The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 94

Grandma's words were sharp, dripping with disdain.

"Our family will never accept you," she said, making it clear that Lorraine was unwelcome in every way. To her, Lorraine was the root of every problem, including Xavier's punishment.

She left without giving Lorraine a chance to respond. The air felt heavier as the door closed behind her.

I turned back to Lorraine, watching her expression carefully. Surprisingly, she looked calm. She was more composed than I had expected.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," she said lightly, though the tension in her shoulders suggested otherwise. She wasn't someone who would make a fuss, especially after everything she had endured.

I nodded. "I'll have the driver take you home."

"And you?" she asked. Her voice was soft, but the concern was evident.

I hesitated for a moment. "There are still some things I need to deal with." I offered her a reassuring smile, though my mind was already on what awaited me.

…

Meanwhile, Yvonne was pacing back and forth in her room, seething with anger. Xavier sat quietly nearby, his mood mirroring the gloom that had settled over the house.

"Cole's lost his mind," she fumed, her voice trembling with rage. "How could he do this to his own son?"

What infuriated her even more was the East Harbor land. It wasn't going to Xavier or even Jonas—it had gone to Lorraine. A woman she saw as nothing more than an opportunist.

"He's completely under that woman's spell," she muttered, gripping the edge of the table so tightly her knuckles turned white.

"Mommy, Daddy just wanted me to learn from my mistake," Xavier said quietly, glancing up at her with wide, uncertain eyes.

Yvonne froze, staring at him as though he had just committed treason. "What did you say?"

Xavier hesitated, then said more confidently, "Daddy told me he did it so I wouldn't cause bigger problems in the future. He was trying to teach me."

She smacked the table hard, making him flinch. "So now you're defending him?" Yvonne's voice rose as she found it incredulous.

Since returning, Xavier had been constantly thinking about me.

Now, he showed little interest in Jared, whom he used to like a lot.

He didn't fully understand its significance, but he knew Jared had been stressing over that plot of land for weeks. Yvonne had been so busy with it that she barely had time for him.

And Cole just gave it to Lorraine just like that?

Xavier was starting to reconsider the ideas Yvonne and Jared fed him. Could they be right? Was I doing all this just for Lorraine?

"Xavier, your dad has always favored Jonas. You can't trust anything he says. I'm the one who loves you the most."

"Mommy…" Xavier whispered, his face full of grievance.

He had been terrified in the dark room—not because of the darkness but because he feared my anger and the thought that I might never forgive him.

"Is Daddy really lying to me?"

Yvonne's eyes reddened as if she truly felt sorry for him. "All you need is Jared's and my love."

She leaned close, whispering softly in his ear, "Jared and I will always love you. You don't need your daddy."