Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Chapter 51: Chapter 51: An Even More Shocking Truth

Sophie Shaw’s thoughts descended into chaos.

She couldn’t believe Joseph Shaw had made such a heartless decision when her mother was terminally ill.

’No matter how bitter the fight, shouldn’t saving a life come first?’

’Is anything more important than life itself?’

"Joseph Shaw didn’t let us attend Mina’s funeral. He didn’t even notify us or let us see her body. Your grandfather and I couldn’t bear it, so we went straight to Joseph Shaw, wanting to take you in and raise you. He refused and was aggressive with us. Our only choice was to sue and fight for your custody through legal channels. But who knew Joseph Shaw would turn the tables on us? He had Mina’s attending physician testify that during her illness, not a single one of us, her family, came to the hospital for a bone marrow match test."

At this point, the old woman was overwhelmed with grievance. "We didn’t even know she was sick. No one told us! But the judge believed the doctor’s testimony. Joseph Shaw lied to the doctor, saying we refused to get tested and didn’t want to save Mina. He was afraid we would try to get to you, so he added fuel to the fire in court. He claimed we’d been indifferent to Mina all those years, that we had tried everything to stop them from being together, and that we were unfit to be parents. Your grandfather and I were utterly defeated in that custody battle. We were even forbidden from ever seeing you again."

Sophie Shaw shook her head violently. "This isn’t real."

The revelation hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Sophie, I know this is hard for you to accept, but Joseph Shaw is a completely selfish man."

"Stop talking."

Sophie Shaw’s mind was in turmoil. She had absolutely no appetite for hot pot anymore.

She grabbed her bag and walked out. Alaric Blackwood immediately got up and followed her.

He caught up to her in the hallway outside the private room, grabbing her wrist to stop her. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"You’re not eating?" freewebnøvel.com

"Do I look like I have any appetite?"

Alaric Blackwood was silent for a moment before raising his hand to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye. "I’ll take you."

"No, that’s okay. I’ll get a taxi."

"I’m not comfortable letting you go alone in your state."

Alaric Blackwood led her downstairs and back to the car. He didn’t forget to send a message to Evan Ford on WeChat, telling him not to wait up—he was taking Sophie Shaw home.

Inside the private room, Evan Ford read the message and sighed helplessly.

"Are they coming back?" the old woman asked, her eyes red.

"They left."

"It’s my fault. I should have let the child eat first. I was too hasty."

Tears streamed down the old woman’s face again. "Sophie probably doesn’t believe me. She must have run back to confront Joseph Shaw."

Evan Ford nodded and comforted her, "Grandma, don’t worry. Eat something first."

"How can I not worry? Joseph Shaw deceived doctors and judges. He won’t tell Sophie the truth."

—

On the way back to the Kane family’s home, Sophie Shaw wiped the tears from her face, her expression grave.

She didn’t say a word, staring out the window with an air of gloom surrounding her.

The atmosphere in the car was heavy. Alaric Blackwood didn’t dare make things awkward, so he remained silent and just drove.

When he dropped Sophie Shaw off outside the Kane residence, he hesitated, wondering if he should offer a few words of comfort. But she just unbuckled her seatbelt, got out of the car, said a quick "thank you," and slammed the door before walking away.

She looked terribly upset. Worried she might get into a fight with her family, he decided not to leave. He found a place to park, sat in the driver’s seat, rolled down the window, and lit a cigarette.

Sophie Shaw walked in the door and, without even changing her shoes, headed straight for the dining room.

It was dinnertime, and everyone was there except for Vianne Kane, who hadn’t been able to make it back from work.

Seeing her return, Bianca Kane frowned. "You child. Your father messaged you to ask if you were coming back, and you didn’t reply. Now you show up right at dinner."

After complaining, the woman said to the maid, "Set a place for her."

"That’s not necessary. I’m not here to eat."

Sophie Shaw’s gaze was fixed on Joseph Shaw. "I need to talk to you about something."

"Whatever it is, we can talk after dinner."

"It’s urgent."

Joseph Shaw glanced up at Mr. Kane’s ashen face, hesitated for a long moment, then put down his chopsticks and gestured for Sophie Shaw to follow him.

He got up, walked out of the dining room, and led the way, taking Sophie Shaw into the tea room on the first floor.

Sitting down on the sofa, he casually started boiling a kettle of water and asked Sophie Shaw, "Let’s hear it. What’s so urgent?"

"Did my mother die of leukemia?"

She had been young at the time and only knew that Mina Ford was sick. She didn’t know what illness it was. Neither Joseph Shaw nor Mina Ford had ever told her the specifics of the condition, and they had both reassured her, saying her mom would be better soon.

"Yes."

"And the hospital couldn’t find a matching bone marrow donor?"

"That’s right."

"Then... is my mother’s side of the family still alive?"

Joseph Shaw was taken aback by the question. He looked up, staring at Sophie Shaw in surprise. "What do you mean by that?"

"My grandmother, uncle, aunt, and cousin are all still alive and well. When my mother was sick, did you ever contact them and ask them to go to the hospital for a bone marrow match test?"

Joseph Shaw snorted coldly. "Of course I did. They disowned your mother."

"Is that really what happened?"

Joseph Shaw didn’t answer, his expression turning cold. "You met the Fords?"

"I did."

"What did they tell you? That I stood by and did nothing, that I just let your mother die?"

"Isn’t that the truth?"

"The Fords are heartless and cruel! Mina and I were deeply in love, madly in love, and they insisted on tearing us apart. I knew I wasn’t worthy of your mother, but my feelings for her were genuine. How could I possibly know her family could save her and still watch her waste away and die?"

Sophie Shaw also felt it was unlikely. Hearing Joseph Shaw say it himself, she breathed a small sigh of relief.

But in the next second, Joseph Shaw revealed an even more shocking truth. "It was all your mother’s wish. She was the one who forbade me from contacting the Ford family. She would rather die than bow her head to them."

"What did you say?"

Joseph Shaw sighed. "After I learned about your mother’s condition, my first instinct was to contact the Fords. I was willing to get on my knees and beg them, as long as it could save your mother’s life. But your mother stopped me. She didn’t want me to go to them and grovel. She said to wait for news from the hospital, that maybe a matching donor would be found soon."

"Your mother was very stubborn. For my sake, she had a terrible falling out with her parents. She said she would never forgive them, never contact them again, and certainly never beg them for anything."

Sophie Shaw’s eyes widened in disbelief. "So you just let my mother wait to die?"

"I respected your mother’s wishes. I stayed by her side, waiting for good news from the hospital. But her condition deteriorated very quickly. One night, she had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage, and they couldn’t save her."

Tears fell from Sophie Shaw’s eyes. She held her head high, refusing to believe this was the truth.

"Then why did you later lie in court and frame my grandparents, claiming they refused to come to the hospital for a bone marrow test?"

Seeing her cry, Joseph Shaw recalled the past, and tears welled up in his own eyes. "If I hadn’t done that, they would have taken you from me. You are Mina’s and my child. I couldn’t let them take you away."