Chapter 92: Secrets of the Past – V
There was a refreshing and thrilling feeling when you found that someone. The person who understood you and really listened to you and cared about you.
That was how Pamela felt about Winston.
That was why she always visited the gardens just to talk to him. She soon found many excuses to go there, such as trying to plant flowers herself and doing some gardening. She also used the daily stress of raising her children as an excuse to go out into the garden and get some fresh air.
Sometimes she would bring a camera to take pictures of the flowers.
But in reality, she was taking pictures of Winston and marveling at how handsome he was. She secretly saved these photos of him in her secret folder and even snuck into some shots so they would have pictures of the two of them together.
Soon, the two of them fell in love, like two lonely souls who needed an anchor in life and found it in each other. It was the definition of a whirlwind romance where they couldn’t get enough of each other and found numerous ways to be together all the time.
The maids close to Pamela knew about the affair, as did some of the servants who worked in the gardens, but none of them said a word to their master. They knew how terrifying Gregory Callahan was, and they didn’t want to see Pamela become depressed again.
They had all seen how downcast and lonely the mistress of the mansion was and how she was treated by the members of the Callahan family, so seeing her so happy and radiant with Winston made them reluctant to tell Gregory about the affair even though they knew that it was wrong.
Surprisingly, Pamela had been the one to bring up the subject of eloping with Winston. She had had enough after one particular day when she botched a breakfast recipe in the kitchen.
Her own son criticized her for being so lazy lately and not bothering to improve her cooking skills because her food tasted disgusting and made him lose his appetite. He even ordered the butler to feed it to the dogs instead before he went to his room to prepare his things for school.
She kept quiet during all this and apologized, but she never forgot the incident even after a week had passed.
‘It would be better for everyone if I just left,’ she thought.
It was a thought that popped into her mind out of the blue, like an intrusive thought that tempted her to act on it.
And indeed, she gave in to the temptation. Quite easily, in fact, instead of just letting it fester in her head.
It was as if she had wanted a reason to do so all along.
So she brought it up with Winston and suggested that they leave the mansion together because she no longer felt happy and comfortable there.
It was then that he told her some horror stories about her own husband and all the questionable things he had done over the years, which horrified her because she had never known any of it.
Especially since Gregory would forbid her to get involved in the business and just concentrate on being a “good wife”.
So she left and never looked back.
With Gregory’s immense wealth and ability, she believed that Patricia would have a good life even without her. Even though Gregory seemed cold and indifferent most of the time, he had a soft spot for his daughter, which Pamela had counted on.
But she didn’t feel sorry for Christian. The child looked and acted just like his father. Every time she looked at him, she was reminded of Gregory and his unbearable, suffocating presence.
Christian was her son, but she loved and hated him at the same time. It was a complicated feeling that stemmed from a resentment against her husband.This belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.
She knew it wasn’t fair to her son, but she couldn’t help it. She couldn’t control her emotions at all.
But now, as she looked at her little daughter, who was barely three years old, she felt her heart soften with guilt. She had naively thought that Patricia would soon forget her and move on to a better life, but she was wrong.
With those big, tearful eyes, how could she not feel sorry for her?
“I’m not leaving, honey,” she assured Patricia. “I promise.”
Patricia’s eyes widened. “Really, Mommy? You’re not lying? You’re really going to stay?”
Pamela nodded shakily.
Patricia looked unconvinced. “Pinky promise?” she said, holding out her little finger.
Pamela hesitated. For children, a pinky promise was very important and should not be broken no matter what.
She still couldn’t be sure that she would never leave this house again, especially after her heated argument with Gregory just now.
On the other hand, if she did leave, she had the feeling that her life would be in great danger.
She knew too much. Her husband was very capable of murder, and although there was no guarantee that he would kill her since it would put him under great public suspicion, she just had a gut feeling that leaving for a second time would be the worst decision she would ever make. A woman’s instincts were almost never wrong.
Meanwhile, Patricia looked crestfallen at Pamela’s momentary silence. “Mommy?”
Pamela quickly snapped out of her anxious trance and forced a smile. “I’m sorry, honey. Yes, I pinky promise.”
She reached out and laced their pinkies together, making Patricia’s eyes sparkle hopefully.
“I love you, Mommy!”
Pamela wrapped her arms around her daughter and hugged her tightly. She closed her eyes and breathed in the child’s familiar scent, and she couldn’t help but sob softly.
At least she still had her daughter in this horrible house, and that was enough.
Little did she know that Gregory Callahan had no intention of letting her live in peace from now on.