From Broken to Beloved-Chapter 56- less is more

Bert noticed that Catherine’s mood had been affected by Lilian, so he immediately changed the topic.

"What do you want to eat? Let Morrison make it for you. That husband of yours—do you really think he’s there just to stir up trouble behind your back?"

Then he added,

"I’ll have time tomorrow. I’ll pick you up after work."

Lilian was a sensible girl, and she genuinely hoped Bert could find happiness. She immediately realized she shouldn’t interfere, agreed, and quickly hung up.

For Lilian, although Bert hadn’t explicitly confirmed anything, he hadn’t denied it either. From that, she concluded that Bert must have someone he was seeing.

Her certainty came from knowing Bert’s past behavior—he usually obliged her requests. Yet this time, he refused, or rather, postponed it to tomorrow. That alone was enough to prove that the person he was seeing now held importance to him.

Another woman had taken her place in Bert’s heart. Though Lilian felt a small twinge of loss, thinking about Bert being happy and secure instantly cheered her up.

For Lilian, who had been cherished in Daniel’s hands all her life, Bert’s first thirty-plus years had been cold and bleak. She sincerely hoped that a woman would appear, bringing warmth to him, creating a home with him, giving him children, and filling the emptiness of his life with liveliness and love.

Lilian thought that if such a girl existed—one who could truly make Bert happy—she, as his sister, would naturally do everything she could to treat that girl well.

After hanging up, Bert continued driving calmly, though inwardly he felt a sense of indignation at Morrison using Lilian to pry for information.

Lilian was now four months pregnant, past the risky first trimester, and her belly was just starting to show. Bert thought that even now, she could still model for the new season of clothes he had designed.

Since Morrison loved to meddle, Bert thought he might as well give Morrison some problems to worry about.

After Lilian hung up, Morrison came over and sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist and planting a gentle kiss on her cheek before asking softly,

"Going to have dinner with Bert later?"

Because Lilian had been sent to gather information, Morrison intentionally didn’t join the dinner. His role was only to drop her off, while he went to meet other friends for a bit of leisure.

Lilian agreed. Since getting married and now pregnant, Morrison reported all his movements to her.

Ever since she became pregnant, aside from unavoidable business engagements, Morrison spent his evenings at home with Lilian.

This rare opportunity for Lilian to have dinner with Bert also meant Morrison could take a rare break. Of course, "leisure" didn’t mean wild partying—it was just meeting friends for dinner and a game of cards. After Lilian’s dinner with Bert, he would go pick her up, so not a drop of alcohol could be involved.

Lilian wasn’t the type to micromanage Morrison. She understood that men had business and social obligations, especially someone in his position.

Moreover, Lilian had come to see clearly: a man worth all the effort to keep is not necessarily someone to cling to.

Since she had chosen to marry him, if she continued doubting him and worrying constantly, it would be a dishonor to her own choice.

Thus, after marriage, Lilian had let go of pre-wedding anxieties and insecurities regarding Morrison’s relationships with others. If he ever betrayed or hurt her, she could walk away gracefully, without any lingering attachment.

If he loved her wholeheartedly, she would inevitably love him in return.

In other words, his attitude toward her—and toward their love and marriage—directly determined how she would feel about him.

After marriage, the only thing Lilian ever said to Morrison regarding this principle was exactly that. Nothing more, not a single extra word.

Sometimes, less is more. Say too much, and he might think she cared too much.

After marriage, Morrison had completely transformed into the model husband. Whenever he had no business engagements, he would go straight home after work to cook and be with his wife. Those friends he used to meet for drinks, card games, and entertainment—what Bert would call "fair-weather friends"—he had been invited out by them many times and refused each time, enduring their teasing and jokes.

Morrison just smiled it off. Perhaps he had been reckless in the past, but he understood clearly what was most important to him and what kind of life he wanted in the future. He had been working steadily toward it.

Now, what he longed for most was simple and ordinary: a loving wife, children, and a warm home. The outside world and its distractions could be enjoyed by others.

Outside of work, Morrison spent nearly all his time at home. Sometimes, when Lilian was in an especially bad mood and didn’t want to see him, she would shoo him away—especially when he tried to cuddle or steal a kiss, which only made her more exasperated.

Every time she did that, he would anxiously hold her close and ask if she was upset with him or didn’t want him anymore, leaving Lilian half laughing, half crying.

At that moment, when Morrison asked her about dinner plans, Lilian shook her head.

"I’m not going. He said he has an appointment today."

Morrison immediately perked up.

"An appointment?"

Lilian nodded, then shared her speculation.

"I think my brother might have a girlfriend."

"Or maybe a boyfriend," Morrison teased, seizing any opportunity to mock Bert. Even though he knew Bert was involved with Catherine, he still deliberately tried to tarnish Bert’s image for a laugh.

He could never beat Bert outright, but taking a jab behind the scenes made him feel somewhat satisfied.

Lilian rolled her eyes, and Morrison took the chance to give his wife a little "lesson":

"See? Those brothers, whether this one or that one, are unreliable. When it comes to the crucial moment, they always prioritize their wives or girlfriends. The only man you can truly count on is your own husband. So if there’s ever a conflict in the future, you better stand by me and speak up for me."

Whenever Morrison had disagreements with Dave or Bert—especially Bert—Lilian always tended to defend Bert, which upset Morrison. So he seized the opportunity to give her a little "reprogramming."

No matter how many good brothers she had, none mattered as much as a good husband. He wanted her to understand her position and loyalty.

Lilian snorted.

"He has a girlfriend! I’m happy for him already. What does reliability have to do with it?"

"Besides, a man should naturally stay close to his wife or lover. What he’s doing is completely right."

Morrison had just finished lecturing her earnestly, yet she still defended her brother and spoke well of him, which made Morrison grit his teeth in frustration.

But the next second, a fatal thought struck him. He had looked into Catherine before—she was only twenty-six.

As a man a full eight years older than Catherine, Morrison absolutely refused to accept that.

Then he thought some more. Among their group, aside from Lilian, everyone else—Dave, Laurent, and himself—would be at a serious disadvantage. The more he thought about it, the more irritated he felt toward Bert. Why did he have to find someone so much younger?

It wasn’t fair—the same pursuit of a younger wife, yet the treatment was completely different.

However, thinking that Lilian had decided not to have dinner with Bert, he quickly grabbed his phone and told the friends he had planned to meet for dinner and cards that he couldn’t make it. Lilian’s cooking simply couldn’t be underestimated, and he was responsible for the meals for their little family.

Yes, their little family of three.

Morrison had already mentally included the tiny life growing in Lilian’s belly in their household, even though they didn’t yet know the gender.

Privately, Morrison hoped for a boy—not out of favoritism, but simply because if it were a son, he wouldn’t have to suffer the heartache of seeing a daughter get married one day.