Chapter 217 Mrs. Montague Returned with the Children
After sending a message to Henry, Grace headed for a quick shower to freshen up.
When she got back, there was a message on her phone. Just a simple "OK" from Henry. Classic Henry.
Grace felt a lump in her throat. She put her phone down and thought about the days in Tranquil Heights. She remembered the night before Taylor's surgery, how Henry had reluctantly said goodbye. But back then, she was too worried about Taylor to notice anything off with Henry.
Even if she could rewind time and knew the truth, she couldn't have stopped Henry.
The past was the past.
What mattered was the here and now, and the future.
Grace didn't reply to Henry's message. She had plans to meet Celeste because if she wanted to reconcile with Henry, she needed Celeste's help.
Celeste was all in when she got the call. She'd been with Henry for years and had a solid bond with Grace. She genuinely hoped they'd patch things up.
When Celeste hung up, she got a bit emotional. She thought if Grace got back with Henry, maybe his health would bounce back quicker.
They set up a meet at a café for 1 PM.
Grace got there first and ordered a Blue Mountain coffee for herself and Celeste's usual.
Celeste showed up right on time, still in her business suit. She sat down and apologized, "Sorry, an urgent document came in, and I was busy handling it."
"It's okay. Celeste, thank you for these past two years!" Grace held her hand, getting a bit choked up. "Henry's got a bad temper; thanks for putting up with him."
Celeste felt a pang of sadness. She squeezed Grace's hand back and said softly, "Hearing that makes me feel better! Grace, you have no idea how scared I was two years ago, thinking I'd have to bring a lawyer to you with Mr. Montague's will. Now, everything's fine."
Celeste rarely cried, but her eyes were glistening.
Grace was deeply moved but quickly pulled herself together. She said softly, "He must've been really down these past two years. I'm planning to bring in some international experts to help him, but he might not listen to me at first. Celeste, I need your help."
Celeste smiled lightly. "No problem! Just say the word, and I'll make it happen."
For a while, neither of them spoke.
They just sipped their coffee. Meetings like this were rare, only happening once in a blue moon.
The longer they knew each other, the more they cherished these moments.
Celeste only stayed for an hour before she had to head back to the office. Grace also had to go to the hospital to see Lucas, so she didn't keep Celeste. Before Celeste left, Grace handed her a document.
Celeste opened it and saw it was an admission qualification for Vesper City, with her kid's name on it!
Celeste, overwhelmed, softly called out, "Grace!"
Grace said softly, "I know you've always wanted to send your kid to study in Vesper City. I also know it's tough to ask Henry right now. If you need any help in the future, come straight to me."
Celeste hugged Grace. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Grace hugged her back, keeping her emotions in check, and said softly, "I should be thanking you for taking care of Henry all this time, Celeste. You know what? Because you were there, I wasn't stuck in the past, constantly worrying about him. I could move forward and think about the future."
Celeste smiled, "Alright, enough with the thanks."
Grace, with tears in her eyes, said, "Okay!"
As Celeste headed out, Grace hung around a little longer, getting set to take off herself. But as she got up, she caught sight of someone she hadn't seen in forever.
It was Henry's mom, Aurora.
They hadn't crossed paths in years, and Aurora seemed way softer now, not as bossy as before.
"Grace, can we talk?" Aurora asked, almost humbly, like she was scared Grace would say no.
She flagged down a waiter, saying, "The coffee's gone cold. Can we get a fresh one? And make it Blue Mountain, please."
The waiter smiled and nodded.
Aurora then looked at Grace again, almost pleading, "Just a moment of your time, please."
Grace sat back down, quietly.
Aurora let out a secret sigh of relief. When the waiter brought the coffee, she was super attentive, but Grace wasn't giving her much. She couldn't forget what Aurora had done to her.
Aurora felt the sting but knew she deserved it.
Aurora forced herself to talk to Grace. She didn't bring up why Henry was sick; she just begged Grace to stay by Henry's side and for them to get back together.
She wiped her tears. "You have two kids together. Grace, I believe you still care about Henry. I'm not asking for forgiveness; I just hope you can go back to Henry for the kids' sake. He really needs you now."
Grace couldn't forgive Aurora.
Even though Aurora seemed pitiful now, there was always something off about pitiful people.
Grace quietly stared at her coffee and said calmly, "Aurora, whatever happens between Henry and me has nothing to do with you."
She felt bad too. No one liked living with hate, and she was no exception.
Grace left without touching the coffee. As she walked away, she heard Aurora's desperate cry, "Grace! I used to really dig you back in the day! Remember that year you showed up at The Montague Mansion party? You called me Aunt Aurora, and we were tight."
Grace paused but didn't turn back. She just smiled faintly. "You only liked the perfect me, the one who was worthy of Henry. But the me who struggled with postpartum depression was just a burden to you, something you couldn't wait to get rid of."
"Aunt Aurora...Sorry, but that title is too distant for me now." Grace finished speaking and walked away without looking back.
Aurora broke down in tears in the café.
Grace wrapped up everything in Evergreen City and headed back to Vesper City.
After returning, she didn't send Henry a single Facebook message or call him. When Taylor wanted to talk to him, she had Clara make the call.
It was like she had completely vanished from Henry's world.
At first, Henry thought it was fine.
Grace had a new life, and that was good. When she went back to Evergreen City, he could see her sometimes, even if it hurt.
But as time went on, he got restless.
Grace had said she'd be back in Evergreen City with the kids soon, in May. But May came and went, June too, and she still hadn't returned.
Henry started to get anxious. He even began having insomnia, with thoughts he shouldn't have creeping in at night.
But he couldn't ask her, so he endured the torment every day.
In August, at the end of summer and the start of fall.
Henry had an important client to meet. He took Celeste to the airport to pick them up. His leg was a hassle, so he waited in the car while Celeste went to the terminal to meet the client.
Waiting was always boring. Henry took out his phone and scrolled through photos of Grace and the kids.
He was lost in thought when Sawyer suddenly said softly, "Mr. Montague, Mrs. Montague is back!"
"Mrs. Montague is back with the kids," he added.