Chapter 1484 - 1474: The One Constantine Stewart Cares About Most Is the Girl Before Him

Constantine Stewart saw her clench the Jade Pendant tightly, retreating entirely into her hard shell, his expression immediately turning cold. He glanced at the Countess, who was still standing by, and said coldly, "Butler, show our guest out."

From beginning to end, he hadn’t said a word to his biological mother.

The Countess sighed at his reaction, thinking that this child truly resembled his father. If he had half of her ruthlessness, things wouldn’t have dragged on to this day; both Rory and the girl he liked would have misunderstood him for so long.

The Countess stood up, looked at Chloe Winston, and asked gently, "Chloe, do you want to know the origins of this Jade Pendant?"

"Be quiet." Constantine abruptly interrupted her, pulling Chloe to his side. The frost-like gaze he directed at his biological mother revealed a hint of contempt.

"Chloe, you know how to contact me." The Countess smiled softly, stood up to look at Constantine, and then said, "You’re not feeling well today. I’ll come see you again in a couple of days."

The man’s expression remained dark as he ignored her, while the butler nervously sent the Countess off.

In the side hall, only Constantine Stewart and Chloe Winston remained.

Clutching her script, Chloe wordlessly started to leave. The man reached out to hold her and asked quietly, "Where are you going?"

"Home."

Seeing her cold expression, Constantine panicked. He reached from behind to hold her tightly and buried his head in the crook of her neck, speaking hoarsely and deeply, "Listen to me explain."

"Explain what? Are you going to tell me about the origins of the Jade Pendant? Or explain why you’ve been so inconsistent these past few years? I’m tired, Constantine Stewart. You’ve exhausted me. I want to go home." Her voice carried a trace of fatigue, no longer wanting to delve into his actions or thoughts.

Whether it was Constantine Stewart or that Countess, both were the type to manipulate others as they pleased. She couldn’t compete with them; she wanted to lead a quiet life.

Constantine’s body suddenly stiffened; even though she was in his arms, he felt as though she was slipping away from him. He couldn’t tell her the origins of the Jade Pendant; Chloe knowing the truth about her lineage might not be a good thing and could burden her current life. He couldn’t explain his inconsistent thoughts because even he didn’t know.

If he could offer her a happy life.

Chloe Winston left the private mansion on Fulham Road without looking back. The man watched her departing figure, tall and statue-like, motionless for a long time.

Upon leaving the villa, Chloe realized she had gone out in her slippers, holding only her script and backpack. She bit her lip, deciding to head home without changing her shoes. She didn’t want to go back inside, seeing Constantine’s face; that man had used his handsomeness to deceive her and keep secrets from her, treating her like a child over the years.

"Chloe." Beneath the lush osmanthus trees of Fulham Road, the Countess got out of the car and called out to her gently, smiling, "Would you like to have a cup of coffee together?"

"No need, ma’am," Chloe bluntly refused.

"Don’t you want to know about your own lineage?" The Countess saw her pause in her steps, squinted, and smiled, saying, "It won’t take long, and after coffee, I’ll have the driver take you home. You’re a public figure after all; going home in slippers will make the headlines tomorrow."

Without saying a word, Chloe turned and got into the car.

Half an hour later, the two sat in the city’s most upscale café.

"I see you wear a size 4, right?" The Countess presented three pairs of simple and elegant high heels brought by her personal assistant, gesturing for her to choose a pair.

"Thank you. Think of it as if I bought them myself, I’ll transfer the money to you." Chloe glanced at the shoe brands, feeling some heartache.

The Countess smiled softly but didn’t refuse, somewhat familiar with her personality. Taking out her phone, she said, "Add me as a friend on WeChat; it’ll be easier for you to transfer the funds."

Chloe changed her shoes, tidied herself up in the washroom, and then returned to her seat. The attendant came over and served their coffee.

The Countess took a small sip of coffee, and when she saw Chloe return, she put down her cup and elegantly dabbed her lips before speaking lightly, "I apologize for meeting you under such circumstances. My relationship with Constantine has been very poor over the years, as you might have heard about our mother-son situation."

"I’ve heard a bit." As Chloe sat down, she observed the Countess, who despite having a son as old as Constantine, appeared youthful, with smooth and meticulous skin showing no signs of wrinkles, her makeup flawless. Remembering what she’d heard from Leah Squire, she couldn’t help but speak coldly, "Looking at the Countess, it’s hard to imagine she would abuse a six-year-old child."

The Countess’s perfect expression showed a crack, as it seemed Chloe spoke openly. She was silent for several seconds before she began, "My feelings for my first husband ran deep. After he died unexpectedly, I suffered for a long time with depression and irritability.

A woman pampered by her husband for years, suddenly bereft of love, learning that her six-year-old son was the cause of her husband’s death was something no one could accept. During that time, my condition worsened, and I did some harmful things to him. This is probably the most painful regret of my life."

"Madam, after so many years, do you still believe Constantine was responsible for your first husband’s death? He was only six at the time, and a father who chooses to sacrifice himself in such an extreme situation says it all—he loved his child. The child won by his life, mistreated by you, do you truly understand your husband, understand what love is?" Chloe raised her eyes and questioned fiercely.

The Countess’s face changed dramatically, her grip on the coffee cup tightening unconsciously. For the first time in years, someone confronted her this way, bringing those dark old memories into the sunlight and speaking of them bit by bit.

Was she wrong? The Countess’s expression was somewhat dazed, unable to refute Chloe’s questions. She had immersed herself in grief and pain back then, thinking that children, still young, despite her coldness and abuse, had short memories and it wouldn’t matter.

She had simply forgotten that her child was exceptionally bright and mature beyond his years. He had lost his father just as she had lost her husband, forced to mature overnight, and the mother and son had thus drifted further and further apart, becoming like enemies.

"I’ve realized my mistakes now, and for years I’ve wanted to repair the mother-son relationship, to compensate him properly. But Constantine has never given me the chance. Miss Winston, I know you are important to him, which is why I’m asking you to help me." The Countess’s posture dropped significantly, speaking politely, eyes earnestly looking at Chloe.

She was a mother capable of perceiving that her son’s most cherished person nowadays was this young lady in front of her.