Chapter 178 Why Did You Leave Back Then?
In front of Taylor, Grace was totally speechless.
Henry didn't push it. He muttered, "Don't tell me it was just a fling! Grace, you're not that chill!"
Grace replied coolly, "People change."
Henry just stared at her.
Then it dawned on him—Grace, at 29, was a grown woman. Just like he had needs, so did she. Besides, she had been single for years. When one was lonely and someone showed they cared, things happened.
Henry didn't wanna dwell on it. His pride wouldn't let him ask more, so things got awkward. He gently took care of Taylor while Grace sat on the couch, busy with her phone.
Serene Petal Dining had over 200 spots nationwide, keeping Grace super busy.
Right then, Taylor looked up and asked Henry, "Daddy, what's 'fling' mean?" He had no clue how to answer.
After dinner, Henry hung out with Taylor for a while. By the time he left, it was late.
Grace walked him to the door.
As the door closed, Henry looked at Grace's delicate face and asked softly, "I wanna take her to my place for a few days. Is that cool with you?"
Grace agreed right away.
Henry couldn't help but ask, "Why?"
It took a moment for Grace to understand what he meant. She smiled gently and said, "Taylor likes you a lot. She needs her dad around. I won't be selfish."
"Then why'd you leave back then?" Henry's blue eyes were intense, even more so under the porch light.
A night breeze blew by, and Grace wrapped her shawl tighter. Even so, she looked a bit pale, still not fully recovered from childbirth.
She didn't answer it.
Henry didn't push; asking more would be rude.
He looked at her, his voice soft. "Sherry misses you a lot. At night, she always jumps onto the bed you used to sleep in, sniffing your scent on the pillow. Over the years, the roses at Tranquil Heights have bloomed beautifully. I take pics of them every winter when it snows. I'll send them to you."
Henry's eyes were full of deep emotion, so thick it was almost tangible.
Grace just smiled faintly. These were things she once longed for but couldn never attain. However, now, she felt nothing. Ever since that year when she left the sanatorium, she and Henry had become strangers.
Henry didn't get a response. He was a bit bummed but didn't push like he used to. He softly said goodbye.
He went downstairs and got into his car.
On the passenger seat was Taylor's medical record. Henry picked it up and quietly looked at it. He habitually took a cigarette from the pack, about to light it, but then realized something.
The white cigarette went back into the pack. Henry had to quit smoking for now.
When he got back to Tranquil Heights, it was nearly dawn.
There was an uninvited guest at Tranquil Heights, someone Henry didn't exactly welcome.
But the servants didn't dare to neglect her. No matter how bad Henry's relationship with Aurora was, she was still his mom. They couldn't stop her from coming in and had to treat her well.
Aurora was fuming. She'd been waiting at Tranquil Heights for three hours. When Henry finally came back, he frowned upon seeing her, clearly not wanting to deal with her.
Under the light, Aurora's face was full of anger. But she still lowered her stance and spoke first, "You went to see her? How'd it go?"
Henry took off his coat and handed it to the servant to hang up.
After sitting across from Aurora, his attitude was cold. "I don't need to report to you about what happens between her and me."
Aurora tried to keep her cool. "No matter what went down between you two, Taylor's my granddaughter. It's not too much to ask to see her, right? Henry, you should bring the kid back."
"Biological granddaughter. Bring her back," Henry echoed, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.
When he looked up again, his face was hard. "Have you forgotten how you treated Grace back then? You want me to bring the kid back, what about Grace? You wanna split her and Taylor up? Don't go after what ain't yours. Be glad I didn't leave you in that place forever. Don't come here again."
Old wounds ripped wide open.
Aurora glared at Henry. After a moment, she suddenly chuckled, "Well, how could you?"
Blood-related or not, they knew how to hit where it hurt. "Henry, you think living here and playing the good husband and dad will make Grace forgive you and come back?" Aurora continued.
She laughed, satisfied. "She won't forget, and she won't come back to you."
"Need a reminder of what you did to her? You dumped her in that place right after she gave birth, saying it was for treatment. Why didn't you visit her for so many days? You're twisted, a pervert. You'd rather destroy her than let her go!"
"Hit the nail on the head, didn't I?"
"Now there are so many guys after her. Why would she want a man who hurt her so bad? She won't take you back. She'll just mess with you and then break your heart, just like you did to her, crushing it into the mud." Aurora continued to be tough on Henry.
Under the light, Henry's face was blank.
After a while, just when Aurora thought she'd hit home, Henry said softly, "I'm more than willing."
Aurora couldn't believe it.
After a long pause, she shook her head, muttering, "I never thought someone as heartless as Neil could have a son so sentimental! It's ridiculous! So ridiculous!"
Aurora lost it in the middle of the night. Henry didn't indulge her. With a stern face, he had her escorted out, telling them not to let her in again.
As the servants led her out, Aurora kept cursing Neil.
Henry's ears finally got some peace, but his heart was still a mess. The day's events were too much. He was worried about Taylor's illness and Grace.
Over the years, he hadn't been without moments of solitude.
During those solitary times, he'd look at Grace's photos, dial the number that had been deactivated.
Henry could've gotten her new number; he could've found her. He was just scared she'd be mad.
Now that Grace was back, even though he knew she had a motive, he still had hope. He thought that over time, they could develop some feelings, and she'd eventually soften.
In the early hours, Henry couldn't resist and called her.
Grace answered.
Henry, always afraid of her displeasure, asked softly after the call connected, "Is Taylor sleeping well?"
Grace responded with a hum. It was probably late at night, her voice soft, not as cold as when she usually faced him.
Henry's heart couldn't help but skip a beat, his voice deepening slightly. "Nothing else, just wanted to hear your voice."
Grace smiled faintly. "What's so special about my voice? You must've been tired of it back then."
They were both adults. How could Henry not catch the flirt and the push-pull in her words? He liked it a lot.
But Henry couldn't help but wonder, 'Did Grace acquire these seductive skills from other men? Were there others in her life throughout the years?'
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
