Reborn Young Miss: Phoenix Burning Red-Chapter 460: Make Things Right (2)

Adrienne sat on the bed of her room in the Zhao estate. The moon shone through the window, casting a soft glow on her face. She closed her eyes, feeling a sense of frustration filling her. She didn’t mean to push Lennox away earlier, but whenever she looked into his eyes, the fear of him trapping her overwhelmed her.

She knew he wasn’t anything like Alistair. Lennox never forced himself on her and had done things she never thought someone would do for her. If there were one thing she was certain of, it would be that he loved her unconditionally. She knew she had to confront her fear and trust him completely.

Hot tears streamed down her face, and sobs tore through her throat as she tried her hardest to keep everything in but failed. Adrienne felt her heart breaking into a million pieces. She wanted nothing more than to run to her husband’s arms, but the nightmares of her past life kept haunting her, reminding her of the pain she had endured.

She curled herself into a ball on the bed and continued to cry. Adrienne thought that, after waking up from her coma, she had already overcome the pain of her past. But now she realized that healing would be a much longer journey than anticipated. There were times she dreamt of being confined in that empty gray room again, feeling trapped and helpless, unable to escape her sorrow.

Adrienne somewhat regretted that she hadn’t confronted him much earlier and stopped him from going after her father. If only she had known the consequences of her inaction, she could have prevented the tragedy that followed.

-

"Addie?"

Rosemary entered Adrienne’s room only to find her daughter crying in the darkness of her room. When Adrienne arrived with Noah and Scarlett a week ago, Rosemary felt something was wrong but never dared to question her daughter. Lennox hadn’t shown up either, leading her to suspect that her daughter might have disagreements with her husband.

"Addie..." She called out again. This time, Rosemary stroked Adrienne’s arm to get her attention.

Adrienne looked up and sniffed, and Rosemary held her in her arms, allowing her daughter to cry out her frustrations and fears. Rosemary knew that her daughter needed comfort and reassurance at that moment. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Did you and Nox fight?" Rosemary asked once her daughter finally calmed down and ceased her crying.

Adrienne sniffed and gave her mother a weak smile. She hadn’t expected anyone to come to comfort her. She missed Lennox badly but knew she wasn’t ready to return home and pretend everything was alright between them. She needed time to heal and figure out what she truly wanted.

"You didn’t think Lennox cheated on me?" She asked in return.

Rosemary chuckled and shook her head. She then patted her daughter’s head like she used to do whenever Adrienne was upset when she was younger.

"I see the way your husband looks at you, Addie. He would never cheat on you. He loves you too much." Rosemary reassured her. She didn’t think her son-in-law would ever betray her daughter’s trust by having a mistress or another lover.

"You have no idea how broken and helpless he was when you were unconscious. It seemed that he was on the brink of losing his mind when you refused to wake up. He only calmed down when he spoke with the monk, who had a soothing presence and offered him words of wisdom and comfort."

Adrienne knew she had caused her husband a lot of distress, but she had never thought he would overreact. A part of her understood why Lennox had done what he did, but she couldn’t help feeling guilty for pushing him to that point.

She realized then that Lennox wouldn’t have acted so intensely if she hadn’t caused him so much distress, and she couldn’t help but blame herself for the consequences of her actions, even though she knew deep down that she couldn’t have predicted the extent of his reaction.

"I’ll not ask you what you and Lennox fought about, but are you sure distancing yourself from him is the best decision?" Rosemary asked. It was obvious that Adrienne wasn’t happy and distressed being away from home and her husband. She had never seen her daughter so tormented before.

"I do not know what to think or to do, Mom. Seeing Lennox, I couldn’t help but wonder what else he could do for my sake. I fear I might break him beyond repair if I let him in completely. And yet, I also fear losing him if I continue to push him away," Adrienne confessed, her voice filled with uncertainty.

Rosemary sighed, her gaze filled with empathy. She knew that what lay between them was a simple argument and a deep-seated fear rooted in Adrienne’s part.

"Addie, my dear," Rosemary began gently, "I cannot pretend to comprehend the pain you’ve endured fully. But I do know that Lennox loves you with all his heart. He has stood by your side through thick and thin, proving time and time again that he is a man of integrity. I couldn’t think of any man who could love you more than Lennox does."

Adrienne listened intently, her eyes searching for solace in her mother’s words.

"I know I’m not the right person to advise you given how I failed miserably in my relationships," her mother continued, "but trust me when I say that Lennox is a rare find. Love isn’t without its risks, my darling," Rosemary continued. "There will always be uncertainty and fear. But sometimes, the greatest strength lies in vulnerability. You must trust yourself and Lennox to get through this ever-changing sea of emotions together."

Adrienne remained silent as she took in her mother’s words. The love she shared with Lennox was something she never thought she could have. She couldn’t deny their connection or the depth of Lennox’s devotion to her. Love was a fragile thing, but it was also resilient. It can withstand the darkest storms if both parties are willing to weather them together.

Adrienne wiped away her tears, looking into her mother’s eyes for guidance. "But what if I’m not strong enough? What if I let my fear overpower my love for Lennox?"

Rosemary cupped Adrienne’s face in her hands and held her gaze firmly. Adrienne had been composed and calm, always offering support and reassurance. It was rare for her to show vulnerability, but in that moment, Rosemary could see the doubt creeping into her daughter’s eyes.

"My sweet girl, you are stronger than you realize. The fact that you’re willing to confront your fears and that you want to find a way back to Lennox speaks volumes about your strength. You love him just as much as he loves you, Addie. If you had nothing but feelings for him, you wouldn’t be this terrified, would you?"

She paused momentarily, searching for the right words to convey the depth of her conviction.

"Fear is a natural response when we’ve been hurt. But love has the power to heal those wounds if we allow it. You must trust yourself, trust Lennox, and believe in the love that binds you together."

Adrienne shut her eyes and nodded in understanding. If Lennox’s actions depended on her, she would have to ensure that she wouldn’t have forced him into a situation where he would feel obligated to harm others or himself.

Lennox had been doing her best to protect her in ways he knew. Adrienne felt responsible for his actions. She realized that to stop Lennox from taking the wrong path, she needed to confront him and help him find healthier coping mechanisms. She would do everything she could to protect him and keep him safe.

Adrienne needed to find her strength to overcome her fears and trust in their love. She couldn’t let her past continue to dictate her present and future. There was no doubt that she could not change the past, but she was willing to change and make sacrifices to build a better future with him.

Opening her eyes, Adrienne took a deep breath and stood up from the bed, determination replacing the sadness in her gaze. She knew that taking a risk meant opening herself up to the possibility of getting hurt again, but she couldn’t deny that deep down, she longed to be in Lennox’s arms again.

"Thank you, Mom," she said, her voice filled with gratitude. "You’re right. I can’t let fear control me anymore. I need to confront my past and work through it with Lennox by my side. But in the meantime, I would like to stay here with you until I feel ready to face it all. You must feel lonely with Hunter and Uncle Reese being away from home."

Rosemary smiled.

"I do feel a bit lonely without them, but having you here with me makes it a little easier." She replied. "I also enjoy Noah and Scarlett’s company. They are such sweethearts. Anyway, you can stay here as long as you need to. You know our home is always open to you." she said with a warm smile.