No Remarriage for us Stay Away (Lenora and Zachary)

Chapter 468 Harrietta Was Really His Child

The living room of the Fuller residence was steeped in an eerie silence, the atmosphere heavy and suffocating.

Zachary sat on the single-seater couch, his head lowered. His long, thick eyelashes shielded his eyes, obscuring any hint of what he was thinking.

Since yesterday, when Tamara had confronted him with the truth about Harrietta's origins, a nagging sense of foreboding had settled in Zachary's chest. Deep down, he knew that Harrietta was his daughter. The paternity test was nothing more than his need for certainty. Tamara broke the silence, turning to Harrietta with a soft smile. "Harrietta, you're not an orphan. You have parents. Are you happy?"

Harrietta sat quietly beside Allison, her gaze shifting nervously between Tamara and Isla before briefly meeting Zachary's eyes. She appeared confused, unsure of what to make of the situation.

After Lenora dropped Harrietta off at kindergarten that morning, Zachary called to inform Harrietta that someone would be picking her up to take her to the hospital. After a few drops of blood were drawn, the person then took Harrietta to the Fuller residence. There, Isla introduced herself as Harrietta's mother and began speaking with her. Allison also told Harrietta that she was Zachary's daughter.

Though Harrietta wished she could be her uncle's daughter, she didn't want Isla, the strange and peculiar woman, to be her mother.

After a few moments, Zachary lifted his head and called to her, "Hattie, come to Daddy."

Bewildered, Harrietta blinked and hesitated for a moment before nervously making her way to Zachary's side.

Zachary gently lifted Harrietta onto his lap and quietly asked, "Are you scared?"

He hadn't planned on revealing the truth to Harrietta so soon, but Tamara had insisted it was essential for Harrietta to learn her true identity. Even if Zachary had managed to stop her this time, Tamara would have gone to the kindergarten and told Harrietta everything herself.

Harrietta cast a wary glance at Isla before quickly burying her head into Zachary's embrace. Like a timid little mouse, she gave a barely perceptible nod.

Isla's expression faltered for a brief moment before she said, "I've been absent from Harrietta's life for so long, and for that, I'm truly sorry. I want to bring her home now and take good care of her, shower her with love."

Harrietta was filled with dread. She instinctively clutched onto Zachary's collar. She didn't want to leave Lenora and Zachary, nor did she want to go with the stranger who claimed to be her mother.

"Impossible!" Zachary's voice was firm and unwavering as he gently patted Harrietta's back to comfort her. He lifted his gaze to Isla, his expression resolute. "Hattie is my daughter, and I acknowledge that. But if you're thinking of taking her away, I will never agree." "She's my daughter too!" Isla exclaimed, her voice sharp with frustration.

"The custody is with me," Zachary replied, his tone cold and unyielding.

Isla's anger flared. "She's the child I carried for nine months, the one I painstakingly brought into this world. Just because Lenora can't have children, you think you can take her away from me? Deny her the chance to know her own mother?"

Zachary opened his mouth to speak, but Tamara quickly cut him off. "Zachary, have you considered Lenora's feelings about keeping Hattie? If she finds out that Hattie is your child, do you think she'll stay with you? Will you be able to treat her the same way as before?" Harrietta's face went pale, her lips puckering in distress.

A few days ago, her classmate Paxton had confided in her about a new sister who had joined his family-a child born from his father's affair. Both he and his mother had no affection for the newcomer, seeing her as an unwanted disruption to their lives.noveldrama

Would Aunt Lenora still love me since I'm Uncle Zachary's child with another woman? What should I do if she hates me?

Zachary paused, a brief flicker of pain crossing his eyes.

He couldn't bring himself to imagine how Lenora would react if she discovered that Harrietta was his child. He vividly recalled the tumult of emotions he had felt when he first learned that Lenora had once given birth to a child overseas-an overwhelming sadness, a deep sense of discomfort, and a simmering resentment. Yet, beneath it all, there had been a helplessness, a realization that there was nothing he could do to change the past.

He loved her, so he managed to swallow the bitterness in his heart and accepted the situation.

After his relentless pursuit, Lenora had finally fallen for him. But how deep was her affection? Would it be enough for her to continue loving him once she learned that he had a child with another woman?

Last night, Zachary tossed and turned in bed, his mind racing with a whirlwind of thoughts. As he reflected on his past with Lenora, a sorrowful truth began to settle in his heart-he couldn't find a single reason that Lenora would accept what had happened.

Yet, he had made the decision to keep Harrietta with him at first, only to send her away now that she knew he was her biological father. The thought of it hit him like a punch to the gut-how could he possibly do that to her? It would be a devastating blow, one that would shatter her world.

Seeing Zachary remain silent, Isla quickly pressed on, her voice sharp with conviction. "I've had my issues with Lenora in the past, and I don't. trust her diving with Hattie. There's no way I'll allow Hattie to call her 'Mom refuse to believe that a woman wouldn't harbor resentment toward a child her husband had with another woman. If you want to keep Hattie, you'll have to separate from Lenora. If you won't agree to that, then I'll take Hattie away."

"Zack," Tamara said, her voice persuasive, “since you've accepted Hattie as your daughter, why not consider what I suggested yesterday? Hattie is still young and needs the love of both parents Isla, as the young heiress of the Wilson family, is a perfect match for you in both looks and stature. Why not give it a chance and offer Hattie a

complete childhood?"

Zachary lifted his gaze, briefly scanning Isla before meeting Tamara's eyes. His rejection was calm but firm. "Impossible. Even if Nora can't accept Hattie, even if it means parting ways with her, I would never be with Isla." "You..." Zachary's words hit Isla like a slap, leaving her speechless and humiliated.

Tamara, furious, shot back, "I truly don't understand what kind of hold Lenora has over you! Why can't you let her go?"

"Enough," Allison interjected, stepping in to diffuse the tension. "Hattie will stay with me for a few days. Zack, you should take some time to talk things over with Nora. If she can accept Harrietta, then that's great. If not, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Zachary lowered his gaze, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Understood. Hattie, you'll stay with your great-grandma for the next few days."

Harrietta had worked so hard to make everyone like her. She couldn't bear the thought of being abandoned again.

Her eyes were filled with tears, her

lips trembling as she clung

desperately to Zachary's sleeve. The

pleading in her huge eyes was unmistakable. With a quiver in her

voice, she choked out, ght?

Zachary, you'll come for

me,

I'll be very good, I won't make Aunt Lenora angry..."

You wouldn't leave me here forever, right?

Zachary remained silent. Instead of answering, he pulled her small, fragile form into a tight embrace, holding her close.

She's my biological daughter-so dependent on me, so well-behaved and understanding. How could I possibly bear to abandon her?

As Lenora reached the entrance to the eighteenth floor, she keyed in the password and pushed the door open. A golden ball of fur shot across the room, swiftly darting under the table.

With a resigned chuckle, Lenora crouched down, peering beneath the table. Extending her hand, she called softly, "Cotton, it's me."

The kitten's large, round eyes blinked warily, and it inched forward, sniffing Lenora's fingers from a cautious distance. After a moment, recognizing her scent, it slowly emerged from its hiding spot. Lenora cradled Cotton in her arms, inhaling deeply as she whispered, "Cotton, you're the best."

She then sent a message to Sophia, who returned home earlier than usual after work. Sophia asked curiously, "What brings you here all of a sudden?"

Lenora lowered her gaze, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she contemplated how to answer.

Sophia raised an eyebrow. "Does it have something to do with Tyrant Fuller?"

"Yes."

Sophia was rendered speechless.

"You're so unlucky to have a friend like me," Lenora said, studying Sophia's expression and speaking as though voicing her unspoken thoughts. "You're surprisingly self-aware," said Sophia.