OLIVIASPOV Therehadtobesomethinggoingonbehindallthis.Washetryingtogetridofme?Thethoughtpoppedintomyhead,halfjokingly,buttheuncertainty lingered.Thanksfortheoffer,Itoldhim,keepingmyvoice casual.ButIwontbethere.anytimesoon.Istillneedtocleanupand grabsomebreakfast.
Henoddedslightly,hisexpressionunreadable.Alrightthen.Illbewaitingforyourthere,hesaid,andwithoutanotherword,heturnedaroundandwalkedoutofthe room.
Asthedoorshutbehindhim,Isatmotionlessforafewseconds,listeningtothesoundofhisfootstepsretreatingdownthestairs.Igotupfromthebed,tiptoedtothedoor,andopeneditjustacrack.Peekingout,Iconfirmedthathewasindeedleaving.Hisstepsechoedfaintlybeforefadingoutofrange.Igentlyclosedthedooragainandleanedmybackagainstit,lettingoutaquietsigh.Myfingersfoundtheirwaytomymouth,andIbeganbitingmynailsrepeatedly,somethingIonlydidwhenIwasnervousoroverwhelmed.
Whowasthatjustnow?HadsomeoneswappedplaceswiththeAdrianIonceknew?BecausethemanIjustspoketoitfeltlikeIwastalkingtoacompletelydifferentperson.Hewasntthecold,distantversionofhimselfthatIhadgottenusedtolately.Andthatwaswhatdisturbedmethemost.
WhycouldntIeverfigurehimout?Oneminute hewasdistant,barelyabletolookmeintheeye.And nowhewaspolite,almostwarm.
Youknowwhat,Imutteredtomyself,pushingawayfromthedoor,thatshisproblem,notmine.Rightnow,Ineededtofocus.Thereweremoreimportantthingstodealwithlikegettingtothehospital.
Iheadedintothebathroomandtookaquickshower,tryingtoclearmymindunder thestreamofwarmwater.Afterthat,Iput onasimpleoutfitaskirtandablouseandmademywaydownstairsforbreakfast.
Isatatthediningtableandpickedatmyfood,notreallytastingit.IcouldnthelpbutnoticethatAdrianhadleftwithoutevenhavingbreakfast.Thatalone toldmesomethingwasoff.Adrianneverskippedmeals.Especiallynotbreakfast.Healwayssaiditwasthemostimportantmealoftheday.
Toanyoneontheoutside,Adrianprobablyseemedliketheidealsoninlaw.Hetshowedupatthehospital.Hesatbymyfathersbedside.Heactedlikehecaredaboutourfamily.Butlastnight,hedslippedjustforasecondandrevealedsomethingthatstuckwithme.

HesaidtheGraysonswereallliars.
10 CHAPTER079 Whatdidhemeanbythat?Didheknowmoreaboutmyfamily thanIdid?HadtheydoneworsethingsthanIalreadydiscovered?Thequestionsracedthroughmymind,eachonemoreunsettlingthanthelast.
mydad Ifinishedmymeal,myappetitelonggone.ThenIgrabbedmypurseandheadedout.
IDuringthedrivetothehospital,IrehearsedthequestionsIwantedtoaskwhenhewokeup.Ifhewasawake.Ineededanswers,andIhopedtoGodhewasready togivethem.
WhenIarrivedandsteppedintothehospitalroom,Iwassurprisedtoseemyfathersittingupinbed.Mymotherwasbyhisside,holdinghishand,andacrosstheroom,Adriansatonacouch,hisphoneinhishand.
HelookedupwhenIentered,hiseyesbrieflymeetingmine.Tookyoulongenough,hesaidflatly.
1forcedasarcasticsmile.
Myeyesshiftedbacktomyfather.Despiteeverything,awaveofreliefwashedoverme.Apartofmewasgenuinelyhappytoseehimawakeandalert.Theguiltthathadeatenatmelastnighttheguilt ofknowingIdplayedapartinputtinghiminthisconditionclungtomelikeasecondskin.
ButhowwasIsupposedtostartthisconversation?Thelasttimewetalked,everythinghadendedintensionandconfusion.Theroomnowfeltheavywiththatleftoverawkwardness.Likenoonewantedtobethefirsttospeak.
Adrianwasquicktocatchuptous.Heclearedhisthroat,hispresencestilllingeringeventhoughtheairbetweenuswasalreadytense.Then,asifsensingtheneedforspace,hespokeup.

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

Illgiveyouguyssomeprivacy,hesaidquietly.Withoutwaitingforaresponse,heturnedonhisheelandwalkedoutoftheroom,thesoftthudofthedoorbehindhimmakingthesilencefeelheavier.
Istoodthereforamoment,feelingtheweightofeverythingIwasabouttosay,Iliftedmyhandandtuckedastraylockofhairbehindmyear,steadyingmyself.Then,Ibrokethesilence.
Myrealparents…whoarethey?Iasked,my voicecalmbutlacedwithalltheemotionsIwastryingsohardtokeepincheck.
Theireyesmetmine,boththeirfacesinstantlyhardening.Mymotherwasthefirsttospeak.
Sothatsthefirstthingyouchoosetosaytohim?Aftereverythingyouvedone?Afterthedamageyoucaused?shesaidcoldly,armscrossedtightlyoverherchest.
Whatelsedidyouexpectmetosay?Imsorry?Isnapped,unabletohelpmyself.Youshouldbetheonesapologizingtome.
Still,IremindedmyselftostaycarefulAdriancouldberightoutsidethatdoor, 2/3 CHARTER(179 listening.ThelastthingIneededwastosaysomethingthatwouldhintatwhatIddiscoveredthroughhiscomputer.
Mymotherscoffedloudly,herlipstwistingindisdain,butbeforeshecouldspeakagain,myfatherreachedoverandgently placedhishandonhers.
Itsalright,hesaidsoftly.Wedontneedher apology.Shesmadeherchoicetobethisway.Heturnedtomethen,hisexpressionstiff.Asforyourrealparents…hepausedforabeat,wedontknowwhotheyare.
Iblinked.Whatdoyoumeanyoudontknowthem?Youtoldmeoncethatyoudidthemafavorbyadoptingme.Howdoesthatmakesenseifyoudidntknowthem? Thatdoesntmeanweknewthem,weadoptedyoufromafosterhome,andyeswedidwhoeverdroppedyouthereafavorbyremovingyoufromthatplace,whichInowseewasamistake.Mymothersaid.

Irolledmyeyes,wasshetryingtoget tomeorsomething,nowthatIknowsheisntevenmymotherIdontcare aboutanythingshesaystomeanymore.
Ideservetoknowthenameofthefosterhome,Isaidfirmly,keepingmyvoicefromcracking.Thatstheleastyoucangiveme.
Therewasalongpausebeforemyfathersighedandturnedtoheragain.Whatwasthenameoftheplace?heasked,almostpleading.
Butshelookedaway,refusingtospeak,lipspressedtogetherindefiance.
Uhmm…SunshineOrphanageHome,hefinallysaid,thenameslippingout.uncertainly.Thatshouldbeit,headdedwithahalfheartednodasiftryingtoconvincehimselfitwasthetruth.
Itdidntmatterifhewasunsure.Iwouldcheckitout.Andifitturnedouttobealie,I wouldcomeback.AndIwouldmakethemtellmethetruth.
Withoutanotherword,Iturnedonmyheeltoleave,thedesiretolookateitherofthem gone.
ButjustasIreachedthedoor,hervoicecutthroughtheaironelasttime.
Sheneverblendedinwithusfromthebeginningbecauseshe alwayshadpovertyinherblood,shealwayspreferredthepoorrootSheturnedherattentiontomeGofindyourpoorparents Ipaused,thenletoutasoft,calmsmile.Herwordsnolongerhadclaws.Theycouldntcutmethe waytheyoncedid.Ididntneedtofightback.Notanymore.
CHAFTER060