Chapter 516
“Mom doesn’t love him,” Nina said, her words hanging in the air as she turned and walked away, like a whisper of a ghost, arriving and departing without a trace.
Cameron stood there, bewildered. Why had Nina shared this with him? It seemed like something that shouldn’t matter to him, yet hearing it felt like a flower was slowly blooming in his heart. His weathered eyes, as if cleansed by spring rain, gradually lit up with a smile.
He wondered to himself, if Nathalie still loved him, could he win her back? Could they live together, watching her don beautiful dresses every day, basking in a peaceful life as time quietly passed by? It didn’t seem too shabby.
News of Nathan and Nathalie’s wedding quickly reached the ears of the old patriarchs of the Rowland and Stewart families. Regan was livid, tossing his phone aside in anger. “The Rowlands have really crossed the line. They’ve been pushing for a match with our Ashley, and now that everyone thought Ashley and Nathan were an item, Nathan goes and marries someone else. How’s Ashley supposed to find a husband now?”
In a fit of rage, the patriarch ordered all business ties with the Rowland family to be severed: “From this day forward, the Stewarts and the Rowlands are done. We’re pulling all our investments from the Rowlands, and any joint projects will be reassigned.”
This decision sent ripples through both families.
The Rowlands, already in a financial bind thanks to Morris, were left with hardly any viable business after the split with the Stewarts.
Mr. Mason, unwilling to let his life’s work go down the drain, decided to swallow his pride and approach Nathan to find a way out.
For this meeting, Mason had his staff prepare lavish gifts.
He also insisted that his son and family join him in visiting Nathan and Nathalie.
Gavin and Benjamin, having their own issues with Nathan, weren’t keen on making amends. Gavin said, exasperated, “Dad, Nathan hates me. Going to him is just setting myself up for humiliation. He’s not going to let us off that easily after the trouble he’s caused for the Rowlands.”
Mr. Mason, frustrated with his son’s reluctance, snapped, “Nathan’s a good person at heart. The reason he’s done this to the Rowlands is because we wronged him. I believe if we sincerely apologize, he might just forgive
us.”
Benjamin protested, “There’s no way I’m apologizing to him.”
Furious, Mason hurled an ashtray, which Gavin and Benjamin narrowly dodged as it shattered on the floor.
“Do you really want to stand by and watch Dawson International go bankrupt? Do you want to end up like Cameron, with no dignity left?” the patriarch shouted.
The thought of falling from grace and being reduced to Cameron’s level was enough to unsettle Gavin and Benjamin.
Gavin finally relented, “Alright. I’ll go.”
Benjamin was equally reluctant to grovel before Nathan but even more unwilling to live a life stripped of dignity like Cameron.
With a sigh, Benjamin said, “Fine. Let’s just get this over with.”
And so, with gifts piled high in their executive car, three generations of the Rowland family made their way to Nathan’s place.
As Gavin spotted the thick mimosa tree at the entrance, his expression darkened. In his otherwise cold eyes, a flicker of nostalgia appeared.
11.53
Chapter 51
He remembered planting that mimosa tree with his ex–wife on their wedding day. She had said to him with excitement, “Darling, let this tree be a testament to our love. It’s a slow–growing kind, meant to last for years.”
Chapter 5
