No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora and Zachary)

Chapter 474 Please Do Not Hate Me

After opening the door, Lenora slipped into her slippers and sank into the couch.

Harrietta followed her quietly, like a shadow, her hands wringing nervously as she stood beside the couch. Her head hung low, a mix of guilt and fear clouding her expression.

"Why won't you go back with the driver? Why did you run off here on your own?" Lenora asked, her gaze flat and unreadable.

Tears welled up in Harrietta's red eyes as she looked up at Lenora with a pitiful expression. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "I don't want to go back."

"Why?"

"Because... a strange lady came looking for me at school, and my classmates saw her. They all started saying that I'm an illegitimate child..." Harrietta's voice cracked, and tears-clear as crystal-began to spill over, tracing down her fair cheeks like falling pearls. She looked up at Lenora, her sobs catching in her throat. Her eyes were swollen and red, her face streaked with tears, and her gaze was hesitant, full of vulnerability. "Aunt Lenora," she pleaded softly, "Please don't hate me. I'll be good, I won't make you angry. I'll take care of your baby... please don't despise me."

As she spoke, another tear slipped down her cheek.

Lenora observed the young girl, who resembled a timid cub, her eyes filled with longing for comfort but also shadowed by a deep fear of rejection. At that moment, Lenora felt a pang of guilt, as if she were a heartless monster.

How could I possibly hate such an adorable and sensible child? She's so reliant on me. How could I possibly bear to hate or abandon her? She's innocent; she has no choice over her background!

Lenora's hand, resting on her lap, slowly clenched into a fist. With a soft breath, she reached out and gently pulled Harrietta close, tenderly wiping away her tears. "Don't cry, Hattie. I don't hate you."

Harrietta nuzzled her hand like a kitten, her eyes brimming with tears. Her nose was red, and she choked out, "Really?"

Lenora's heart melted as she spoke. "Yes. I'm upset with your Uncle Zachary, but I've never once disliked you."

What bothered her was not who the child was, but the fact that Zachary had a child with another woman.

"Aunt Lenora, you're the best!" Harrietta cried, throwing herself into Lenora's embrace, her tears flowing freely. "I don't want to live alone in the Fuller residence. I want to be with you!"

Harrietta had always been well-behaved and sensible, but this was the first time Lenora had seen her cry so loudly, so heartbreakingly.

Lenora's heart ached in response, yet she didn't agree. She could almost picture the look on Sophia's face if she were to give in.

After a moment of thought, Lenora gently spoke, "Hattie, if you stay here, I'm afraid your mom might not agree. How about I call your dad and have him take you back to Galaxy Bay? I promise I'll visit you regularly, okay?" Lenora considered this the best solution. If Harrietta stayed with her, there was no doubt that both Isla and Tamara would make it an issue, and she didn't want to put the girl in the middle of that conflict.

Harrietta lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears. "Aunt Lenora, aren't you going back to Galaxy Bay too? Can't you come with me? The strange lady can control me, but not you and Uncle Zachary. Uncle Zachary's heart belongs to you."

"I don't want to go back for now," Lenora replied softly.

"Why?" The girl blinked, her face filled with confusion.

Aside from Lenora's lingering resentment, there was another reason.

"Your grandmother must have been trying to play matchmaker for your birth mom and your dad, right?" she asked.

Harrietta nodded. "But Grandma is Grandma, Daddy is Daddy, and Uncle Zachary loves you. He's already turned Grandma down."

Lenora spoke earnestly, carefully explaining the situation to Harrietta. "You know, your grandmother has never been fond of me. She's not the type to easily give up, so she would do whatever it takes to keep me and your uncle Zachary apart, even trying to orchestrate a union between your mom and dad. What you may not know is that your grandmother isn't actually your dad's aunt-she's his biological mother, and she has a natural influence over him, much like the strange lady does over you. That's why, to avoid causing any trouble, I've decided not to move back for now."

At present, Lenora had a rather indifferent view of marriage.

She had no intention of remarrying Zachary, so it didn't matter whether they lived together or not. Once the child was born, they could still raise it together.

If she moved in with Zachary, it was inevitable that Isla and Tamara would stir up trouble. Given that she was pregnant, all she wanted now was peace and quiet to properly care for and nurture her unborn child.

It would be better to let them believe she had truly parted ways with Zachary. That way, they would focus on winning him over, rather than interfering with her life.

Harrietta nodded, her brows furrowing slightly in confusion. "But Aunt Lenora, isn't this exactly what Grandma wants? What if that strange lady takes advantage of the situation?"

Lenora smiled calmly. "If your uncle allows that to happen, then he's not worth my affection. I'd simply kick him to the curb."

All right then. Uncle Zachary, you're on your own.

Harrietta fell silent, nuzzling against Lenora's comforting embrace.

With a soft smile, Lenora patted her gently on the shoulder. "All right, go play with Cotton. I'll start dinner. After we eat, I'll have your dad come pick you up."

Harrietta lay in Lenora's arms, unwilling to let go. She glanced around and asked, "Where's Ms. Tortell?"

"She's on a business trip."

"Okay then," Harrietta said softly, slowly easing herself out of Lenora's embrace. "I'll go play with Cotton." While Lenora was cooking, she received a call from Zachary.

"Is Hattie with you right now?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Sorry for the trouble. I'll come pick her up right away," Zachary said, speaking carefully as if worried she might get upset.

"All right, come on over."

Lenora continued to juggle cooking, managing the stir-fry with one hand while flipping the spatula with the other. She awkwardly wedged the phone between her shoulder and ear. "Is there anything else? If not, I'm hanging up." Zachary's heart sank when he heard how quickly Lenora agreed to him coming over to pick up Harrietta.

Harrietta was a constant reminder

of Zachary's past with another woman, like a thorn embedded in Lenora's heart. Every time Lenora saw Harrietta, he imagined that thorn digging deeper. Just as he could accept that Lenora had a child with another man, the thought of that child standing before him was something he could never bring

himself to tolerate.

It seems nearly impossible for them to live together again. The only option left is to leave Hattie at the Fuller residence and visit her as often as I can.

At that moment, a wave of commotion echoed from outside. Zachary's slender fingers quickly pressed a key on the landline, connecting to his secretary's extension. "What's going on?"

"Apologies, Mr. Fuller," the on-duty secretary said, her voice tinged with concern. "Mdm. Fuller insists on seeing you. We tried dissuading her, but she refuses to leave."

It was nearly seven o'clock, well past the end of the workday. Typically, a secretary would remain behind on duty in the office before Zachary got off work.

Zachary frowned. "Let her in."noveldrama

In less than two minutes, Tamara appeared in the office. Zachary sat comfortably in his spacious chair, leaning casually against the backrest, his gaze cool and indifferent as he watched her enter. Tamara sneered, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Zack, you're such a busy man, huh? It's not easy to catch a glimpse of you these days!"

She had invited Zachary to dinner

earlier, but he had turned her down. Undeterred, she had come to the Fuller Group to see him, only to be rejected once more. If it hadn't been for her boldness in making a scene, she doubted she would have been able to see her son at all

Zachary looked up at Tamara, his expression neutral, as if he didn't hear her. "What do you need from me, Mdm. Fuller?" His voice was devoid of emotion, businesslike and dismissive.

Tamara scoffed. "What did you just call me? Mdm. Fuller? So, now you don't even want to acknowledge me as your mother?"

Zachary didn't even flinch. "If there's nothing important, you can leave now. I've got things to handle." With that, he calmly shut down his computer.

"Zack, is this how it's going to be? Are you really cutting ties with me over Lenora?" Tamara's voice was sharp, he eyes narrowing. "All I did was reveal Harrietta's background to you. She's your daughter. What's wrong with letting her acknowledge her roots?"