Chapter 223 Righteous Fury
Grandma Carey's voice rose with passion as she spoke.
"When my only son died, all I wanted was to keep Ashton close for emotional support. But knowing the unbearable pain of a mother losing her child, I suppressed my grief and allowed Maria to take him away..."
"Grandma." Fiona took Grandma Carey's hand in hers. "We know, Ashton and I both know."
Grandma Carey looked at Fiona, a glint of guilt in her eyes. "Still, it's my fault that Ashton and the Shaws fell out."
She assumed Fiona was in the dark about Ashton cutting ties with the Shaw family and tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.
"I'm aware of it," Fiona replied softly, assuring her, "You can believe me when I say that Ashton's estrangement from Maria and the Shaws had nothing to do with you."
"How could it not?" Grandma Carey muttered, drowning in her own remorse.
Fiona knew then that she had come for the right reasons.
"Grandma, there's something about Ashton's time with the Shaws that you need to hear," Fiona declared earnestly, locking eyes with the older woman. "Her life there wasn't as rosy as you think."
Even when Ashton had just returned home, Fiona had assumed all was well. But that perception changed after Fiona faked her own death and started living with Ashton, getting a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg that was her real experience with the Shaw family.
Fiona recounted everything she knew to Grandma Carey, whose face shifted from guilt to anger as she listened.
Once Fiona finished, Grandma Carey's usual gentle demeanor was gone. "That's not what Maria said. She claimed Ashton was treated like a princess at the Shaws', that Justin cared for her as one of his own, with no difference at all!"
"I won't deny that Ashton may have lived comfortably in material terms," Fiona stated firmly, "But let's not forget, Grandma, when Maria remarried, you handed over all of Mr. Carey's estate to her. It wasn't a small sum, and it gave Ashton a lavish lifestyle, not to mention the fact that Ashton has always worked part-time to support herself while studying abroad."
Fiona saw things clearly.
What, then, did Ashton truly owe the Shaws or Maria? To be treated like that? To always be made subservient, a secondary or even tertiary choice? Her feelings never prioritized. Why should it be so?
"That's outrageous!" Grandma Carey slammed her fist on the table, her anger erupting like a dormant volcano.
After a moment of thought, Fiona decided to reveal something else. "About the money Mr. Carey left behind...I've checked into it. After Maria married into the Shaw family, Justin's business hit a snag. Maria took all the cash left by Mr. Carey and even sold a house in a good school district to help Justin cover the shortfall."
"The house?" Grandma Carey's pupils quivered intensely. "Maria told everyone the sale was for Ashton's college fund!"
"When did Ashton study abroad? When was the house sold? It doesn't add up," Fiona declared, piercing through the lies without mercy.
"That woman! I put my trust in her!!" Grandma Carey beat her chest in utter distress.
Fearing that the old lady's health might suffer from the agitation, Fiona quickly changed the subject. "So, do you still want Ashton to return to that household?"
"Of course not!" Grandma Carey stated fervently. "Even if it costs me my life, I won't allow my granddaughter to be thrown back into the lion's den!"
Fiona sighed softly. Grandma Carey truly loved Ashton. If only she knew about Ashton and Chris’s situation, Fiona dreaded to think how heartbroken she would be.
She'd scrutinized the Shaw family through and through. In conclusion, Chris and Justin were cut from the same cloth – outwardly respectable, but equally dependent on others. Without Ashton's behind-the-scenes support for Chris, and her introductions of major clients to Justin's company, would the Shaws be enjoying the good life they had now?
And as for Maria, let’s not even start on those limited-edition handbags. The vacation villa in Switzerland and the luxury home in the country that Ashton bought for her—these alone could sustain many more Ashtons.
This whole family was parasitic, savoring the sweet life at Ashton's expense, yet not giving a single thought for her. Ultimately, they were banking on Ashton's compliance, convinced she wouldn't leave.
"Next time Maria calls, you give her an earful," Fiona said solemnly. "Don't feel guilty over her lies anymore. That whole family doesn't deserve it."
"Bless your heart, my dear," Grandma Carey said, grasping Fiona's hands tightly, her voice trembling. "Ashton never brings her troubles to Grandma. If you hadn't spoken up, I would have been none the wiser, oblivious to the hardships my precious girl was enduring."
"Grandma," Fiona’s delicate hands tenderly swept the stray silver strands of hair behind Grandma Carey’s ear, "Ashton and Maria are no longer on speaking terms, which means you’re her only kin now." Her voice was a soothing whisper as she continued with a gentle earnestness, "You’ve got to stay strong and healthy, for Ashton’s sake. You have to be there for her - to see her fall in love, get married, have children. And with your wisdom, you’ll be right there to guide her little ones too."
At these words, tears broke through the floodgates of Grandma Carey's eyes.
"Of course! Of course," she replied, clutching Fiona's hand and nodding vigorously.
Sensing the emotional toll the day had taken on Grandma Carey, Fiona arranged a comprehensive check-up first thing the next morning to ensure her grandmother was alright.
Leaving the hospital behind, Fiona found herself enveloped in a silent spring drizzle. Standing under the shelter of the porch, she looked up at the rain, illuminated by a nearby streetlamp, casting golden glimmers onto each drop as they danced through the air.
Gazing into the shower, Fiona remembered her grandmother’s last lucid moments. It must have been a night just like this one. Her grandmother was so alert, unable to sleep, as rain began to fall. She had insisted Fiona wheel her out to see it. The raindrops hung beneath the streetlamp, each one a perfect copy of the other. Her grandmother began to reminisce with a smile, "When you were a little girl, you loved watching the rain under the streetlights. You’d stand there in your little yellow raincoat and boots for the longest time. Eventually, your grandpa even installed a streetlight in the yard just so you could watch the rain. He and I would play chess, and your mom would nap under the eaves... those were truly good times."
With that memory, her grandmother had turned to her, tears glistening in her eyes, her head slightly tilted, and whispered, "What will you do when we’re all gone, my precious?"
Years had passed since then. It felt as though Fiona had lived through ages, yet she could never forget the look in her grandmother's eyes that night. Strictly speaking, it had been their last true conversation before her grandmother’s mind began to cloud.
"Grandma," Fiona murmured into the dancing rain, "please watch over Grandma Carey. Keep her healthy and give her long life." There was a pang of regret that she couldn’t keep her grandmother by her side forever. But she couldn’t bear the thought of Ashton also losing this familial bond. Unlike Fiona, who now had Janna Rhoads, her little family, and the heart of Chicago to call home, if something happened to Grandma Carey, Ashton would have no one. She’d be utterly alone, just as Fiona had been when she lost her grandmother five years ago.
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