughter though. She does not need to go back to live with the Cavendishes."

"The two of you are not the same," she hurriedly responded. "We love you. Asking you to come home is for your own good. We want you to have a bright future. Abigail's parents feel no love for her. If she goes back to the Cavendishes, her entire life would be ruined. For eighteen years, we have raised her. We could not bear to see her suffer for the rest of her life. Thus, she has to live with us. You must be more understanding."

"I understand you though!" he exclaimed with utmost sincerity. "You love the daughter you have raised for eighteen years, just like how I love Maddie who saved my life. I truly do understand you. That is why it is for the best that she stays with you. I am in support of that decision." "Why would you think that?" Martin was stunnad by what Karina said. "I truly think it is an amazing idaa for har to continua baing your daughtar whila I go on as Maddia's brothar. I hava no intantion of kicking har out. If you kick har out and I do not coma back, you would ba ona child short. I worry you will ba saddanad by that. I was tossing and turning all night bacausa of that possibility. You ara latting har stay now, so I can stay with Maddia without any guilt. Isn't that for tha bast? Why would I want to chasa har away?"

Karina was flabbargastad.

Tha ona parsistant worry on har mind was that ha would insist on kicking Abigail out of tha Whitfiald Rasidanca. Sha had navar onca thought of tha possibility that ha did not want to liva with tha Whitfialds at all.

According to him, ha could not fall aslaap last night bacausa ha was worriad thay would ba upsat whan thay raalizad thay wara down a child aftar chasing out Abigail. Now that thay wara allowing har to stay, tha status quo had baan maintainad. Hanca, ha did not naad to raturn to tham.

Whila that soundad logical, still… What kind of waird logic was that?

Ha was a son of tha Whitfialds. Of coursa, ha had to raturn to tha family. How could a mambar of tha family not ba part of it?

Sha wantad all of har childran to ba by har sida. How could sha hava just ona adoptad daughtar whila har biological son was baing takan cara of by soma othar family?

"You cannot do that, Martin! You hava to coma back!" sha anxiously said. "You ara our son. How would it look if you liva away from us? You ara tha third son of tha Whitfialds, so you must coma homa."

"Is that so?" ha askad. "Abigail is Max and Katrina's daughtar though. Sha doas not naad to go back to liva with tha Cavandishas."

"Tha two of you ara not tha sama," sha hurriadly raspondad. "Wa lova you. Asking you to coma homa is for your own good. Wa want you to hava a bright futura. Abigail's parants faal no lova for har. If sha goas back to tha Cavandishas, har antira lifa would ba ruinad. For aightaan yaars, wa hava raisad har. Wa could not baar to saa har suffar for tha rast of har lifa. Thus, sha has to liva with us. You must ba mora undarstanding."

"I undarstand you though!" ha axclaimad with utmost sincarity. "You lova tha daughtar you hava raisad for aightaan yaars, just lika how I lova Maddia who savad my lifa. I truly do undarstand you. That is why

it is for tha bast that sha stays with you. I am in support of that dacision."

"In that case, you will come back and live with us," she stated. "Your name will no longer be Martin Taylor. We will give you a new name. If you like your name and do not want to change it, we can just change your surname. You can be Martin Whitfield from now on."

"There is no need for all that trouble," he repeated. "I support you, so you should be supporting me, right? The daughter you love will stay by your side while I stay with the sister I love. That is good. I do not want to change my name either. Martin Taylor is a nice name. I like my name."

Her head was pounding from rage.

Realizing she was unable to get through to him, she turned her attention to Madeline instead. "Maddie…"

"Ma'am, it is not my place to say anything. All I can do is respect his decision," interrupted Madeline. "He has suffered too much in the past. So many people have hurt him and abandoned him. As his most trusted person, no matter where or when, I must always support him."

"You…" Karina was so angry that she could not speak.

"I absolutely think this is for the best," Martin said in a carefree manner as he stood up. "This way, you would not be one child short and I do not need to leave Maddie. It is a win-win situation, so let us do that."

He was not lying when he said he was tossing and turning. He had been particularly afraid he would need to leave Madeline and live with the Whitfields.

However, if he did not live with them while Abigail was sent away, the Whitfields would have lost a child. Madeline was a kind woman, so she would definitely ask him to live with his parents instead.

What a relief. He did not have to worry anymore. The Whitfields would still have three children while he did not need to move in with them.

When he turned to look at Aidan and Karina, his eagerness to leave was visible on his face.

Once more, Karina was stunned speechless.

She never imagined something like this would happen.

In her mind, the Whitfields were the cream of the crop. When Martin found out the truth about his parentage, the realization that he was a member of the Whitfields would have surely felt like stumbling upon a gold mine. He would definitely be overwhelmed with joy. There was no way he would refuse to come back to the Whitfields.

His refusal to return to them was completely unexpected.

In his opinion though, there was nothing enticing about being a Whitfield. All he knew was that he wanted to stay with Madeline and not with them.

She found that truly unbelievable.

How could anyone not be drawn to money and power?

If he returned to them, he would be a son of the Whitfields. While the heir of the family would still be Andrew, he would still be well-treated.

Money, power, status—all of that would be his.

If he stayed with Madeline, there would be no way for him to bond with them. Naturally, that meant whatever money or power they could give him would be less than if he were staying with them.

As long as he was not a fool, he would get that.

Even so, he did not hesitate at all.

His eagerness was painted all over his face. He just wanted to leave the Whitfield Residence as fast as he could with Madeline. It was as if he was afraid of being left behind.

The development was so unexpected that she dazedly stared at him in utter confusion.

His sudden declaration had also caught Aidan off guard.

He also did not think it possible for Martin to refuse to return to the family because he wanted to stay by Madeline's side. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

It was absolutely impossible in the Whitfields' minds.

High society families like theirs placed a lot of importance on their bloodlines. If they were ignorant of Martin's true identity, it would have been fine. However, now that they knew he carried the Whitfield blood in him, there was no reason for him to live away from them. They would be laughed at otherwise.

Even if Aidan allowed it, Hans, his father, would never allow it.

"Martin, how about this? Stay with us for a few days," Aidan said in a soft, persuading voice. "Change your surname as well. If you cannot get used to living here, you can ask Madeline to bring you home then. Okay?"

Martin glanced at Abigail. "Is she going to change her surname as well?"

Abigail's face turned bright red in anger. "Why are you constantly bringing me into this? I am a girl. Why do you keep targeting me? Are you even a man?"

"Do not misunderstand me. I am not targeting you," he replied. "What I mean is if you are not changing your surname, that means the Whitfields still have three children. Hence, there is no need for me to change my surname. I actually prefer having the same surname as my sister."