Chapter 150 They Meet Again, Yet Speechless
Henry was floored. He pondered, 'Grace has always been healthy. How could she have a premature birth?'Celeste, trying to keep her voice steady, said, "Mr. Montague, just days after you left, Oliver's trial happened. He got six years. That same night, Mr. Nathan Windsor had a heart attack and died. Mrs. Montague got the news and went into early labor."
Henry was hit hard by Celeste's words.
Oliver's sentence, Nathan's death, and Grace's premature labor—it was all too much. He couldn't fathom the pain Grace endured or what their future held.
After a long silence, he croaked, "What about the baby?"
Celeste's tone softened, "The baby's fine. He can go home tomorrow. Where to first, Mr. Montague?"
In the parking lot, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom gleamed.
The driver noticed Henry's trembling hand and the sorrow on his face, with tears glistening in his eyes.
"To the hospital first," Henry's hoarse voice came from the back seat.
Henry rarely had regrets, but now he was full of them.
He thought, 'So what if Grace hung up on me? Isn't jealousy normal?'
Grace had pleaded with him, and though his heart softened, he still said hurtful things because of her past coldness.
He had asked how many times she would sell herself to him.
He had said, "Do you think I care about the divorce? Do you think I, Henry, can't live without you?"
He liked her, cared about her, yet he pushed her away, making her face the loss of her father and childbirth alone. Was it painful when she gave birth to Taylor? Did she hate him then?
The thought was almost unbearable.
Half an hour later, the black car pulled into the Montague Group's Hospital and stopped by the maternity ward.
Henry got out and hurried inside, but Grace was nowhere to be seen.
In the VIP ward, only Aurora was there, cooing at the newborn baby, "Taylor, smile for Grandma! So cute!"
Henry opened the door and saw Taylor in a light yellow onesie, eyes half-closed, gently kicking his feet, looking adorable.
His emotions were a whirlwind.
This was the child Grace had for him, now right in front of him.
His fingers, trembling, touched the baby's small face.
The baby had Grace's features but his eyes, with a hint of arrogance.
Henry leaned down, pressing his face against the baby's.
The baby's warmth and milky scent calmed him.
Aurora, seeing his affection, felt tender. "She went through a lot having Taylor. Oliver's in prison, her father died. Support and comfort her. I won't interfere anymore."
Taylor was adorable, and Aurora's heart softened. 'The child needs both parents,' she thought.
Henry asked quietly, "Where is she?"
Aurora hesitated. "Oliver's being transferred out of town. She went to see him off. She won't be back tonight; she's staying at the Windsor apartment."
The room went silent.
Aurora added, "I'll take care of the baby for now. She's not in a condition to handle it."
Just then, the door opened.
Mira, with tears streaming down her face, knelt before Henry.
"Sir, it's all my fault," Mira sobbed. "I answered the phone in the study that day because I didn't want it to wake Mrs. Montague. I didn't understand the caller and hung up. I forgot to tell her. It was me, not Mrs. Montague hiding it from you! She's innocent. I'm to blame!"
Mira had been with the family for years, and Grace had always treated her well.
In her panic, Mira started slapping herself, crying, "If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have misunderstood Mrs. Montague, and she wouldn't have suffered like this!"
After a dozen slaps, her face was red and swollen.
Henry stood there, pale and stunned.
He couldn't believe he had misunderstood Grace. She had begged him not to leave, and he had said so many hurtful things and pushed her away.
How desperate must she have been when he left?
Henry looked at Taylor, thinking about how disappointed Grace must have been in him when she gave birth.
Aurora scolded Mira and then turned to Henry. "Grace is more important than Elodie. You went too far this time!"
Henry knew his harsh treatment of Grace was because of his unrequited love and the hurtful things she had said. He had been spiteful.
He never thought Elodie was more important than Grace.
After a moment, he said softly, "Send the baby to my place tonight and get two experienced nurses to take care of him."
Aurora was surprised. "What about you?"
Henry was already heading to the door.
"I'm going to find Grace," he said, his voice hoarse and tinged with desolation.
Late that night, Henry found Grace.
She was walking in the dark, her clothes hanging loosely, her face pale.
In just a few days, she had become haggard.
Suddenly, Grace saw Henry.
One was sitting in the car, the other walking in the night wind. They hadn't seen each other for a week, yet it felt like an eternity. When they met, they were speechless.
Silence mourned the past. Wordlessness was a requiem for her youthful love. Everything was over.
Grace looked at Henry, her gaze calm, without a trace of emotion.
She didn't look at him again. She walked around his car and headed home.
Henry jumped out, taking off his coat to drape it over her.
Grace stepped back.
In the faint moonlight, she looked at him, her face expressionless, her voice light. "Henry, don't come any closer. I don't need your concern. Save it for Elodie."
She turned to leave, but after two steps, Henry grabbed her wrist. "I will appeal for Oliver! Grace, I will make it up to you!"
Henry expected her to curse him, slap him, and tell him her grievances, but Grace did none of that.