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

Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Those Two Have You to Thank

Wren Sutton’s fingertips paused for a moment on the cotton fabric of her skirt.

She turned her head to look at Adrian Lancaster.

The light and shadows from the streetlamps traced the sharp lines of his profile. Her reflection was clearly mirrored in his dark eyes, which held not a hint of jest.

’I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t moved.’

She never expected Adrian to take this matter so seriously, even volunteering to confront his notoriously domineering aunt.

"Are you really going to the Sterling Estate tomorrow?" Wren’s voice was soft, as if seeking confirmation, yet laced with a hint of disbelief.

"Yes," Adrian’s reply was short and firm. "It’s not just for you, but also for Sean Sterling and Isla Griffith."

He paused, then deliberately added, "But it’s mainly for you. Those two are just reaping the benefits, thanks to you."

"..." Wren was slightly taken aback, a wave of warmth spreading through her heart.

She said nothing, simply nodding in silence.

"However, there are a few things I need to make clear to you beforehand, so you know what to expect and don’t let your imagination run wild." Adrian’s voice was steady, carrying a reassuring strength.

Wren sat up a little straighter, her gaze fixed on him seriously. "Go on, I’m listening."

Adrian calmly analyzed the situation. "My main purpose in going to the Sterling Estate tomorrow is to make our position clear. I’ll let my aunt know that besides Sean, Isla also has you and me in her corner."

"But we have to understand that this is the Sterling family’s private matter. I’m going to apply pressure, offer support, and mediate, not to overstep and fight his mother on Sean’s behalf."

"That’s not the way to solve the problem. It would only escalate the conflict, make things worse, and ultimately put Isla in an even more awkward position."

Wren listened with intense focus, the light in her eyes growing brighter with his every word.

’Not only is Adrian willing to go to the Sterling Estate, but he’s also thought through the problem so deeply and thoroughly.’

She nodded emphatically again.

"I understand. I completely understand."

’Even if Adrian comes back empty-handed, I won’t blame him.’

Hearing this, the last of Adrian’s worries dissipated.

"Then I can rest assured."

"I’ll go to the Sterling Estate tomorrow morning. You..." He turned to look at Wren, his gaze gentle. "Do you want to go with me?"

Without hesitation, Wren shook her head gently, her tone firm. "I’m not going."

"Isla is pregnant right now, so she’s already emotionally sensitive, and she has a strong sense of pride. If I show up at the Sterling Estate, even if it’s to speak up for her, she might see it as me witnessing her at her most humiliated. I’m afraid it would just make her feel worse."

"Another reason is, I’m afraid I won’t be able to control my emotions at the Sterling Estate. When I see your aunt and think about what she did to Isla, I probably won’t be able to reason with her as calmly as you can. If I get emotional and say the wrong thing or start a fight, I’ll just mess things up and put you in a difficult position."

"So, you’re the most suitable person to go. If I go, I’ll probably just do more harm than good."

Adrian listened quietly as his wife finished speaking. Every reason she gave was clear and well-considered.

’She’s being considerate of her best friend, thinking about the bigger picture, and even looking out for me, worried I’d be caught in the middle.’

"Alright. You’ve thought this through very carefully. Then I’ll go alone tomorrow. You wait for my news at home."

...

The car drove smoothly through the villa gates, and the sound of the engine slowly faded to silence.

In the child safety seats in the back, Owen and Nina were fast asleep. Their little faces were flushed and soft, their brows were relaxed, and their long eyelashes rested on their eyelids like two tiny fans.

Adrian and Wren got out of the car, each carrying a child in their arms. The family of four returned home together.

Just as they had settled the children down, Adrian’s phone rang. It was Claire Sterling.

He answered the call. "Mom, it’s so late. Aren’t you resting? What’s the call about?"

"I was originally trying to call Wren," Claire said, "but her phone was off, so I called you instead."

"Oh, my wife’s phone died. What’s up? You can tell me."

"I don’t want to talk to you; I want to talk to my daughter-in-law. Put Wren on the phone."

"..." Adrian silently handed the phone to Wren.

Wren didn’t know what Claire wanted from her. She took the phone and offered a polite greeting first.

"Wren, dear, calling you so late... I hope I’m not disturbing your rest?" Claire’s tone was gentle, with a hint of formality.

Wren sat on the sofa, took the cup of hot water Adrian handed her with her other hand, and took a small sip.

"Not at all. I just got back from my parents’ place."

"Oh, then Owen and Nina must be asleep?"

"They are."

"Have the two little ones been behaving lately? Are they sleeping through the night yet?"

"They wake up once or twice during the night for some formula, but they go right back to sleep after being soothed."

"Once or twice isn’t too bad. It shouldn’t affect your and Adrian’s rest too much."

Wren hummed in agreement and glanced up at the clock on the wall.

"Mom, is there something specific you needed, calling me so late?"

’She didn’t think her mother-in-law would call her at this hour just to ask about Owen and Nina. There had to be something else.’

Sure enough, the next second, Claire’s voice came from the other end of the line—gentle, yet with a distinct, unhurried, scrutinizing tone. "There is something I wanted to confirm with you."

"What is it? Please be direct," Wren said.

Claire cleared her throat and switched to speakerphone.

"I had tea with your aunt today, and I heard her say that Sean’s girlfriend—your best friend, Isla Griffith—is pregnant. With twins, no less."

"Wren, tell Mom the truth. Is this news reliable? It’s not some scheme on her part to force a marriage using the baby, is it?"

At these words, Wren’s fingers clenched, her knuckles turning white.

An irrepressible flame of anger surged up from her chest.

’First, it was Sean’s mother, Yvonne Donovan, waving a check around, condescendingly humiliating Isla and telling her to leave Sean.’

’And now, even Adrian’s mother was starting with malicious speculation, treating Isla’s genuine feelings as a scheme and her unborn children as tools to force a marriage.’

"My best friend, Isla Griffith, has never had any intention of forcing a marriage."

"Her pregnancy is absolutely real. I was the one who went to the hospital with her. I saw the test results with my own eyes, and the doctor personally confirmed to us that she’s carrying a pair of healthy twins."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. When she spoke again, her tone had softened noticeably. "It’s really twins? And you went with her for the check-up?"

"That’s right," Wren said firmly. "I was there the entire time at the hospital."

Claire could tell her daughter-in-law seemed a little angry.

"Since you’ve said so, of course Mom believes you. It’s getting late, you two should get some rest."

With that, she hastily hung up the phone.

Wren put down her phone, her brow furrowed. The frustration in her chest had not yet fully dissipated.

Adrian moved closer, carefully taking her hand in his.

"I heard your conversation with Mom. I apologize on her behalf. Don’t be angry."

Wren was indeed emotional. "How can I not be angry? Your mom and your aunt are in cahoots, ganging up to bully my best friend."

Arguing was useless. Adrian immediately stated his position. "I’ll call my mom in a bit and tell her to stay out of this, okay?"

Wren was still fuming and didn’t want to talk.

Adrian patiently stayed by her side, wracking his brain for ways to soothe her.

「Meanwhile.」

Claire hung up the phone and looked up at the woman sitting beside her on the sofa, Yvonne Donovan.

"You heard that, right? Isla Griffith’s pregnancy is real, and just like my Wren, she’s having twins."

Yvonne and Claire were only a year apart. Before they married, they had been inseparable friends who shared a deep bond.

It was Claire who played matchmaker, leading to Yvonne marrying Claire’s older brother, Simon Sterling, and giving birth to Sean.

At this moment, Yvonne was holding a celadon teacup, her fingertips gently stroking its rim. Her exquisitely made-up face showed no excess emotion, but the domineering and critical look in her eyes could not be hidden in the slightest.

"Wren was married to Adrian. She got pregnant respectably and gave birth. That’s a joyous occasion."

"That Isla Griffith getting pregnant is a disgrace to the Sterling family."

"The two situations are completely different in nature."

Claire paused for a moment before speaking. "You can’t really put it that way. After all, she’s carrying Sean’s child. They may not be married, but they’re a proper couple. It’s only natural for them to be intimate."

"Besides, when a woman gets pregnant, the man has to take responsibility. To put it bluntly, it was your Sean who got the girl pregnant."

A flicker of deep displeasure crossed Yvonne’s face. She set down her teacup and complained resentfully, "Claire, how could you take someone else’s side? Are you deliberately trying to anger me to death?"