Love's New Bloom by Simone Hastings

Chapter 187 An Open Talk

Quentin’s body stiffened. He looked toward the door, and his trembling lips gave away the fact that he

was a little emotional at that

moment.

The father and son stared at each other in silence for more than ten seconds.

The bedroom suddenly became eerily quiet. Quentin was obviously not used to such sincere warmth

from his son. Feigning nonchalance, he pretended to clear his throat and said, “It’s been many years

since I’ve heard you call me ‘Dad,’ Chandler.”

His words didn’t contain excessive reproach; rather, they conveyed a sense of melancholy and

helplessness.

Chandler had already walked up to him by then. Taking a glance at his son’s peaceful sleeping face, he

instantly felt that the world was

filled with tenderness and beauty.

“Have you found out where Erin is?” Quentin turned around and took two steps forward to gently place

Asa back in his crib.

Chandler’s gaze suddenly turned cold as he replied calmly, “Let’s talk in the study.”

Quentin gave him a glance and walked out.

Five minutes later, in the study, Quentin and Chandler sat facing each other on individual leather sofas.

Chandler poured half a glass of whiskey for himself and Quentin.

*Tessa refuses to speak, and Jack is dead. However, based on what was revealed, it is still possible

that Erin is alive.” Chandler downed the half glass of whiskey in one gulp.

His way of drinking made Quentin furrow his brows slightly. “You’ve become a heavy drinker lately. I

truly regret stopping you from being with Erin. If I’d known that you’re also a person who’s loyal in love,

what use would my opposition have been?”

Chandler stared into his father’s eyes, feeling somewhat dazed. He said with a sigh, “Dad, you’ve really

changed. I can’t believe those words of regret came from you. It’s kind of hard to wrap my head around

this.”

“What’s so hard to believe? I’ve never claimed that I can’t make mistakes. Your grandfather had been

stubborn his whole life, and I

constantly put pressure on you. I’ve truly made things difficult for you during this time. After your

grandfather’s death, I’ve come to understand many things. Life is too short, so why should I always try

to force you to conform to my wishes?” Quentin picked up the

whiskey on the coffee table and took a big sip.

After placing the glass back down, he continued. “Time passes by so quickly. In a few more years, I’ll

truly be old. Who knows when I’ll die? I want to let go of all the old ideas I used to cling to. I couldn’t

attain your mother’s love in this lifetime, and that was my failure. I don’t want you to be lonely like me

for the rest of your life. I’ve seen enough during this time, and I understand that you truly love Erin. If

we can find her. I’m glad to have her as my daughter-in-law, and I won’t oppose you anymore. I know

it’s a bit late to say all this now, but these are all my heartfelt words.”

Quentin’s words instantly lifted a huge boulder that had been crushing Chandler’s heart all these years.

Although Erin’s fate was uncertain at the moment, Chandler was still grateful that his father could open

up to him like this. “Thank you for saying all these to me.”

“What are you thanking me for? We’re family. Is there anything we can’t talk openly about when there’s

a conflict? There’s no point in being stubborn and hung up about things. I don’t want to have regrets

before I die. If I were to die with you harboring resentment toward me like how you sent away your

grandfather, then I would truly have failed as a father.”

Chandler looked at Quentin, with whom he had never shared a deep bond. But suddenly, at that

moment, he truly understood his father. Their conversation that night was the first time in many years

that the father and son had borne their hearts to each other.

“Dad, can I ask you a question?” Chandler thought of Simon, his half-brother from the same father but

a different mother, whom they

claimed to be his cousin in public.

Quentin raised his head and calmly said. “Go ahead.”

“If I’m not mistaken, all these years, you’ve never actually loved Vanda, and you turned a blind eye to

her betrayal. Since you don’t love her, why did you still marry her?” Chandler felt that Simon, his

younger brother, was somewhat pitiful and unfortunate.

With a biological father who didn’t love him and a biological mother who willingly chose to be his aunt

instead, the bizarre family dynamics made Chandler feel incredulous every time he thought about it.

His words sent Quentin into a brief contemplation. In the next moment, he reached into his pocket to

grab his cigarette case. After feeling around in his pocket and not finding it, he remembered that he’d

thrown away all his cigars and cigarettes just two days ago so that his grandson wouldn’t smell smoke

on him when he held him.

Quentin genuinely loved his grandson who had returned safely.

“Dad.” Chandler handed his own cigarette to Quentin.

Quentin glanced at it and accepted it. Chandler then used a lighter to light it for him.

After taking a few puffs, Quentin revealed the truth. “There are some things I’ve never mentioned to

you before, but I’ll tell you about them. tonight. After your mother abandoned you, I hated her for many

years. And due to that hatred, I was overly strict in the way I raised you, sometimes even lacking

empathy. Honestly, every time I think about it now, I feel ashamed. It was my own failure in handling the

relationship with your mother that led to me directing a lot of my negative emotions onto you. When I

think about how young you were

back then, and how I treated you—*

Quentin couldn’t bring himself to continue at that point, so he smoked away mindlessly. Acknowledging

the mistakes he’d made in the

past in front of his own son wasn’t an easy thing to do for a middle-aged man like him.

Many people carried their apologies with them to their graves without uttering them to the people who

needed to hear them.

“Dad, all of these things are in the past. I’ve already let go of it, so you shouldn’t hold on to it either.”

Chandler expressed what he really thought.

After experiencing Erin’s disappearance, his grandfather’s passing, and the arrival of his son, many

past grudges were no longer worth

mentioning in his opinion.

Quentin finished his last puff of smoke and said, “At that time, I had psychological issues and had been

seeking the help of a psychologist. I was afraid that one day I would truly harm you, and I would regret

it. So, under your grandfather’s arrangement, I married Vanda, who is the daughter of your

grandfather’s old comrade. After Simon was born, I wanted to shift my focus onto him, and it initially

worked. But as time passed. I realized that my love for Simon wasn’t even a tenth of the love I had for

you. It made me understand how much influence your mother had on me. Later, when Simon turned six

months old, I entrusted him to your uncle.”

After a slight pause, he continued, “At that time, your grandfather agreed as well. Vanda never loved

me to begin with, and she didn’t have much affection for children when she was younger in age, so she

didn’t have any objections and agreed to it. Only the way we addressed each other changed, but we

were still family.”

Quentin mentioned Simon with a slight hidden sense of guilt in his eyes. Chandler felt a complicated

mix of emotions. The things he wanted to know were now made known to him, but he realized that

knowing them didn’t bring much change to the past.

Simon would still be his cousin, and it would be kept that way. Some truths were better hidden for the

happiness of the people involved.

Right then, Quentin suddenly stood up and said, “It’s getting late. I’ll head back first. You should rest as

well. Even if my beloved grandson doesn’t understand anything now, I’ve made him a promise, and I

don’t want to go back on my word. I’ll fully cooperate with you in finding Erin. If we’re fortunate enough

to find her, I owe her an apology.”

He’d said too many things that he had wanted to say but didn’t dare to that night. After saying them out

loud, he could finally break free from the heavy shackles that bound him all these years. Quentin’s

steps appeared much lighter than before as he walked away.

Watching his departing figure, Chandler’s impression of Quentin as his father improved significantly.

Although he was no longer young, in Chandler’s eyes at that moment, he seemed twenty years

younger.

“Dad, thank you for your honesty. Please forgive my disrespect toward you over the years. I’m sorry

about that!” Chandler called out to Quentin’s receding figure.

A rare smile appeared on Quentin’s face. He turned around and said, “You were the one who

orchestrated Jazzlyn’s affair, right? You’ve made the entire Overton family retreat in embarrassment.

That plan was executed beautifully! Sometimes I worry about you. You really resemble me too much.”