Mark was no impulsive man; his current position was a testament to that.
Even in the face of love, the woman he deeply admired and his own flesh and blood, he retained his composure.
There were just too many aspects to consider.
After finishing his cigarette, he seemed to have weighed all possibilities and asked her softly, “Have you made your decision?”
Cecilia confirmed her decision.
Mark approached her, raising his hand with the intention of caressing her hair as he had done before. Yet, he hesitated and his hand remained suspended in the air…
After a prolonged moment, in a husky voice, he inquired, “Was it difficult for you out there on your own for two years?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
Mark didn’t say another word; he simply enveloped her in his arms.
It was a hug with no sexual desire. He held her tenderly, consoling her silently, much like an elder concerned for a younger one…
Such tenderness acted as a poison to her heart.
Cecilia didn’t want to be entranced by this affection, so she gently pushed him away and asserted, “From now on, we are only Edwin’s parents.”
Mark didn’t press the matter.
Under the shadow of the curtain, he said in a hushed tone, “Cecilia, when I was with you, there was no one else.”
Cecilia appeared visibly surprised but then a smile graced her lips. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Mark and Cecilia voiced their decision.
Zoey was furious and deemed her son irresponsible.
However, the atmosphere within the Fowler family remained tranquil.
Korbyn gracefully accepted the compensation offered by Mark for Cecilia and the alimony for Edwin, deeming it as what a responsible man should provide.
Speaking to Zoey, Korbyn expressed, “It’s their lives, and their decision to make. Besides, I don’t believe they harbor any lingering feelings for each other after all this time… We’re still family. If you wish to see Edwin, we won’t stand in your way.”
Zoey felt somewhat disheartened.
Juliette exhibited her warmth and hospitality by inviting Zoey to stay at the Fowlers’ house for a few more days.
As for Mark, he found himself entangled in a busy schedule and had to hasten back to Czanch in the afternoon.
That was the current state of affairs.