Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem ( Elysia and Tarquin) novel Chapter 821

Soren, the boy next door who grew up with Elizabeth, was always there for her. From sharing ice cream cones on hot summer days to cycling down the leaf-strewn paths of their neighborhood, they did everything together.

Soren knew Elizabeth inside out - her every joy, her every sorrow.

He had secretly been in love with Elizabeth since they were kids, promising himself that she was the only one he'd ever want to marry.

But then, out of the blue, Kendrick arrived on the scene.

And what's worse, Elizabeth fell for Kendrick. They started dating, got married, and even had a child together.

Soren was like a character out of a tragic love story, the childhood friend who couldn't compete with the charming newcomer.

Despite the heartbreak, Soren's love for Elizabeth never wavered. He loved her from the start, and he loved her till the end, never marrying anyone else.

Soren was always busy, but mention Elizabeth, and he'd make time, plenty of it, ready to chat about anything related to her.

"You missing your mom again?" Soren would say, lounging back in his chair. "Well, shoot, I'm all ears."

Tarquin, with a clear agenda, said, "I want to talk about my mom's so-called ‘bastard child’."

The story of Elizabeth's "bastard child" was something Tarquin had heard whispers about from the Bradfords, a tale that followed him from childhood.

The Bradfords loved to tarnish Elizabeth's reputation with the story, accusing her of being promiscuous before she met Kendrick and even suggesting that she had a child out of wedlock – all reasons, according to them, why she wasn't good enough for Kendrick.

He knew better than to expect the truth from the Bradfords. Soren, who knew his mother well, was the best person to ask.

Surprised by the question, Soren responded, "A bastard child? Your mom doesn't have any other child but you! Oh, you mean Aiden?"

"Aiden? Who's Aiden?" Tarquin's curiosity peaked.

Soren explained, "Aiden was a kid your mom met while teaching in the Sky City mountains. She'd write about him in her letters, how smart and kind he was, but also how he suffered at home, often coming to school bruised and battered.

Eventually, she wrote that she wanted to adopt him. The poor kid was growing bitter and angry from his ordeal. Your mom believed that hate could warp a person's soul, and she couldn't stand by and watch Aiden's life be destroyed by hatred. She wanted to save him."