From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent (Anthea )

"How many times do I have to tell you? That woman is no fit to be called your mother!" Janet's voice cracked as she said this, and she was soon engulfed in a fit of coughing again.

"I don't have any pictures of her!"

"But can you at least tell me her name, where she's from?" Gerard persisted, hoping to piece together the puzzle of his origins.

With that information, he could go and find his mother himself.

"I don't know!" Janet's face darkened with a mix of anger and a surge of coughing.

The boy must be out to kill her with worry, she thought.

Janet's chronic cough always flared up with stress.

Gerard gently patted Janet's back. "Grandma, don't get upset. I won't ask you about it again."

Seeing Gerard's response, Janet couldn't help but tear up.

He was a good boy. What a shame he didn't have a good mother.

It was all Carole's fault!

Carole, the unforgivable sinner! And poor Gerard, motherless from such a young age!

Janet held Gerard's hand tightly. "Gerry, there's not a single lie in what I've told you today. If I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning! You might not understand now, but one day, you'll see that I had only the best intentions."

Children are young. They don't understand.

And growing up without a mother, Janet could sympathize.

After a pause, she added, "Ms. Fletcher is a good woman, she’s so devoted to your father. I truly don't want to see him miss out on being with her. You can rest assured, once Ms. Fletcher joins our family, she'll treat you as if you were her own flesh and blood..."

Gerard didn't respond.

Just then, a maid came in with medicine, and Gerard took the opportunity to help his grandmother. "Here, Grandma, let me."

After Janet took her medicine, she drifted off to sleep, but not before making Gerard promise to look out for Edna.

Gerard tucked his grandmother in and left the room. NôvelDrama.Org © content.

As he closed the door behind him, the old butler came looking for Janet.

"She's asleep," Gerard whispered, closing the door softly.

The butler nodded. "I'll come back later, then."

"Butler," Gerard spoke up again. "I have something to ask you."

"Master Gerard, go ahead."

Gerard continued, "Butler, how long have you been with our family?"

The butler thought for a moment before answering seriously, "Nineteen years, all told."

"Then you must know something about my mother, right?" Gerard pressed. "Can you tell me about her?"

At this, the butler's expression changed dramatically. “I... I don't know." he replied.

"Can you tell me her name?"

The butler shook his head.

"Where was she from?"

Still, the butler shook his head.

"I've never seen my mother since I was a child. Can't you take pity on a boy who grew up without a mother, and tell me?" At the end of his plea, Gerard's eyes glistened with forming tears.

Eighteen years. A mother he had only ever met in dreams.

When he had to write an essay titled "A Letter to My Mother" in elementary school, he could only write to his grandmother.

And it was always the butler who attended the parent-child events at school.

The butler was visibly moved. He had been working in the Lindsay family for nineteen years. To say he didn't know anything about what happened back then would be a lie.

He sighed, about to share some of what he knew, when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Delia and another maid approaching.

The words on the tip of his tongue immediately transformed into: "Master Gerard, I truly don't know. Please, don't make this hard for me. I must be going now!"

Gerard watched the butler's hasty retreat and let out a soft sigh.

He then pulled out his phone and dialed. "Healy, you got a minute?"

Whatever was said on the other end, Gerard replied, "The usual spot. See you there."

With that, he hung up and walked out the door.