Lost Me Gained Regret



When Dailey heard the news, his voice was as cool as the steel of a blade. "A call from abroad?"

Trey nodded, "We traced it back to a public phone booth."

"Since there was no conversation and no surveillance, we can't confirm who Nelly was in contact with."

Dailey frowned slightly but didn't dwell on this minor issue for long.

As he was about to head downstairs, he found his path blocked by his parents.

His grandparents were there too.

It felt like a tribunal.

He took a seat on the armchair, legs crossed, idly flipping a lighter in his hand without a word.

The living room fell silent for a moment until Jayne decided to break the ice.

"The child isn't yours, you know that, right?"

"Yeah."

"So, what are you planning to do?"

"What do you mean, what am I planning to do?"

Dailey's indifferent demeanor didn't ruffle any feathers in the Clarkson family. They were used to it. They had always prided themselves on raising him to be calculating and unemotional, immune to being swayed by feelings.

But then Christine came along and turned his world upside down.

Normand jumped in after Jayne, "I know you're planning a wedding with Nelly to protect Christine."

"But you don't have to marry her. An alliance with another family would serve just as well."Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

"Once you're married, those enemies will focus on you and your wife, not Christine."

Dailey stopped fidgeting with his lighter, stood up, and smoothed out his jacket. His voice was calm but icy, "I don't need an arranged marriage. Don't plan my life for me."

Normand's patience was wearing thin, but Madge held him back.

Madge looked at Dailey with a warm smile, "Nelly has feelings for you. Using her and then casting her aside won't be so easy. Do you really see yourself spending a lifetime with her?"

Of course, Dailey had no intentions of a lifelong commitment to Nelly.

Especially now that he knew the child wasn't his.

It was all for show, a mere facade.

He had eyes only for Christine.

"I need to head to the hospital. Unless there's something important, let's not waste any more time."

Normand couldn't hold back his frustration, scoffing, "So, going to the hospital for a show isn't a waste of time?"

Dailey retorted, "All's fair in love and war, father. You taught me that."

After Dailey left, the living room was enveloped in silence for a long while.

This wasn't the outcome anyone had hoped for.

They had been relieved when Dailey and Christine broke up, but now, they couldn't seem to escape her orbit.

"It's time," Caldwell finally spoke, "to

find

convince

Dailestine and have her Dailey to call off the 9 with

Nelly." Content belongs

Jayne hesitated, "Dad, you heard what Dailey said..."

Caldwell tapped his cane, "If you let him have his way, he'll end up marrying Christine. Is that what you want?"

Of course, Jayne didn't.

Given Dailey's current obsession

with Christine, if they were left toet

their own devices, she would

heel.

undoubtedly become his

UMS

Christine, with no significant background, wasn't someone their enemies could easily target, unlike a match from an equally influential family, which would at least offer some deterrence.

But Dailey failed to see the logic.

"I've had someone look into it. Christine is in Mistwood, but we don't have her exact whereabouts yet."

Caldwell said, "Then we'll make a trip."

Jayne nodded in agreement.

...