Chapter 256
Even though Willow had tried to prepare Maria before going downstairs, her grandmother still had zero warmth for Charles.
Not to mention, nothing about Charles's demeanor suggested any real sincerity.
Maria snorted coldly. "Why would I miss you? You think I want to die early?"
If she spent every day thinking about what Charles had done to her granddaughter, she'd probably drop dead from sheer rage!
Walking in behind Charles, Willow heard Maria's words and instinctively quickened her pace, moving to her grandmother's side. She rested a hand on Maria's shoulder while sneaking a glance at Charles's expression, terrified Maria might set him off.
Charles kept that same smiling mask in place. "Looks like Grandma's still mad at me. I know—what happened before was my fault. I've already apologized to Willow."
He looked toward Willow. "We just had some misunderstandings before, but we've cleared everything up now. Right, Willow?"
Willow didn't respond immediately.
Maria's brow furrowed. "Misunderstanding? You think I've lived this long for nothing? If it's really just a misunderstanding, that's only because Willow doesn't want to hold it against you!"
Charles's smile dimmed slightly. "Willow, you didn't explain things to Grandma?"
His tone carried an underlying threat.
Willow bit down on her teeth and forced out something resembling a smile. "Grandma, there really were some misunderstandings. We've talked it all through now."
She gently pressed Maria's shoulder. "Charles came to visit today. Let's not bring up old history—it's all in the past."
Maria sensed something was off and looked back at her granddaughter with confusion.
Willow shook her head slightly, silently asking her to stay calm.
Not understanding what was happening but picking up on the signal, Maria reined in her hostility.
When she spoke again, her tone remained cold. "Since you came to check on me, you've checked. I'm doing just fine. Leave the stuff, and you can go now."
Maria had basically just kicked him out.
Charles's smile vanished, replaced by a look of wounded resignation. "Grandma, do you really hate me that much? I know I'm not your real grandson, but during those first few years when you were sick, I took care of you constantly. I never even treated my own grandfather that well."
He stepped closer to Maria and crouched beside her, reaching for her hand. She pulled away.
Charles didn't seem fazed. He patted her knee lightly a couple times. "All these years, even if I haven't earned any credit, I've at least put in the work. When Willow wanted to divorce me, all I asked was for you to put in a good word for me, and you wouldn't even do that. But now, hearing you need surgery, I still came to see you—only because you're Willow's grandmother."
He lifted his gaze, looking past Maria to Willow standing behind her. "As long as Willow's around, I'll treat you like my own grandmother. She doesn't want anything to happen to you, so nothing will. You'll be perfectly safe, and this surgery will go off without a hitch."
Charles spoke comforting words, but the atmosphere in the room felt suffocating.
Even without knowing what was really going on, Maria inexplicably felt like a massive stone had been placed on her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Finally, Charles finished talking and stood to leave.
"Focus on your surgery. Once it's over, I'll come visit again," he said.
The weight on Maria's heart, which had barely lifted, came crashing back down.
Charles looked at Willow with unreadable intent. "Willow, aren't you going to walk me out?"
Willow pressed her lips together, told Maria she'd be right back, and escorted Charles out.
"Willow..." Once they were outside the room, Charles started to ask how she'd been thinking things over.
But when he turned around, he met Willow's eyes—filled with pure hatred.
The smile on Charles's face stiffened before his brow arched with displeasure. "What's with that look? I went through hell finding that heart, and it's about to be used. Don't I have the right to check on the surgery recipient?"
His tone carried a nauseating blend of false innocence and superiority.
Fury blazed through Willow. She wanted nothing more than to slap him across the face.
But remembering that Maria's heart source was still in his hands, she bit back her rage and schooled her expression into cold detachment.
Watching her force herself to endure him only made Charles more insufferably smug. He reached out and caressed her cheek with casual familiarity.
Willow's body went rigid, but she didn't pull away.
"That's more like it. This is the proper attitude when you're asking for favors." Charles spoke with satisfaction. "Remember what you promised me. Tomorrow at the Lancaster family dinner, I want to personally confirm that you've broken up with Sterling. Only then will I have the heart delivered. Otherwise—"
He tilted her chin up. "You know my true colors. I'm really not a good person."
With that, his thumb lingered on her chin, stroking it a few more times before he reluctantly let go.
If he wasn't worried about pushing too hard and having it backfire, Charles would've kissed her right then and there.
Feeling the desire in his eyes, Willow clenched her fists in revulsion and spoke with cutting sarcasm. "Charles, does this really make you happy?"
There was no love left between them. He was about to get married. Yet he was still obsessed with keeping her trapped by his side. Willow truly couldn't figure out what the hell he was thinking.
Charles's expression darkened. "Of course, it makes me happy. Taking back what originally belonged to me from Sterling's hands, watching him get furious but being completely helpless about it—how could that not be satisfying?"
With his current resources, crushing Sterling completely would take some time.
But if he could steal Willow back from him? That counted as a victory.
Charles could barely contain his anticipation.
Willow looked into his cold eyes. "So you're doing all this just to amuse yourself."
Charles froze for a beat before his expression shifted. "Of course not. It's because I love you."
He grabbed Willow's hand with theatrical passion. "Willow, I was wrong before. I promise, I'll make everything up to you little by little. We'll get back to how things were before we got married. Once I take over the Lancaster Group, we'll have a new wedding ceremony—and this time, everything will be exactly how you want it."
He spoke with such seeming sincerity, but to Willow, it only proved how masterful an actor he'd become—good enough to even fool himself.
She knew that no matter what she said, Charles wouldn't change his mind. So she didn't bother saying anything at all. She silently walked him downstairs, watched him leave, then turned and headed back to the hospital room.
Maria was still sitting outside.
"Willow, tell me the truth. Is Charles using me to threaten you?"
During that brief encounter, Maria had picked up on something. After they'd left, she'd thought it through and reached a conclusion.
Willow froze, then quickly adjusted her expression. "No, why would you think that?"
Maria looked at her granddaughter's ashen face. "You're lying. What are you hiding from me?"
Willow had tried her best to conceal it, but her condition was too poor. There was no way she could hide it from Maria.