Loved You Once But He's My Forever (Chloe)

Chapter 21 Every Mother Loves Her Child

Chapter 21 Every Mother Loves Her Child

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When I reached the estate, my thoughts were no longer tangled in worries about Luke or Anna. My mind turned instead to my grandmother.

If I had known that last week before the wedding would be the final time I saw her, I would have spent every moment with her. I would have made sure to cherish those last days. Now, nearly a month had passed. I wondered if her health had improved at all.

Luke arrived at the estate and asked for permission to see Penelope. After getting the nod, he stepped inside, a warm smile on his face.

"Penelope, I've come to visit."

Fearing that his delay might be noted, he quickly added, "I got held up with some matters. I sent Chloe ahead to check on you. How are you feeling?"

Penelope didn't respond. Instead, a glass flew through the air, aimed directly at Luke.

Her strength was not what it used to be. The glass missed him and shattered on the floor at his feet.

Luke understood she was still upset about him abandoning the wedding. Feeling guilty, he wasn't angered. He moved closer to her with steady resolve.

I saw Grandma lying in bed, looking more frail than ever.

She tried to sit up, but a maid hurried to help.

"Be careful, Penelope," Luke said, moving faster to assist her. He added with mild reproach, "Chloe should know better. With your condition, where did she run off to?"

Before he could get close, Penelope's hand shot out, delivering a sharp slap to his face.

""Don't touch me! Get out!"

Luke's smile briefly faltered. He held back his irritation, speaking softly. "Penelope, I know I've made mistakes. If you want to hit me or punish me, I'll accept it."

At that moment, my mother's voice echoed from the hallway, even though she hadn't yet entered the room. "Penelope, why are you doing this? Luke came to see you out of kindness. Why are you hitting him?" Penelope pushed Luke's hand away and let the maid help her back against the pillows. She pointed a shaky finger at him, her voice filled with regret and anger.

"I don't want a heartless grandson-in-law like him. I regret helping them. I should never have listened to Chloe and had the old man lend their family money. What did we get for that? A snake. You ungrateful boy; you left my granddaughter alone at the altar. How can you be so cruel?"

As Penelope spoke, tears began to stream down her face. My own heart, once numb from the grief of losing loved ones to betrayal, felt a spark of life once more.

I knelt beside her bed, my voice soft and pleading. "Grandma, please don't cry. I'm here ..."

I reached out, trying to wipe the tears from her cheeks. Yet, my fingers passed through her face, unable to make contact.

She couldn't hear my voice or see my desperate attempts.

My mother's voice suddenly pierced the silence. "Penelope, this isn't Luke's fault. He did what he did for Anna. You know Anna's health isn't great. What started as a small problem turned into a big scandal, all because Chloe made it public." Penelope, already upset, turned her anger toward my mother.

"What are you talking about? Chloe's husband ran away from the wedding, and now you're blaming the victim? Have you lost 1/2

Chapter 21 Every Mother Loves Her Child

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your senses? Since Anna returned, this house has been in constant turmoil. Every few days, there's a big fight. I could let it slide, until now. Now you're blaming Chloe for everything?"Content is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

"Penelope, don't be so upset. Chloe is causing trouble here. Everyone wants a peaceful family"

"I've watched Chloe grow up. I know her well. She's kind and would never hurt anyone. How could she hurt her own sister? What's in it for her? It's you parents who keep falling for Anna's tricks."

Anna stormed in, tears streaming down her face. "Grandma, I know I wasn't around much after leaving the Sanders. I couldn't be by your side. But you shouldn't hate me just because you prefer my sister. I'm your granddaughter too. How can you be so unfair?"

"You're nothing but a troublemaker. You're the one causing chaos at my household, and now you're ruining your sister's wedding day!"

Penelope grabbed a cane from beside the bed and swung it at Anna's head.

"You little wretch! You're the reason my family is in turmoil. You made my granddaughter disappear on her wedding day. I'll beat you to a pulp!" Though Penelope was frail from illness and lacked strength, her rage was fierce.

Luke quickly moved to shield Anna, taking the blow on his own back. 1

Penelope's fury only intensified. "You two are a pair of shameless lovers. You'd even flirt in my presence? I can only imagine how much more brazen you are at the Boltons'. No wonder my granddaughter isn't herself anymore."

I had changed from someone who was once lively and bright to someone who felt timid and full of doubt.

I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off with Luke and Anna. The constant cycle of pain and healing left me unsettled, and I needed medication to keep my emotions steady.

As I grew quieter, Penelope noticed the change in me and felt it deeply.

Meanwhile, the others at the Sanders estate were so focused on Anna that they failed to see my struggles. My feelings went unnoticed, and no one saw how I had changed.

"Penelope, this is too much," my mother said, her voice tight with frustration. "Anna has been with the Boltons for years. Luke has always treated her like family. If people hear you speaking like this, what will they think of Anna?"

Penelope's face was full of sorrow. "You're worried about what others think of Anna, but have you thought about Chloe's feelings? Luke is her husband!"

Tears began to fall from Penelope's wrinkled cheeks. "Even though I've been bedridden, I'm not blind. Open your eyes and think. Is Chloe really as bad as you think she is?"

Her words made everyone stop and think, as if they were reconsidering everything that had happened.

Penelope continued, her voice steady. "I heard Chloe hasn't been seen since she left on her wedding day. You're all chasing after this little troublemaker while Chloe, your own child, is missing. How can you be so heartless, not caring about your own daughter?" Luke, holding Anna, looked stunned. "Penelope, what are you saying? Chloe hasn't come home?"

My parents and brother exchanged confused looks. They probably thought, like I did, that I had returned to the old estate to visit Penelope.

They assumed I might be making pastries for her, as I used to bring her cakes every time I visited.

My mother's face showed shock. "Chloe isn't here?"