Prosperous Marriage: Married to My Brother-in-law-Chapter 497 Auntie’s Sister-in-law Can’t Be Provoked (3)_1

Now that her children had grown up, she believed they would understand her.

"Mom, Dad has been especially obedient these past few days and treating you extraordinarily well. Is there something..." Adele Horne sat down beside Mila Anderson and asked tentatively.

"He had a guilty conscience," Mila replied indifferently, stopping her nail trimming. Despite her age, she took the time each day for her beauty routine, striving to preserve her aging appearance.

"Dad's conscience was eaten by a dog long ago; he's not going to suddenly grow one now. Mom, Orlando said you were looking for me," Adele mumbled, making it clear she didn't believe her father had a change of heart. She didn't dwell on the subject of her parents and moved on to the main topic.

Mila didn't answer right away.

She first picked up the box of chocolates, opened it to look inside, then closed it again.

After placing the chocolates back on the coffee table, she turned her head to look at her beloved daughter, her eyes full of affection and remorse. After thinking for a moment, she said, "Adele, I've called several friends. They know even more people than I do. I've asked them to introduce you to some decent men. Tomorrow, you can meet the first one. I think that among them, there's bound to be a good man willing to accept you."

An arranged date? Adele Horne's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected her mother to actually arrange for men to be introduced to her.

She had said that she didn't want to marry now. She was pregnant, almost three months along. Which man would want to be a father for free? Besides, her reputation was notorious; how could any so-called 'good man' possibly like her?

"Mom..."

"Adele, listen to Mom. A woman needs to find a good man to marry. Don't worry. My friends have kind hearts, and they won't introduce you to any bad men," Mila said as she took a photo from under the coffee table. The man in the picture had respectable features and wore glasses, giving him the air of a senior professor. His age, though... he looked to be in his thirties.

"Adele, given your current situation, someone too young certainly won't do. This man's name is Flynn Walker, a college professor. He might not be as wealthy as our family, but he's still well-off. He's a bit older, about eight years your senior. He has a gentle temperament and is easy to get along with. He understands your situation and doesn't mind. He's willing to accept you, so please meet him tomorrow. If things work out, it would settle one of my worries. Every time I see you, I blame myself. It's all my fault. If you end up alone all your life, I couldn't rest in peace even in death," she said, her voice growing thick with emotion.

By the end, Mila choked up.

Her daughter, whom she had always considered exceptionally gifted, was destined in her eyes to marry a fine, upstanding man and live the life of a pampered wife. But fate seemed to be punishing her, the mother, for not fulfilling her duties, for not truly caring for and looking after her daughter, which had allowed her to become ill-tempered and ignorant, leading to her current predicament.

She couldn't bring herself to make her daughter terminate the pregnancy. If Adele truly ended up as a lifelong single mother, never marrying, Mila felt she wouldn't find peace even in death.

Although a marriage to a family of equal standing to the Hornes wasn't possible, marrying into a respectable family was still better than Adele ending up alone.

Adele Horne felt her heart sink, and an intense ache gripped it.

She didn't blame her mother for arranging these meetings; her mother was worried about her and only wanted what was best. But she really didn't want to marry at this time; she felt it would be extremely unfair to others.

Her mother continued to say a lot more, but Adele wasn't listening anymore. Her mind was in a fog. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

It wasn't until she sat down in Serendipity Cafe, facing a stranger, that she snapped back to reality.

Looking at the unfamiliar man across from her, Adele Horne smiled bitterly to herself. Hadn't she rejected her mother's idea? And yet, after just one night, here she was at this arranged meeting.

Serendipity Cafe was a place she had often visited with Orlando Evans in the past. Returning this time, however, stirred different feelings.

Sitting upright, her expression was composed, showing no panic or embarrassment. She simply looked coldly at the man opposite her. He seemed older than in the picture, and his appearance was different—most notably, he wasn't wearing glasses. Her mother must have been deceived. She seriously suspected he wasn't in his thirties but rather his forties. And as for being a college professor, would a real college professor leer at a woman he was meeting for the first time? A lecher, more like.

Adele Horne sneered inwardly. Even if he is a lecher, he won't get any advantage from me.

"Miss Horne, my name is Tobby Walker. It's a pleasure to meet you. You're even more beautiful than Mrs. Wang described, with skin as fair as a peeled egg," the man said, squinting with a smile.

Tobby Walker? Wait, her mother had clearly said the person's name was Flynn Walker. Why did it change to Tobby Walker?

"Mr. Walker, aren't you supposed to be Flynn Walker?" Adele Horne voiced her doubt.

"Flynn Walker is my younger brother. He couldn't make it. But Miss Horne, it's alright, I'm single too," Tobby rushed to explain.

Unbelievable! What did they take her for? So what if she was pregnant before marriage? Did that mean they could treat her like this? The younger brother didn't want to come, so the elder brother came instead? If she married such a disrespectful man, would his younger brother have to fulfill husbandly duties if the elder brother wasn't available? She would never want such a despicable man, even if she remained unmarried for the rest of her life! So what if she was pregnant before marriage? She still had her dignity!

Mrs. Wang! Adele Horne inwardly cursed her mother's mahjong friend. She's definitely taking this opportunity to insult me!

In fact, Adele had misunderstood Mrs. Wang. The Flynn Walker she'd introduced was truly a good man. However, a miscommunication, of which Adele was unaware, had given Tobby an opportunity. Mrs. Wang was Mila Anderson's mahjong friend and keenly aware of the Horne family's influence; she would never dare offend them.

But Adele didn't know any of this and had convinced herself that Mrs. Wang was deliberately trying to insult her.