"When two people are together, looks and talent aren't what matter most. It's about compatibility, shared values, and the art of getting along as husband and wife.
In those areas, that woman's traits just don't fit Gray. It's not unreasonable to consider parents' opinions on marriage. After all, parents have lived through it all.
I also don't want Gray wasting his energy on pointless things. Otherwise, they'll end up separating sooner or later anyway.
And I'll take the blame for breaking up a couple!" Eleanor Sterling sighed.
"Mom, I wasn't scolding you!" Evie explained quickly.
"Not you!" Eleanor looked at Evie with a smile.
"Oh!" Evie replied after a long pause, then unconsciously picked up a piece of cake to chew.
"Evie, do you mind that Gray has such a past?"
"Honestly, I don't mind at all. Especially knowing they once had a deep relationship. And I've met Grace O'Sullivan. She's truly beautiful. She matched Gray well, so I did feel a bit distant." Evie turned her head and answered truthfully. "But I also understand that the past is the past. As long as Gray treats me well now, he'll give me his whole heart."
"That's right.
The past is the past. No one can change it.
If we all knew what the future held, we wouldn't have to take so many detours.
But it's only after those detours that we learn to cherish more, isn't it?" Eleanor replied.
"Yes, that's how I see it. Gray and Grace O'Sullivan weren't meant to be, so I got my chance!" Evie said, then giggled.
Eleanor laughed too.
"Gray knows how to cherish happiness. He'll treat you well. The past isn't a problem at all!"
"Hmm!" Evie nodded and said, "Mom, have some more tea. This cake is sweet and might make you feel hot!"
"OK!" Eleanor replied.
The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law talked and laughed. The atmosphere in the sunroom was wonderful.
Later, Evie stayed at the main house for lunch and then returned to Sterling Manor.
She murmured to herself for a long time on the way back.
"In fact, no matter what parents do, their starting point is always for their children's good!"
"Yes, parents everywhere have the same heart!" Lily Thompson echoed.
"Lily, do your parents urge you to get married and find a boyfriend now?" Evie turned her head and asked with a smile.
"Not yet. My brother isn't married. I'll think about it after he gets married." Lily answered shyly.
"That's true. You can also collect a toll." Evie nodded.
Lily immediately laughed.
"Madam, your idea is really unique!"
"What do you mean?"
"Most people wouldn't think of that!"
"Because I got married before my sister, and I know about the tolls!" Evie replied with a smile.
When she married Gray, her sister Victoria proudly said she could wait to collect the toll. It would be a big income this year!
Too bad she only had one sister. Otherwise, she could collect it multiple times!
At that time, she told her sister she was crazy about money.
"I forgot you still have a sister, Madam!"
"She rarely comes to see me, so it's normal for you to forget!" Evie responded.
Thinking back to Sterling Manor, she had to call her sister Victoria and complain.
Her sister hadn't been paying much attention to her lately.
After Evie returned to Sterling Manor, she went to rest first.
She took a nap every noon.
Sometimes she woke up at three o'clock. Sometimes she slept until nearly five o'clock. When she got up, she almost went for a walk. The day passed by like that.
But today, after lying down, she didn't feel sleepy.
The words her mother-in-law said to her lingered in her mind.
So a woman who is too beautiful and excellent can sometimes become a flaw and an obstacle.
In this world, women are often treated unfairly.
Then she thought about her mother-in-law saying she would give Grace a choice, and Grace gave up.
At that time, Grace must have been arrogant and felt insulted. That's why she made an impulsive decision!
Gray said that after she went back, she broke up with him directly. She said they weren't compatible in terms of family background.
In fact, Evie couldn't help feeling a little sorry. If Grace had endured it back then, or even taken a step back, maybe the result would be completely different now.
So people sometimes do this. They make many decisions when they're impulsive. But when they calm down later, they realize they were wrong. They even regret it. But time won't turn back. There's no regret medicine in the world.
No wonder when she had dinner with Grace that day, Grace sighed that she regretted her original decision. But it couldn't change anything.
Evie didn't know if Gray knew that Grace broke up with him because of this reason. If he knew, he might not have agreed! He might have tried to mediate and solve it instead of breaking up.
Maybe at that time, Grace didn't really want to break up. She just wanted to prove the strength of their feelings.
But most of the time, people can't withstand the test. Or even because of the changes in his family, Gray was already in a mess and had no time to care too much.
So many complicated points intersected. Ultimately, they led to their failure to make it to the end.
Evie sighed. She felt her mother-in-law's words were very reasonable. They were all experiences that needed time to understand. Only then could she better grasp the true meaning.
After Evie returned to Sterling Manor, Old Lady Sterling asked Chloe to push her into her study. What Evie mentioned today reminded her of some past memories.
At the moment, Eleanor was alone in her study.
From the bottom of a locked drawer, she took out a file bag. After opening it, she took out the materials inside. They included some old, yellowed photos.
The first thing she saw was a picture of a little girl with pigtails. She looked very shy, but she was already a pretty child.
Eleanor put down the photo and looked at other materials.
That was when Gray had a girlfriend. She was worried about Gray's safety and asked someone to investigate the girl's personal information. The result of the investigation shocked her.
This girl was none other than Iris Hart's missing daughter.
According to the information, Iris Hart's daughter, now called Grace O'Sullivan, was abducted and sold thousands of miles away. Later, her adoptive parents died unexpectedly. She was regarded as an unlucky person and sent away.
After many twists and turns, it was a blessing in disguise. She was adopted by a childless couple of college professors. Her life gradually settled down.