How to Destroy a Cheater Without Saying Goodbye novel Chapter 34

Healy remembered his father's and Miss Jean's warnings and pouted. "I don't know her name."

"You didn't ask her?" Blanche's voice was gentle; she had always trusted Healy. He was an honest, sincere child—never one to lie.

But now, something in her wavered.

Healy faltered, unable to meet her eyes or offer an answer. Blanche's disappointment was palpable as she let go of his hand and stepped away.

She left Tia's room and nearly collided with Eddy and Hedwig in the hallway.

Healy saw the sadness on his mother's face and remembered the sting of his father's slap—a memory that still left him shaken. If Dad knew he'd upset Mom again, there would be more scolding, maybe worse. He couldn't let that happen.

Healy rushed out after Blanche. Right in front of her, Eddy, and Hedwig, he blurted out, "Mom, her name is Lara."

The name slipped out before he realized Eddy was standing there too. Healy froze in place, startled, then stumbled backward and landed on the carpet with a thump.

Blanche's long lashes trembled violently; her eyes widened with shock as she turned to Eddy. In a flash, she grabbed him by the collar, her voice a raw whisper. "Her name is Lara? That little girl's name is Lara?"

Her sorrow seemed to overflow, drowning everything in its path.

She had loved this man for ten years, and now he was doing this to her? Eddy—he had no heart at all.

How dare he ask her to raise his illegitimate child? How dare he let her call herself Clara, how dare he humiliate her and her Lara like this?

Eddy steadied Blanche's trembling body, holding her close and speaking softly. "Honey, if you don't like the name, once we adopt her, you can change it to anything you want."

"Lara? Who's Lara?" Hedwig pulled Healy up and brushed the dust from his clothes, her voice filled with confusion. Why was her sister-in-law so agitated at hearing that name?

Healy kept his head down, not daring to look at Eddy. He'd promised his father never to tell anyone about Lara. Now he'd broken that promise.

"She's a little girl your sister-in-law and I are planning to adopt," Eddy explained politely to Hedwig. "She's about Tia's age, maybe four."

"Oh, I see. Then Tia and Healy will have someone new to play with." Hedwig tried to sound cheerful, determined to chase away the gloom left by Vincent's betrayal, though exhaustion was written all over her face.

As her in-laws chatted, Blanche pushed Eddy away and walked slowly down the corridor toward the stairs. She wiped her tears, determined not to shed another for Eddy. She couldn't bear any more hurt from him. Her legs gave out beneath her, and she collapsed into despair.

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