Secretly Married for 4 Years, He Regrets to Tears After the Divorce

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: What Are You Really Thinking?

Mrs. Sutton’s voice was incredibly low, almost melting into the quiet afternoon air.

Wren Sutton’s fingers, holding her bamboo chopsticks, faltered. Her grip slackened for a moment before quickly steadying again.

But that slight pause still revealed the unrest in her heart.

The afternoon sun slanted through the semi-sheer, cream-colored curtains, spilling into the dining room.

A soft, warm-golden haze of light settled on the table and fell upon her lowered lashes, creating a faint, gentle halo. This only served to accentuate the cool detachment in her expression.

Although Wren sat in the cozy warmth of the dining room, she seemed to be encased in a layer of invisible ice. She exuded a fragile, profoundly quiet sense of detachment.

She didn’t look at her mother, nor did she glance toward Adrian Lancaster, who was nearby, patiently and gently feeding the babies.

She lowered her gaze even further until it was nearly buried in the rim of her bowl, her attention fixed on the piece of tender, glistening white fish.

Mrs. Sutton: "..."

Wren, bit by bit, painstakingly deboned the fish. She was focused and earnest, her movements deliberately slow.

Once the fish was completely deboned, she gently prodded the soft, snow-white piece of meat with the tip of her chopsticks, her gaze fixed upon it.

She remained silent for a long time—so long that the air itself seemed to stagnate—before she silently brought a small piece of fish to her lips and chewed it slowly, her mouth closed.

Her tongue seemed unable to taste any of its freshness, leaving only a bland, astringent flavor.

Wren neither refuted her mother’s words nor gave any indication of agreement.

She wrapped herself tightly in a thick, silent shell, completely shutting out the heavy expectation in her mother’s words—an expectation so weighty it was almost suffocating.

"..."

Mrs. Sutton took in her daughter’s every subtle reaction: the hesitation of her fingers, her bowed, silent head, the way she ate as if she couldn’t taste a thing...

A sigh, heavy with heartache and helplessness, rose in her throat, but she forced it back down.

She knew her daughter was facing an obstacle in her heart, one that couldn’t be overcome overnight or with a few simple words.

Besides, with Adrian right there, it wasn’t the time for a heart-to-heart, much less the place to publicly reopen her daughter’s wounds.

So, Mrs. Sutton gently concealed the worry and heartache churning in her eyes. A warm, loving smile returned to her face as she discreetly shifted her gaze to Adrian and the two babies.

"Owen and Nina are becoming so well-behaved. They’re drinking their milk so quietly, not making a fuss at all."

"Adrian, you’re so good with the babies. Look how practiced you are—even more skillful than me, their own grandmother."

Upon hearing this, Adrian slowly looked up and gave Mrs. Sutton a humble, gentle smile.

"Mom, please don’t praise me. Just a week ago, I was too afraid to even hold the babies. It’s all thanks to Wren patiently teaching me, with the maternity nurse guiding me as well, that I slowly got the hang of taking care of them. I’ve only just scratched the surface. I still have a lot to learn from you and Dad."

His tone was steady and gentle. He paused for a few seconds after he finished.

When he spoke again, his voice was laced with guilt and self-reproach. His gaze darkened, heavy with the remorse he felt toward Wren.

"I was a fool in the past. I made too many unforgivable mistakes and broke Wren’s heart."

"These small things I’m doing now are nowhere near enough to make up for the pain I caused her."

"Dad, Mom, I solemnly promise you both that from now on, I will give it my all to take good care of Wren and our two children. I will earnestly work, step-by-step, to rebuild our family and give Wren and the kids a stable, happy future."

Hearing his sincere promise, the look of relief on Mrs. Sutton’s face deepened, and she nodded gently.

Mr. Sutton, who had been eating in silence, also set down his chopsticks. He looked up at Adrian, his gaze one of approval and acceptance.

"Nobody’s perfect. Everyone gets confused and takes the wrong path sometimes. As long as you know you were wrong, are willing to truly repent, and live an honest life, you’re still a good man."

Adrian’s heart warmed at his words. Filled with gratitude, he felt his resolve strengthen, and his expression grew even more earnest.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad, for forgiving, understanding, and encouraging me. I’m working on correcting my flaws, bit by bit. I’m learning all over again how to be a good husband and a responsible father. I will never let Wren or this family down again."

Mrs. Sutton murmured in agreement, her tone soft and gentle. "The fact that you have a repentant heart and the determination to build a good life is more important than anything. As your elders, we believe you can do it."

Wren sat to the side, taking in every word of the conversation between her parents and Adrian, yet she never looked up or spoke. It was as if all the affirmations and promises being made had nothing to do with her.

Her fingers tightened unconsciously around her chopsticks, her knuckles turning pale. Even her fingertips felt cool to the touch.

She silently picked up a crisp, green vegetable heart glistening with broth, brought it to her lips, and ate it in slow, small bites. Her movements were gentle, and she still showed no desire to speak.

"..."

And so the lunch slowly drew to a close—filled with the light conversation about the babies and daily trifles initiated by Mrs. Sutton, with Adrian’s series of sincere, guilt-ridden promises, and with Wren’s unbroken, wordless silence from beginning to end.

After lunch, Mr. and Mrs. Sutton rose in unspoken agreement and began efficiently clearing the table.

Seeing this, Adrian hurried forward to help, but the couple gently pushed him back with a smile.

"The kitchen has a dishwasher, so we don’t have to wash by hand. We just need to load it up, it’ll only take a minute. You just focus on the babies; don’t worry about this."

Since they put it that way, Adrian didn’t insist. He turned and went to the babies’ side, carefully checking on the two little ones. With full bellies and rosy cheeks, they were getting drowsy.

Before long, Owen and Nina were fast asleep, nestled on a soft fleece blanket spread over the living room sofa, their tiny fists clenched.

They looked so peaceful and precious, enough to melt anyone’s heart.

Seeing that the two babies were sound asleep, Mr. Sutton chuckled and gestured to Adrian, enthusiastically inviting him to the study for a game of chess to pass the afternoon.

Adrian immediately nodded in agreement and respectfully followed Mr. Sutton into the study, gently pulling the door closed behind him.

The living room fell silent, the only sound coming from a variety show on the TV, its volume turned down so low that only faint, indistinct laughter and background music could be heard.

Wren and her mother sat side-by-side on the soft sofa, both of their gazes landing on the babies’ peaceful, adorable sleeping faces.

But their minds were elsewhere, lost in their own private emotions and turmoil.

The silence stretched for a moment before Mrs. Sutton slowly turned and took her daughter’s hand. It was resting on her knee, cool to the touch, and Mrs. Sutton’s warmth slowly seeped into it.

"Wren."

Mrs. Sutton’s voice was a low whisper, tinged with a caution she herself didn’t notice and an unconcealable, pained concern.

"Now that Adrian’s not here, it’s just us. Tell me what you’re really thinking. What’s truly on your mind?"