Chapter 288: Who Is The Pitiable One

Mrs. Olga Hayes and Katherine finally found an opportunity to approach Leanne amid the lively gathering.

Kristine had just handed little Kat over to Nanny Ella who went to the nearby lounge to change her diaper and dress.

With her hands free, she turned toward her mother and sister, greeting them with a warm smile."

"Where is Dad?" Kristine asked, scanning the ballroom.

"Your father has some business dealings in the province and couldn’t make it back in time," Mrs. Hayes explained nonchalantly, as though his absence were nothing out of the ordinary.

Kristine’s smile faltered. She failed to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

Her father had known the twins’ birthday for a long time. It wasn’t as if the date had caught him by surprise. Surely, he could have rearranged his schedule and set aside just one day to celebrate with his children?

But deep down, she already knew the answer.

It had always been this way.

He had missed her school activities, important school events, and countless other occasions that mattered to her.

Yet whenever Katherine needed him, he somehow managed to make time. No matter how demanding his schedule was, he always seemed to find a way to be there for her sister.

Kristine lowered her gaze, swallowing the familiar bitterness that had settled in her heart.

Perhaps she should have grown accustomed to it by now. After all, a person could only be disappointed so many times before learning to expect nothing.

"Ahem."

Olga Hayes cleared her throat, interrupting Kristine’s thoughts. She reached for Leanne’s hand and clasped it between both of hers, her expression suddenly transforming into one of exaggerated sympathy.

"It must have been very difficult for you, dear in-law," she said, her voice softening as though she were offering comfort to someone nursing a deep wound.

"Imagine discovering all of a sudden that your husband has a daughter who is already a grown young lady. That must have been such a shock. And knowing that she has been part of his life all along without your knowledge..."

She paused dramatically, shaking her head as though the very thought pained her.

Then, with a delicate sigh, she pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed at the corners of her eyes.

There wasn’t a single tear in sight.

Leanne studied her for a moment, a complicated expression passing across her face.

What exactly is she crying about?

She had to fight the urge to raise an eyebrow.

Olga was behaving as though Leanne had just suffered some terrible misfortune. But there was no trace of sorrow in Leanne’s heart over Isobel’s existence. If anything, the discovery had brought an unexpected joy into her life.

"Olga, I appreciate your concern, but I think you’re worrying over something that has never been a problem for me."

She paused, allowing her words to settle before continuing.

"Julian lost his memory back then. He didn’t know who he was, let alone remember the life and family he had left behind. What happened was unfortunate, but it wasn’t a deliberate betrayal. How can I hold him responsible for something he did without knowing the truth?"

Olga opened her mouth, but Leanne continued before she could interject.

"And Isobel is innocent in all of this. She didn’t choose the circumstances of her birth, nor did she ask to grow up without a father. Now that Julian has found her, why should I make her feel unwelcome for something she had no control over?"

She glanced across the banquet hall, where Julian was proudly introducing Isobel to his business associates and longtime friends. The old man stood straighter than usual, his face alight with unmistakable pride as he presented the daughter he had only recently discovered.

Isobel, dressed elegantly for the occasion, received each introduction with grace and composure. Even from a distance, Leanne could see how naturally she carried herself among the distinguished guests.

A warmth spread through Leanne’s chest.

"Truthfully, I’m happy to have Isobel as my daughter," she continued. "She’s a wonderful young woman, and we’ve all grown very fond of her. The more I get to know her, the more grateful I am that she’s become part of our family."

Her smile deepened as she watched Isobel politely greet another guest.

Olga’s handkerchief froze halfway to her face.

For a moment, she simply stared at Leanne, as though the other woman had just spoken in a language she couldn’t understand.

"What?" Olga blurted out, her handkerchief lowering slightly as she stared at Leanne. The sympathy she had so carefully put on display gave way to undisguised disbelief. "How can you be so magnanimous about something like this? Aren’t you even a little resentful?"

She leaned closer, lowering her voice as though sharing a deeply personal concern.

"If it were me, I would demand a divorce! How could I possibly forgive a husband who had been unfaithful to me?"

Olga’s expression suddenly turned smug. She lifted her chin and glanced at Katherine, seemingly expecting her daughter to back her up.

"But then again, Kristine and Katherine’s father is different," she added with a self-satisfied smile. "He adores me. He would never dream of cheating on me."

Katherine immediately nodded, slipping her arm through her mother’s.

"Of course, Mom. Dad loves you so much. He’s always putting you first." She turned to Leanne, her brows drawing together in feigned concern. "I honestly don’t know how you can accept this so easily, Aunt Leanne. Even if he lost his memory, wouldn’t it still hurt to know that he had another woman and a daughter with her?"

Olga gave her daughter’s hand an approving squeeze.

"Exactly!" she exclaimed, as though Katherine had finally voiced the one truth Leanne refused to acknowledge. "A woman can forgive many things, but something like this? How could you possibly not hurt and angry at all?

She watched Leanne intently, waiting for the smile on the other woman’s face to falter, for a trace of bitterness to surface beneath her composed exterior.

But Leanne merely regarded the mother and daughter with a calm, almost amused expression.

It seemed they were far more troubled by Julian’s past than she was.

Then she looked at Kristine with a mix of love and concern in her eyes. She must had a difficult tiime growing up in such a toxic environment.