The Surrogate He Discarded

Meanwhile, in Isobel’s hospital room, Leanne and Judy were still waiting for an explanation.

Leanne studied her daughter with a concerned expression.

”Isobel, can you explain what you meant just now?”

Isobel sighed softly.

”Mom, you know Morgan looks a little like Dad. Yesterday, Uncle Leon mistook him for Dad and flew into a rage. If he hadn’t been so weak, Morgan could have been seriously hurt.”

The worry in Leanne’s eyes deepened.

Judy, however, merely sneered.

”With a build and skill like that, who could possibly hurt Morgan? You’re overreacting.”

Isobel’s cheeks flushed.

Unfortunately, Judy had a point. Morgan was tall, had a strong body and capable of self-defense.

Yesterday, Morgan had chosen not to fight Leon—not because he couldn’t defend himself, but because Leon was Isobel’s uncle. Out of respect for her, he had allowed the old man to vent his anger.

Still, Isobel couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her chest.

She pushed the blankets aside and slowly swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

Judy immediately hesitated.

For a moment, she looked as though she was debating whether to help.

Then, with an exaggerated sigh, she stepped forward and slipped an arm around Isobel’s uninjured side.

”Come on. You should not put weight on that injured arm of yours.”

Isobel leaned against her as she stood.

”Thank you, Sis.”

”I have no choice,” Judy muttered defensively. ”I don’t want Mom getting tired because she has to help you.”

A small smile tugged at Isobel’s lips.

She really is all sharp edges on the outside.

But lately, Isobel had begun to notice something beneath those sharp words.

Judy was softening. She simply refused to admit it.

Since the IV had already been removed, Isobel was free to move around, though every step still reminded her of the wound on her arm.

Judy opened the door for them.

The moment Isobel stepped into the adjoining room, she braced herself for the worst.

She had expected shouting, perhaps even another confrontation worse than what happened yesterday.

Instead, she stopped dead.

Her father was sitting beside Uncle Leon’s bed.

And the two men were playing chess.

Isobel blinked.

She looked at Leanne. Leanne looked just as bewildered.

Her expression clearly said, What is happening here?

Julian told her that Leon was only three years older than him and that, in his younger days, he had been one of the finest hunters in Greenvale. He had the built of a wrestler.

But the man sitting before her hardly resembled the strong hunter Julian had described.

Leon’s face was gaunt, his cheeks hollow, and his fingers looked almost skeletal against the chess pieces. His body seemed to have been worn down by years of hardship.

He looked at least ten years older than Julian.

He must have suffered a lot.

As if sensing her thoughts, Leon suddenly looked up.

His eyes met Leanne’s. Then his gaze shifted to Judy.

”So these are your wife and daughter?”

The older woman was beautiful and delicate, while the younger girl bore a striking resemblance to both Morgan and Julian.

Leon’s eyes narrowed slightly.

That ingrate certainly has strong genes.

Both of his children had inherited much of his appearance.

Though my beautiful sister still won.

His gaze returned briefly to Isobel.

She had inherited most of Rosella’s features, except for her eyes.

”Yes,” Julian answered.

He gestured for the two women to come closer.

”This is my wife, Leanne. And this is my daughter, Judy.”

Julian kept the introduction deliberately brief. He had no intention of saying anything that might awaken Leon’s anger again.

Leon studied Judy for a moment.

She was clearly older than Isobel. So Isobel was Julian’s youngest child.

A complicated feeling settled in his chest.

Perhaps Rosella’s death was a blessing in disguise.

If she had lived long enough to discover that the man she loved was already married to another woman and had a happy family with her, would her heart have survived it?

Leon gave Leanne and Judy a brief nod of acknowledgment.

Then his gaze moved past Judy.

It landed on Isobel.

His brows immediately furrowed.

”Aren’t you still injured?” he asked. ”Why are you running around?”

His expression was stern, but there was no anger in his voice. Only concern.

”Uncle, the wound isn’t hurting anymore.”

Of course, it wasn’t hurting. Not with painkillers coursing through her system.

Leon was about to say something when Isobel hurriedly continued.

”I was worried that you are still angry with Dad. I am afraid you might hurt him—or hurt yourself again.”

”Aunt Bel!”

Yana’s small voice suddenly cut through the room.

The child pointed accusingly at Julian.

”Grandpa was very scary earlier. He even threw an apple at the old uncle! Good thing he dodged it.”

Julian’s face darkened.

”Yana...”

The little girl merely blinked innocently.

Isobel turned back to Leon.

”Uncle, I already explained everything to you yesterday. Why are you still angry with Dad?”

”Cough.”

Leon suddenly coughed.

”Cough! Cough!”

Isobel’s expression changed instantly.

She hurried to his side and gently patted his back with her uninjured hand.

Everyone in the room looked alarmed.

Even Judy’s expression softened with concern.

”Sweetie, you’re still injured.”

Julian stepped forward, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at Leon.

He knew that cough had been forced.

Leon finally managed to catch his breath.

”I’m not angry with him anymore.”

The room fell silent.

Leon glanced at Julian.

”I was angry at Albert.”

His voice became quieter. That was the name of the man they saved in the forest and brought back to Greenvale... the name of the man who Rosella had fallen in love.

”I had already forgiven him for your sake.”

Julian’s expression stiffened.

For your sake.

The words struck him harder than he expected.

So he still resents me.

A bitter feeling settled in his chest.

Still, perhaps this was the best he could hope for.

At least Leon was finally able to separate Albert—the man he hated—from Julian, the man standing before him.

Isobel, however, didn’t dwell on the distinction.

Her eyes brightened.

A genuine smile slowly spread across her face.

Ever since she had arrived in Greenvale and learned about her uncle’s grudge against her father, Isobel had carried a quiet heaviness in her chest. She had worried that the resentment in her uncle’s heart would never fade—and that Leon might one day do something he would regret.

But now, for the first time, that weight began to lift.

Her uncle had forgiven her father.

The knot in her chest finally loosened, and a sense of relief washed over her.

For Isobel, that was enough.