CHAPTER072 ADRIANSPOV.
Ivemadethetransfer,Isaidfirmlytothereceptionist,holdingupmyphonesoshecouldsee theconfirmationofthetransaction.Thescreendisplayedthesuccessfulreceipt,proofthatIhadfulfilledmypartofthisexhaustingarrangement.
Besideme,Mrs.
Graysonstoodwithalookofvisiblereliefwashingoverherfeatures.Shetriedtomaskit,butitwastooobvious.Hereyesslightlybrightened,andthecornersofherlipspulledintoagratefulsmile,thoughitfeltforcedtome.Shewasclearlypleased,almosttoopleased, Thankyouforthis,Adrian,shesaidsoftly,hervoicecarryingaslighttrembleofgenuinegratitude,oratleast,whatsoundedlikeit.Weareonceagain inyourdebt.
Withoutwarning,shereachedoutandtook myhandsinhers.Hertouchwascold,frailyetunexpectedlyfirm,asifsheneededtoclingtomeforstrength.Themovecaughtmecompletelyoffguard.Whatthehelldidshethinkshewasdoing? Iinstinctivelypulledmyhandsaway,areflexofdisgustjoltingthroughmybody.MyexpressionhardenedasIwithdrewfromhertouch,quicklyadjustingmytieandclearingmythroattoregaincomposure.Shereallyshouldhaveknownbetterthan totouchmewithoutpermission.
HowcouldI,evenforamoment,allowhertoholdmyhandstheseveryhandsthatshouldneverbeheldbythewomanresponsibleformymothersdeath?Justthethoughtofitwasenoughtomakemychesttightenwithcontempt.Itfeltlikeabetrayalofmyownbloodasifbystandinghere,helpingher,Iwasspittingonmymothersmemory.
Shenoticedmyreaction,ofcourse,shedid,butchosetopretendlikeshedidnt.Asubtleflickerofsomethingflashedacrosshereyes,perhaps annoyancethatIhadntplayedalongwithherlittledisplay.
Tryingtokeeptheatmosphereneutral,Iforcedapolitesmileandsaid,Thatsnotatproblem,Mrs.Grayson.Iseehimasafathertoo,sowhywouldntIhelp? Thewordstastedlikeashinmymouth.Lies,everysingleoneofthem.IfonlysheknewwhatItrulythought.WhyintheworldwouldIeverseethatmanasafather?Theverynotionwaslaughable.

Thankyouagain,sherepeated,hervoicesofterthistime Hereyeslingeredonmeforamomentbeforeshecontinued,hergazeflickingtowardthehospitalroombehindher.IrSuccessfullyunlocked!okentoOliviasinceyougothere.Ihopealliswellbetweenyou… Herquestionfeltmorelikeaninterrogationthanacasualremark.Imaintainedmycomposedfacade,notlettingherseetheannoyancethatbrieflyflaredinmychest.
1/4 CHAPTER072 Yes,ofcourse,Irepliedsmoothly.Iknowwhatshesgoingthroughatthemoment,andIwouldntwanttodisturbher.Itwasaneasyenoughexcuse,believableeven..
Sheglancedbackoverhershoulder,eyessettlingonherdaughtersittingmotionless.onthecouch.Herlipspartedasifshewereabouttosaysomething,andthoughIsawthemmove,herwordsweretoosoftformetocatch.
Didyousaysomething?Iasked,narrowingmyeyesslightlyinsuspicion.
Mrs.Graysonturnedherheadbacktowardme,herexpressionunreadable.Oh,itsnothing,shedismissedquickly,thoughhertonebetrayedher.Therewassomethingthere,somethingshewasnttellingme.
Then,sheadded,withachillinhervoice,Pleasefeelfreetocommunicatewithher,evenatthis time.Shesyourwife,afterall,sotheresnoexcuse.
Π Herwordshungintheair,heavyanddeliberate.Itwasntasuggestionitwasanexpectation,perhapsevenawarning.
Willdo,Irepliedcurtly,keepingmytoneneutral,thoughIfeltthecoldnessinhervoicepiercethroughme.Shewantedmetoplaythedutifulhusband Shenodded,thenturnedandwalkedbackintothehospital room,leavingmealoneinthecorridorwithmythoughts.AsIwatchedherdisappearbehindthedoor,myminddriftedbacktowhatOliviahadrevealedjustanhouragothatshewasadoptedbythesepeople.

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Thatrevelationmusthavebeenearthshatteringforher,Icouldntevenbegintoimaginewhatitfeltliketohaveyourwholelife,yourwholeidentity,flippedupsidedowninasinglemoment.Yet,shecarriedherselfwithanunsettlingcalmness.Fromtheoutside,shelookedcomposed,almostunaffected,butIknewbetter.Deepdown,beneaththatmask,shehadtobeinpain.Therewasnowayshewasnt.
Itookafewstepsclosertothehospitalroomandstaredatherthroughtheglasswindow.Shesattherequietlybythebedside,herposturestiff,hereyesvacantasifsheweretrappedinherownwhirlwindofthoughts.Seeingherlikethatmade-somethingtwistuncomfortablyinmychest.
Herrevelationalsomeantsomethingelseshelikelyhadnoideaaboutwhatthesepeoplehaddone.Shewasjustachildwhenitallhappened,tooyoungtounderstandtheweightoftheirsins.Allthistime,IhadbelievedthatOliviahadplayedapartinwhat hersocalledparentsdid.EspeciallySamGraysonthewayhealwaysdotedonher,thewayheshoweredherwithaffectionandgavehereverythingshecouldever askfor.
Iusedtothinkthatwastheveryreasonhedefraudedmymother.IconvincedmyselfthathehaddoneitforOlivia,togivehislittlegirlalifeofcomfortandluxury,toshieldherfromthestrugglesofapoorupbringing.Itseemedtomakesensebackthen.Ihadbuiltmyangeraroundthatassumptionandwrappedmyhatredtightlyarounditlike armor.
2/4 CHAPTER072 Butnow?NowthatIknow,thatOliviawasntevenhisbiologicaldaughter,everythingfeltlikeitwascrumblingbeneathmyfeet.
My lyeyesdriftedtowardMr.Grayson,lyingthereinthehospitalbed.Helookedsoweak,sofragile,butnoneofthatcoulderasethetruthofwhathewasaselfish,cold-heartedman.Thisnewrevelationonlyproveditfurther.Hehadntdoneitforanyoneelse.Hehadntdoneitoutoffatherlyloveorsacrifice.No,hediditpurelyforhimself.Tosatisfyhisowngreed,toclimbhigherwithoutcaringwhohetrampledbeneathhist feet.
Iletout aheavysigh,draggingmygazebacktoOlivia.
Doesthismeanshewasinnocentallalong? AllthehatredIhadcarriedforher,allthebitternessthathadconsumedmeeverytimeIsawherfacehaditallbeenbasedonalie?HadIbeenwrongaboutherfromthe verybeginning? MychesttightenedasmemoriesofeverythingIhaddonetohercamefloodingback.Istareddownatmypalms,almostasiftheywerestainedbythepast.Thesehandshadhumiliatedher,insultedher,andevenworseIhadraisedthemagainsther,allbecauseIthoughtshedeservedtosufferforthecrimesofherfamily.Crimesshemighthaveknownnothingabout.

Idontlikeheratleast,thatswhatIkept tellingmyself.Butafterhearingthistoday,somethinginsideme shifted.Icouldntlookatherthesamewayanymore,notwiththesameburninghatredthathadonceconsumedme.
Iwatchedassheslowlygotupfromthechairbesideherfathersbedandwalkedout oftheroom,glancingatmebeforeheadingtothebathroom.
Afterafewminutes,hermotherfollowed.
SinceshewasnolongerthereIwalkedintotheroom.
Beepbeepbeep.
Thesoundofthehospitalmachine couldbeheardasItookaseatnexttoMrGrayson,Ineverknewheartattackscouldbesofatal,Ilookedattheoxygenpipethatranfromhisnosetothetank.
Youreafuckingscum,Isaidtohim,myvoicebarelyaboveawhisper Youthinkyoucanescapewhatscomingforyou,no,Illmakesuretheyget youfixedupfortherealpunishment,Isaidtohimlikehewasawaketohearme.
Asuddenurgetoblockhisoxygenpipeflewthroughme,andIcouldntresist,Iusedthetipsofmyfingerstoholddownthepipeforafewseconds,themachinebeepingfasterandfaster,andasmallsmirkappearedonmyfaceasIreleasedthepipeandthebeepingsloweddown Youregonnabeupsoonforjudgmentday.
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