Chapter 481

May sighed. "You're too naive. Some people never make up with their parents. Sometimes it's better to let go."

Susan frowned. "May, it sounds like you don't want me to reconcile with my parents."

Wasn't she supposed to help?

May felt hurt and quickly denied it. "Of course, I want you to reconcile. I want nothing more."

"Then help me."

"How? By making Dad even angrier?" May's tone turned sour. "Susan, you're only thinking about your feelings, not Dad's health. You're being selfish. I truly care about Dad."

"But what about my feelings?" Susan shot back. "I can't go home or acknowledge my parents. I don't want Oliver to feel like an orphan when he has family."

"That's on you. If you hadn't become a mistress and gotten pregnant, you wouldn't be in this mess," May said sternly. "You made your bed, and now you blame Dad for being harsh?"

"Do you know the Bailey family caused a scene at school, making your affair public? Dad was so embarrassed. As the principal, he lost all respect. Some students even insulted him, saying he failed as a father and calling him a hypocrite. He got sick because of it."

Susan felt heartbroken and guilty.

"This is all your doing, and you want Dad to bear the consequences. How can he forgive you?"

"But it can't go on like this. I've paid for my mistakes for four years. Isn't that enough? I want to make amends."

May shook her head. "The best way to make amends is to stay away from Mom and Dad. I'll take care of them."

Susan grew more upset. "I am their biological daughter."

May, already sensitive, snapped back. "What are you saying? That I'm not their real daughter and don't matter?"

"May, how could you think that?" Susan was shocked.

"I know you only see me as a cousin, not a real sister."

"May..."

"No need to explain. I get it," May interrupted. "Whether you see me as family or not, I see Mom and Dad as my parents, and I won't let anyone hurt Dad, not even you."

"Susan, if you really care about them, stop bothering them. You're being too selfish."

With that, May got up and left.

"Aunt May, are you leaving already?"

"Aunt May, when is Grandma coming? Aunt May?"

Oliver turned to Susan. "Mommy, is it because I'm not good that Aunt May doesn't like me?"

Susan forced a smile despite her disappointment. "No, she likes you very much."

"But Aunt May ignores me."

"She's just like that, but she really likes you. Don't overthink it."

"Oh." Oliver pouted. He sensed May's coldness and knew there was a rift between his mom and grandparents, but he believed love could fix everything, and he would work hard with his mom.

Downstairs in the hospital room, broken vase pieces were scattered everywhere.

Maurice was fuming, his face pale with rage. "I've cut ties with her, and you still saw her behind my back. If May hadn't told me, I'd be clueless. Do you think you can fool me?"

Carol, despite running a successful music studio, was a typical good wife and loving mother. Faced with her husband's scolding, she felt uneasy and lowered her head. "Maurice, please don't be angry..."

"If you didn't want me angry, you shouldn't have gone against me. Tell me, have you met them behind my back before?"

Carol quickly denied it. "Never before, this was the first time. We just ran into each other at the hospital. Maurice, it's been years, can't you forgive Susan? She's still our daughter!"

"I don't have such a daughter."

"But we raised her. Now she even has a child." Carol, being softer-hearted, pleaded, "Even if you don't care about Susan, think about our grandchild..."

Maurice was slightly moved, but May walked in. "Mom, it was wrong to see Susan behind Dad's back."

"May..."

Maurice's resolve immediately strengthened. "Look at you, May is more sensible than you!"

Carol thought that the love between a mother and daughter was different from sisterly love. A daughter was a piece of her flesh, always on her mind. Over the years, caught between her husband and daughter, she hadn't had a single happy day. Understanding her husband while missing her daughter and grandchild, she was tormented.

"But I..."

Maurice interrupted her, "Enough, don't say anymore. Don't let me catch you again. Otherwise, you can go live with her."

Carol's lips trembled, but she swallowed her words.

"Do you understand?"

"...Yes, I understand." Carol reluctantly promised.

Carol walked out of the hospital room, thinking of her daughter and grandchild just two floors up but unable to see them. She felt heartbroken, her nose tingling, and her eyes swelling with tears.

"Mom, why are you crying?" May handed her a tissue.

Carol took the tissue and gave her a reproachful look. "I told you in secret that I was going to see Susan. Why did you tell your dad?"

"Isn't it for Dad's good?"

"For Dad's good? Didn't you see how angry he got? I got scolded too. He didn't know before, and it would have been fine if we met, but you..." Carol felt resentful.

"Mom, how could you think of deceiving Dad?" May sighed. "Besides, Dad is smart, and you're not good at lying. If you met Susan behind his back, Dad would definitely find out. At least now you haven't seen her. If you did, he'd be even angrier." May advised earnestly, appearing to have their best interests at heart.

"Mom, since you know Dad doesn't like it, why go against him?"

"Why? Because Susan is my daughter!"

May was once again stung by the words "my daughter." The word "biological" reminded her that she wasn't their biological child. No matter how well she did, she couldn't compare to Susan and wouldn't inherit anything.

May's face darkened, a hint of anger flashed in her eyes, and she clenched her fingers.

She couldn't help but ask, "Susan is your daughter, but am I not?" Her voice carried a hint of accusation.