Annie frowned at her daughter's words. She knew of George's past. The man took a long time to move on and seek love again after his first wife's death. Annie clearly knew the feeling of being stuck in a sad past. So were her daughters.
Annie called out to Alliana in a stricter tone.
"Jang Shin Ye. Stop making trouble. This is the first time that our house received guests in a long time. Do not ruin this happy occasion."
Alliana's eyes narrowed at her mother's stern warning.
George took Annie's hand and patted her comfortably.
"It's alright, An. Your daughter will soon be my daughter too. She has the right to learn of my past and dig through it."
He turned to Alliana with an understanding smile.
"It is true that I got married before. Although our marriage only lasted for three years, I was happy. But the inevitable came. I could not do anything as the heavens decided to take my deceased wife from me. After everything I did in hopes to extend her life, I was still defeated. The only thing I could do was to send her off peacefully even though I was unwilling."
George's smile was gentle, but his eyes were sad as he reminisced about the past.
Moving on with one's life did not mean forgetting the significant memories of the past. He treasured his dearest memories, but he also did not want to have any more regrets by letting go of Annie who miraculously moved his heart.
Ariana and Angel both settled their eyes on him.
His words were something very… familiar and nostalgic to them. They could not help but relate to him.
Annie teared up when she heard George's words. Because she, too, had suffered like that.
Alliana felt that everyone's emotions turned to sympathize with the man.
Except her.
Alliana was not sad. She could not even relate to the man at all. Because what she felt was not sadness, but anger.
Anger at the so-called fate that made her family seemed cursed.
George's words just made Alliana hate the man more.
Such glorious-sounding words, yet in the end, it was just an excuse to throw away the person whom they loved before!
Like an insensitive little she-devil, Alliana let out a taunting 'ha' sound.
"You talk as if it was the heavens who took her away. From what I know, it is the disease that consumed her. If only you found it sooner, then you could have saved her."
Annie: "Alliana! You are being too much!"
George stiffened at Alliana's words.
He could not deny it.
...He knew it very well. He was in a political marriage that only his parents decided, so in the beginning, he did not focus on his deceased wife at all. It was only a year later that he fell in love with her through her patience and kindness and decided to love her with his all.
However, tragedy struck.
His past wife was already at the last stages of the disease. As if to curse him, there was nothing he could do despite seeking the best doctors in the world. Even though he blamed many people at her death's door, he blamed himself the most.
George Tan could not speak.
Silence settled on the dining table.
Alliana ignored her mother's stern warning. She smiled evilly. She finally found the man's weakness.
With cold cruelty flashing in her eyes, she tilted her head and added fuel to the fire. "If you are so irresponsible and incapable of taking care of someone dear to you, then how will you be able to take care of my mother?"
Outraged, Annie Chu suddenly reprimanded, "Outrageous, Jang Shin Ye! Get out of this table at this instant." Her usual sweet and delicate demeanor was gone.
The atmosphere at the table became even heavier.
George Tan broke free from his emotions. He turned his head and comforted Annie with an embarrassed smile.
"An, there is no need for that. Regarding that matter, honestly, I am truly the one to blame. I know this fact myself. She did not say anything wrong."
But his words of reconciliation fell on deaf ears.