One night stand with my president (chapter 459)

 Chapter 459: He Trusted No One

Alondra suddenly burst into tears.

"Did Mommy really leave? Did she really go back to Yewhaina? Daddy, please-don't let her go. Can’t e go with her?"

As soon as Edward stepped out of the bathroom, Alondra threw herself at him, clutching his sleeve and begging, "Daddy, I want Mommy! I don't want to stay here anymore! Let's just go back with her!"

"And what about me?" Edward looked down at her. "Don't you want me anymore?"

Alondra didn't know how to answer.

Asking a child to choose between her parents was too cruel.

Edward stroked her hair gently. "Alondra, your mom's gone. That's a fact, and it's not going to change. You'll never see her again... So forget about her."

Alondra sobbed harder.

Edward, on the other hand, was calm.

The drive back had given him time to settle down.

It was done. Britney was dead and buried.

No one would know.

No one cared enough about Britney to question it.

And now that she was out of the picture, nothing would stop him from staying in the Thomson family.

"Come on. Let's go home."

When they passed the front desk, Edward hesitated and then said, "Room 302-checking out."

The clerk recognized him. He'd stayed there many times before.

"Checking out already? Hey, where's your wife? The kid's been crying nonstop."

"She left for overseas," Edward replied with a casual smile. "The little one's just upset-can't bear to see her go."

"Ah, I see."

The receptionist didn't think much of it.

Once the check-out was done, Edward left with Alondra.

"Better to do it openly," he thought.

No loose ends. No suspicious gaps.

By the time anyone thought to ask, they'd be long forgotten.

On the drive back to the Thomson mansion, Alondra kept crying.

Edward tried to comfort her at first, then gave up.

She's just a kid. Give her some toys and some sweets, and she would forget in a few days.

Back at the mansion, Lorenzo was sitting in the living room, sipping coffee.

"Dad," Edward greeted him, smiling.

With Britney "taken care of,' he figured Lorenzo would be pleased.

Lorenzo lifted his eyes, gaze falling on them.

His expression was unreadable.

Suddenly, Edward felt uneasy.

But he kept the smile on. "Dad, Alondra's mother has already gone back to Yewhaina. You didn't want her in the Thomson family-I understand that now. I won't be impulsive like before. From now on, I'll follow your lead."

Lorenzo set his cup down, silent.

He looked at Alondra, her face streaked with tears. "The child's crying like this, and you don't care?"

Edward blinked, like he'd just noticed her.

"She misses her Mom, that's all," he said awkwardly. "I told her not to cry, but she wouldn't listen."

Lorenzo stared at him. There was grief in his eyes.

This was his son, selfish and ruthless, always

putting himself first, no matter who he hurt.

"Dad, why are you looking at me like that?"

Edward's voice faltered.

Footsteps echoed behind him.

Edward turned.

Harrison had entered.

Without even glancing at Edward, he walked straight to Lorenzo.

"Grandfather."

Lorenzo nodded. "Sit."

Harrison sat across from them, calm as ever.

Lorenzo had called him earlier, asking him to come.

Adeline had offered to accompany him, but he didn't want her to worry, and he definitely didn't want her running into Marshall, so he came alone.

"Harrison, what are you doing here?" Edward asked, his smile strained.

He had just seen Harrison yesterday.

Why was he back already?

And from the looks of it, it seemed he came back for Edward.

Harrison ignored him, his eyes falling instead on Alondra, who was still sniffling quietly beside her father.

Edward's nerves were starting to unravel.

"That woman," Lorenzo asked, "she really left?"

"Yes," Edward nodded quickly. "She's already back in Yewhaina."

"You made her leave?"

Edward forced a chuckle. "She knew she didn't belong in the Thomson family. We had a little fight, but in the end, she understood. For the sake of the child, she left."

Yeah right. Britney hadn't given a damn about the child in the end.

But he couldn't exactly tell them he'd murdered her.

He couldn't tell anyone.

He didn't trust anyone, so he could only make up a story.

"She has been with you for ten years," Lorenzo said, eyes locked on him. "And you just let her go? No guilt? No hesitation?"

Edward was confused.

Wait-wasn't that what you wanted, Dad?

"Don't worry," Edward assured him. "She promised me she wouldn't come back. She won't do anything to harm the Thomson family's reputation."

"Alondra," Harrison said suddenly. "Come here."

Sniffling, Alondra walked over and stood beside him.

Edward was left standing alone.

"Dad, you..."

Lorenzo hurled his coffee cup at Edward's feet.

Edward jumped back, startled.

"Are you really my son?" Lorenzo's voice trembled with rage. "How can you be this selfish? You have not changed at all!"

"Dad, I... I didn't..."

"Didn't?" Lorenzo cut him off. "You abandoned your wife and child once. And now you've done it again. Do you even care about anyone besides yourself? Do you even see the people who gave everything for you?"

Edward felt something drop in his chest.

His voice quivered. "You mean... you never actually wanted me to send her away?"

Lorenzo's expression was pure disappointment.

"Ten years ago, you left Myra and Harrison behind-for what? Freedom?" he said bitterly.

"And now, for wealth and comfort, you discard the woman who stood by you for over a decade."

He shook his head. "I'm starting to wonder... if I had told you I didn't want Alondra in this house, would you have cast her aside, too?"

Alondra froze, tears glistening on her cheeks.

She looked up at Edward, confused and scared.

She looked up at Edward, confused and scared.

Edward couldn't meet her eyes.

He didn't want to admit it, but deep down, he knew if Lorenzo had said it, he really might've done it.

So what now? Was Lorenzo going to cast him out instead?