Bound Hearts: My Vows to My Disabled Spouse

Not His Daughter

Outside the police station.

"Mom! You finally came to get me!"

Mabel threw herself into Glenda's arms. "I missed you so much, Mom," she whined. "I was

miserable in there, I couldn't eat or sleep properly!"

Glenda held her tightly, her eyes welling up with tears.

"All right, all right, that's enough," Lanny called out.

"Stop embarrassing me and get in the car already, or I'll leave without you!" He muttered a curse and hurriedly the car window up, too ashamed of the fact that his daughter had gotten a detention.

Noticing her father's short temper, Mabel glanced at her mother and asked in a quiet, wary voice, "Did Dad find out that you took his money? Did he beat you?"

"No, no, your father loves you, no matter what," Glenda replied with a straight face. "He did everything to bail you out. Your only mistake was attending that orgy. You were influenced by those rascals!"

Mabel pursed her lips. "I just wanted to find someone powerful to sponsor me. I couldn't get any good resources within the entertainment circle, I was getting worried. Jeff Burke invited me to that party, saying that I'd be able to meet a lot of big shots. That's the

only reason I went there."

Glenda clicked her tongue in a mix of frustration and disappointment. "You foolish girl, don't you

ever use that brain of yours?"

Lanny rolled the car window down again. "Are you getting in the car or not? Do you want to make more of a spectacle out of yourselves?"

Glenda grabbed Mabel by the shoulders and ushered her into the vehicle.

< Mabel could feel the tension in the air as soon as she settled in the backseat. She knew there and then that Larry was furious, so she wisely kept her mouth shut.

When they arrived home, Lanny wordlessly disappeared into his study.

Mabel breathed a sigh of relief, but when she spoke again, her voice was laced with discontent. "Why is he so angry, Mom? So I used his money, but only a little! He has a lot more stashed in the bank."

Glenda shook her head. "He isn't mad about the money. It's about something else."

"What is it, then?"

Glenda wasn't sure, either, but she had a hunch that it had something to do with the incident 22

Planning your weekend reading? . The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading!

years ago.

At that same moment, Lanny was anxiously pacing back and forth while talking on the phone. "How are things going? Have you found her yet? Why the hell did she escape from your hospital, anyway? You'd better give me a proper explanation as soon as possible!"

The other party said something in reply, something that made Lanny explode in rage. "You worthless piece of shit! You can't even find one person? If she makes contact with my daughter and says something she shouldn't, I'll personally see to it that your hospital is shut down!"Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

He hung up before the other person could utter another word, then slammed the phone against his desk. Glenda happened to enter the study just then, and witnessed his outburst.

"What do you think you're doing here?" Lanny asked crossly.

Glenda set the tea service on the table. "I wanted to check on you.< You've been very irate these last few days, I am worried that it would affect your health. Do you even think about me and Mabel? Who are we supposed to rely on if something happens to you?"

Lanny gradually calmed down at the sound of her voice, then he slowly took the teacup she offered.

"Are your troubles related to that old woman in the mental hospital?"

Planning your weekend reading? Ensure you're on 5s.org for uninterrupted enjoyment. The next chapter is just a click away, exclusively available on our site. Happy reading! Glenda's question earned her a cold glance. "Don't ask about things you have no business

knowing."

She complied, but only because she already got her answer. Her suspicions were right. Lanny didn't want her to know the details, but the incident from that year was clearly haunting him. "Elyse is married now," Glenda remarked. "Do you think we've done right by her as her parents?" Lanny sneered. "What are you saying? It's been 22 years. Are you finally feeling guilty about all you did to her? Or are you scared of justice catching up to you?" "That's not what I meant," Glenda said, realizing that she was setting herself up for a trap. She quickly changed the subject. "I just thought, Elyse has settled down. Don't you think it's time for us to make arrangements for Mabel's marriage?" She paused for a while and added, "She wants to marry Theo Ward" "Hal" Lanny scoffed. "The Ward family regards us with contempt. If you really care about Mabel, you would advise her to give up."

Glenda's hackles rose. "Then why did you let Elyse marry him in the < first place?"

"Do you seriously think I did it for her own good? It's because I value the Ward family's power and influence! Besides, Elyse is not my

daughter. Why would I do anything for her sake?"