Tangled Temptations

Chapter 243

Next to the coffee shop, there was a smoothie shop.

A long line stretched out the door and Orlena was in the middle, holding the hand of a toddler. The little boy was fidgeting, clearly not happy about the wait. Orlena picked him up.

Eloise watched in silence. Her eyes welled up with emotion, her heart filled with

sorrow.

Orlena, once a pampered girl who probably didn't know what it was like to wait in line for smoothie, was now standing under the blazing sun with a toddler. She was no longer dressed in expensive clothes, just a simple white shirt and faded jeans.

She had lost a lot of weight and there was no longer any sign of the pampered girl she once was.

Eloise closed her eyes briefly. Following her gaze, Veronica spotted Orlena too, "Isn't that Orlena? How does she have a child?"

Given Veronica's personality, she would typically rush over immediately.

Eloise held her back, "Don't!" She had been through this. She understood Orlena's feelings. The child was not her burden. She loved him. She feared of her parents' disappointment and their possible insistence on her giving up the child.

Eloise spoke softly to Veronica, "Don't make a scene!"

Just then, Linda was calling for her mother, and the driver brought her over. When the little girl saw Eloise crying, she cuddled into her mother's arms, wiping her tears and coaxing, "Mommy, don't cry!"

Veronica watched them enviously, "Daughters are so sweet!"

Eloise whispered back, "Stay here for a bit, I'll go check on Orlena. And don't tell Riley about this yet. I don't want to scare Orlena and have her run off again." Veronica understood the gravity of the situation and nodded, "You go talk to her."

Eloise left with Linda in tow.

Just as Orlena was getting her smoothie and preparing to leave with her son, Eloise called out softly from behind, "Orlena!"

Orlena froze. She turned slowly to see Eloise and Linda. Her lips trembled. After two years, she was seeing Eloise and Linda again. But seeing them reminded her of him. It took her a moment to softly greet, "Eloise!"

Her voice was always filled with pain and sorrow. She longed to bury herself in Eloise's arms and whine like she used to, but she was no longer the Orlena before.

Eloise felt a tight knot in her chest. She stepped forward, gently patting the little boy's head, and introduced him to Linda, "This is your auntie."

Linda chirped happily, "Auntie!"

Orlena felt a lump in her throat. She watched Linda and was transported back to that fateful night three years ago. "She's grown so much!" She kissed Linda and introduced her son to Eloise, "This is my son, Daniel."

Eloise handed Linda to her and took Daniel in her arms. He had soft, chubby face, and deep brown hair. She didn't need to ask. She knew who his father was.

Linda commented, "His hair is the same color as mine!"

The air was thick with unspoken words.

soft, "Mommy, you can hold him. I won't be jealous,

told

felt awkward. Eloise didn't let her off the hook, though, "Let's go

...

small alley. Orlena's rented apartment was tiny, with just one bedroom. It

felt symphathy

water. The smoothie was shared between Daniel and Linda. Orlena couldn't

Daniel and asked softly, "You haven't been home for two years.

whispered, "I found out I was pregnant after we broke up. He doesn't know. He

She just felt sorry for Orlena and the child. The boy was two years old and still didn't have a proper

and said, "You should come home

after a moment, responded softly,

if I go back? My parents and brother won't just accept Daniel. They'll want justice

at her, "And

Orlena was taken aback.

Daniel's hair, "You can't keep living

cheek, "It's my first time meeting you, Linda. I don't have

the only thing she had from the Horigan family. She wanted to

turned away, unable to hold back her tears any longer. Orlena cried too. Daniel, still a baby, was scared by the adults' tears and started crying too. Linda stroked

Linda kissed his soft cheek and his brown

was leaving, Eloise gave Orlena all the money she had in her purse,

moment, both women felt a strange sense of disbelief. Who would have thought that Orlena, once a pampered princess, would be relieved to

the old building, she leaned against a

and held her, continuing to cry. Linda patted her head, "Daddy would be

in such a place, but she also couldn't tell Parker. How devastated would parents be if they found out? She felt that Harvey was the

tonight, you tell him how mommy cried and that you saw Auntie Orlena.

After a moment, she

relationship with Harvey was complicated.

head, "Adults'

...

night, at eight

giving Linda her piano lesson. She was wearing a pale pink dress. Her slender waist and a bit of her leg were

piano with some

sat down next to Eloise, about to tease

stopped playing and asked gently, "Have you

gentle, I'm a little taken aback! Make me some pasta, will

to

took off his coat and threw it aside, picking up Linda and asking, "What's up with

task. She sat on her father's lap, her little face pinched up, "Mommy cried

Harvey furrowed his brows.