Faux Vows, True Desires

Chapter 237

"Elisa's gone, and yeah, she did take your daughter away. But now your daughter's back. I'm your real daughter, your precious one, your Lucy."

Lucinda dropped to her knees, clutching Janice's legs, crying her eyes out.

"Lucy."

"Lucy."

Janice, Fiona, and Jeannie were all calling Lucinda's name. Fiona and Jeannie bent down to try to help Lucinda up.

"Lucy, give Janice some time. Don't push her. She's been out of her mind for over twenty years; it's not something she can snap out of in a few days."

Fiona tried to comfort Lucinda while helping her up. It was such a heartbreaking sight.

Janice, driven mad by the loss of her daughter, had been living in a daze for over two decades. Now reunited with her daughter, Janice could not recognize her. Even though she was calling out "Lucy", she couldn't tell who Lucy was.

Lucinda's heartbreak was understandable to everyone.

Janice, head lowered, tried to help Lucinda up.

With their help, Lucinda stood up, turned around, and hugged Fiona tightly, her tears soaking Fiona's clothes.

Janice stared blankly at Lucinda, her eyes filled with sympathy and helplessness. Eventually, she bent down to pick up the doll, holding it as she spaced out.

Lucinda had a breakdown for a while, but under Fiona's silent comforting, her emotions gradually stabilized.

Wiping away her tears, she apologized, saying, "I'm sorry you had to see me like this. I really couldn't control myself."

"I understand, really." Jeannie lightly patted her arm, comforting her: "Lucy, don't rush things. Janice needs time to recover."

Lucinda responded painfully, "I know she needs time, but I really can't control myself."

Seeing Janice space out with the doll, Lucinda was filled with heartache. She approached Janice, took her arm, and, though her face was still streaked with tears, she managed a smile, saying, "Mom, I was wrong before. I shouldn't have taken your baby. I was just jealous that you cared more about it than me. I won't do it again. Don't be mad, Mom."

Janice didn't say anything. She just stared blankly at Lucinda, then at the doll, and slowly walked towards the house.

Everyone hurried to follow her inside.

The room was filled with Lucinda's elders.

Everyone wanted to greet Janice when they saw her come in, but seeing her state, they remained silent. They just watched as Janice walked past them, straight up the stairs.

Lucinda followed Janice upstairs, watching as she walked blankly into her room, closed the door, and locked it.

Lucinda knocked on the door, but Janice ignored her and didn't open the door.

"Lucy," Jeannie stood behind her, whispering, "let Janice have some peace. It seems like she's starting to come to her senses. Let her calm down and sort out her memories. Some memories might be too painful for her, things she's been avoiding all these years."

"I believe she'll get through this," Lucinda said, nodding in agreement.

Janice's madness was the result of the unbearable pain of losing her daughter and her inability to face reality. Because of this, Janice's memory stopped when Lucinda was half a year old. The things she talked about with Lucinda were all events from before Lucinda turned half a year old.

The fact that Elisa took Lucinda away was something Janice could never accept.

"Let's go downstairs; let Janice have some peace."

Jeannie put her arm around Lucinda's shoulder and led her downstairs.

Although this was the first time Lucinda and Jeannie had met, they were as close as mother and daughter.

Due to Janice's state, Lucinda felt down. She tried her best to maintain her composure and politeness so as not to embarrass herself in front of her elders.

By the time Stefan came back, it was already past eight in the evening. He brought Ike and Keith back with him.

Stefan arrived at this time because he had gone to the airport to pick up Keith.

Ike had come on his own and ran into Stefan on the way, so they came back together.

Seeing his parents back, Stefan casually led Ike and Keith over.

"Dad, Mom, you're back."

"Mm."

Jeannie responded, looking at Keith and Ike. She immediately recognized Ike as a member of the Moore family. Her face lit up with a smile, and she looked at Ike with even more affection than she did at Stefan.

Then she looked at Keith, frowning, and said, "Baird, did you get plastic surgery? You look different."

Stefan laughed and spilled the beans: "Mom, this isn't Baird: this is Keith from the Blue family."

After seeing Nathan, Keith returned to Pinehurst.

Although the round trip was tiring, he was happy to do it.

Stefan quickly introduced Ike and Keith to his parents.

Frederick rarely praised, saying, "Both are fine young men."

Ike laughed, saying, "Mr. Anderson flatters me. Compared to Stefan, I'm just an average Joe."

"I can't compare to Stefan either." Keith also laughed. He was usually a serious person and didn't like to laugh, but Ike's self-deprecating humor made him laugh.

Lucinda was so well-raised because the members of the Moore family were all very good and interesting to talk to.

Jeannie laughed, looking at Ike, saying, "Lucinda's brother Keith and Baird look very similar. I thought Baird had gotten plastic surgery."

Jeannie laughed, saying, "They really do look alike."

"That's Tiffany's makeup on him. I asked her to make him look like Baird," Stefan added.

"So it's Tiffany's makeup." Jeannie suddenly realized, no longer surprised. Clearly, Tiffany's skills were well appreciated by the Anderson family.

"Have y'all eaten yet? If not, I can have the kitchen whip up something for you."

"Mr. Anderson, Ms. Coleman, I've eaten, but Stefan and Keith probably haven't."

Ike showed up after he'd finished eating.

Jeannie was busy getting food ready for Stefan.

Stefan checked with the four elders, and finding out they'd hit the hay, he didn't bother them. Finally, he asked, "Mom, where's Lucy?"

There's no need for much explanation or questioning between mother and son. As soon as the parents were home, they'd be in the know about all things Stefan and Lucinda. Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

"She's upstairs. Janice has locked herself in her room; she even refused dinner. Lucy's worried sick, and I’m trying to talk her out of it."

Jeannie finished explaining and let out a sigh.

Hearing that, Keith bolted upstairs.

Without any hesitation, Stefan and Ike followed suit.

"Honey, my heart aches for Lucy." Jeannie sat down and let out a long sigh. "Keith too; he breaks my heart even more. I hope God will be kind to them, let Janice come to her senses sooner, and really recognize Lucy. Seeing Lucy so heartbroken, Stefan would be devastated if he saw."

"It'll get better." Frederick sighed.