Marriage Resumption (Valeria and Hackett)

"This... it's a real mess, Valeria confessed, her uncertainty eviden She didn't want to get entangled in the affairs of these two individuals.

Sherri's voice quivered as she continued, "I'm sorry for barging

like this today. I don't have many friends here in Creyque.

I just needed someone to talk to. But it turns out I don't even have a single friend."

Valeria offered a comforting nod, fully understanding the feelings of isolation and longing.

After a brief pause, Sherri regained her composure and wiped away her tears.

"What about you? Are you considering reconciling with Hacket

Valeria's smile faded for a moment, "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. It doesn't seem necessary to reconcile. I've never really been his preferred choice, or else he wouldn't have been so heartless four years ago. I also have my doubts about whether he genuinely loves me now. Let's keep things as they are, co-parenting Alex."

Indeed, she was at a loss navigating her relationship with Hackett, especially with the added complexity of the Maddox family. Her mind was in complete disarray.

and

"You should follow your heart. Why worry about it so much? If your former husband sincerely seeks reconciliation now, an your heart desires it, go for it. After all, you both share a child." Sherri offered a thoughtful response.

Valeria fell into contemplative silence, pondering her next steps

Could life indeed be this uncomplicated? Valeria didn't dare to contemplate it.

Moreover, with the recent passing of Barron, Hackett was deeply engrossed in the company's affairs, leaving no room to contemplate such matters.

In reality, Sherri's words were tinged with self-interest. She couldn't shake the belief that if Valeria didn't find a stable partner, Keith's heart might never truly find its way back to her.

Sherri's confidence had eroded over the years. She used to boldly declare to anyone who would listen that Keith wouldn't marry anyone but her. Yet, as time passed, that self-assurance had dissipated.

Valeria let out a gentle sigh. "Are you here to convince me to settle with a man sooner?"

It seemed she had caught on to Sherri's underlying message. Valeria's wavering kept Keith's heart in limbo, hindering reconciliation between him and Sherri

"Well, that's not what I meant. I hope that all of us can find a positive resolution."

Valeria let out a wry chuckle, her laughter tinged with irony. "A positive resolution? Then why did you make the wrong choices initially? You must have believed it was the right decision when you decided to marry. But now that you wish to backtrack, Keith hasn't remained in the same place, waiting for you."

As Valeria finished speaking, Sherri grappled with her actions"morality.

"No! It's not like that. I had my reasons for marrying back then. I was pushed into it," Sherri suddenly shouted, vigorously defending herself.

Valeria crossed her arms and leaned back. "Well, you shouldn't have disappeared without a word either. During those years when I first met Keith overseas, he was in a very fragile state, seemingly still immersed in the sorrow of your abandonment. It took him considerable time to recover from the emotional toll of that failed relationship. And now that you've returned. you expect him to embrace you without reservations, without allowing him any time to adjust. Do you think that's fair to him?" Chapter 272

A sudden hush fell between them.

Sherri found herself at a loss for words, acutely aware of the unfairness of her current situation with Keith, especially given her past divorce.

Yet, she felt cornered, with no alternative but to reach out to Keith. Her future appeared bleak otherwise.

Sherri grew agitated and retorted, "What about you then? Is it fair for you to be with Keith? You've not only gone through a divorce, but you also have a child. Being with your former husband might be a better fit!"

Well, you finally spoke your mind, didn't you?

Valeria remarked. "You've finally laid your cards on the table, haven't you? You weren't here to confide in me but to push me into a remarriage so you can have peace of mind."

"It's not like that. I genuinely wanted to confide in you..."

Valeria's patience wore thin as she stood up and said, "Miss Landor, the Cooper family's parents disapprove of you. Keith isn't interested in reconciling with you. My connection to all of this is rather minimal. The situation would remain unchanged even without me." Sherri also fose to her feet, countering. "That's impossible! Without you, Keith's heart wouldn't be fixated on you. He can't let go of you now."

Valeria continued, her voice tinged with scorn, "Even without me, there would be someone else. Do you believe Keith couldn't be interested in anyone other than you? You've been married and divorced. Why should you prevent him from king another woman?"

"You!"

Sherri was about to continue, but Valeria interrupted her abruptly, stating, "If you still wish to speak these pointless words with me, I'm sorry, but I don't want to hear them. I need to get some rest. There are many tasks to attend to tomorrow, Please, leave Sherri stared at Valeria, words on the tip of her tongue, but in the end, frustration forced her to leave in anger.

She had hoped Valeria would empathize with her situation and be more accommodating, but things didn't unfold as expected.

The following day, Valeria arrived at the location chosen by Keith had agreed upon-a quaint coffee shop.

A waiter guided her to a table near the window, where Keith sat alone, savoring his coffee. He had also ordered a latte for her "Valeria, you've arrived."

"Yes," she replied with a smile, sitting beside him and sipping her coffee.

Observing her flushed cheeks, Keith couldn't resist a bit of playful banter, "You don't seem to be in your best shape. Has something good happened?"

"Not really. Things have just been going quite smoothly lately."

She knew the identity of her biological parents, and it had brought her a sense of happiness. Finding out that the gambling addict wasn't her father felt like a tremendous burden had been lified.

The meaning behind her words was a private one, known only to Valeria, but they sounded somewhat discordant to Keith. The meaning behind her words was a private onc, kn

Keith then asked. "Wasn't Hackett planning to get engaged to Elsie? I was all prepared to attend their engagement banquet, but it was abruptly called off. Do you have any idea what happened?" Chapter 272

"Well, I have a rough idea. Valeria took another sip of her coffee before replying.

O!

"Why?" Keith's eyes brimmed with anxiety as he desperately sought answers. He wanted to understand if his suspicions held - had the engagement banquet been canceled because these two were rekindling their romance? Keith involuntarily clenched his fist under the table as the thought gnawed at him.

Valeria, however, needed more time to divulge the real reason. She also wished to keep her biological connection with Clayton a secret, so she remained discreet.

"I did mention that I have a rough idea, but the specifics elude me. It appears to be a mutual decision between them."

"No, you must know more than you're letting on. You're just choosing not to share it with me."

Keith felt a coldness seep into his heart, and he began to suspect that his assumptions were correct. These two seemed to be rekindling their romance, and he could see a glint of happiness in Valeria's eyes. Valeria continued to sip her coffee in silence, tacitly confirming Keith's assumptions.

However, she hadn't anticipated Keith overthinking the situation. She just wasn't ready to disclose her true parentage to the world.