Chapter 54 Moving Out

"Miss, we've arrived," the driver's voice cut through her thoughts.

Valerie lifted her head from her arms and stared out the car window. Her tear-blurred vision gradually cleared, revealing the familiar sight of the mansion.

Her mind drifted back to the first time she came here, recalling Howard's words.

A bitter laugh escaped her throat as hot tears continued to fall. He had spun a tale so similar to her own, and she had foolishly believed it.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to control the tears that kept coming. She pulled a bill from her purse and handed it to the driver, indicating he could keep the change.

She made her way to the mansion with slightly wobbly steps. Her hands trembled as she inserted the key. Finally managing to push the door open, she wiped her tears away and headed upstairs to pack her things.

Due to her busy work schedule, there wasn't much in the mansion to pack, making the task relatively simple. Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a familiar car parked nearby.

Ignoring it, she quickly hailed another cab and had it take her to a hotel.

Once at the hotel, the moment she swiped the key card and opened the door, she couldn't hold back any longer. She pushed her suitcase aside, threw herself onto the bed, and buried her face in the pillow, sobbing uncontrollably.

She spent the night calming her emotions.

The next day, Valerie took a day off to look for a new place.

After viewing three houses with the real estate agent, she finally decided on the second one.

Fortunately, the landlord was straightforward, and after a simple transaction and some paperwork, they signed the contract.

Meanwhile, Raina, with nothing better to do, decided to visit the mansion. She tugged at her plain clothes, using the reflective surface by the door to quickly tidy herself up before knocking.

It took a while for the door to open.

Raina's smile faltered when she saw Joseph. She pushed past him, forcing a smile as she called out, "Valerie!"

As soon as she reached the living room, Raina sensed something was off.

The neatly arranged household items she remembered were gone, and everything looked different from the photos she had seen before.

If it weren't for Joseph behind her, Raina would have thought she was in the wrong place.

Noticing the emptiness of the mansion, Raina turned to Joseph, "Where's Howard?"

"He's in the study."

Raina pushed open the study door to find Howard sitting at his desk, looking stern as he worked.

As she got closer, she caught the scent of alcohol on him.

Seeing the wine bottle under the desk, Raina felt a surge of unease. "Howard, did you two have a fight?"

"Something like that."

"Something like that?" Raina was dissatisfied with his vague answer. "Couples can always make up after a fight. How big of a fight could it have been to make Valerie leave the mansion?"

Howard slowly lifted his head, the dark circles under his eyes particularly noticeable. The image of Valerie tearfully confronting him the night before still haunted him.

"She moved out."

"What?"

He closed his eyes, leaning back and rubbing his temples, exhausted. "She found out about my real identity."

"She already knew your identity..."

Raina trailed off, realizing something was amiss. She looked at Howard in shock. "You told her everything?"

Howard responded quietly, "I told her everything."

"Then you must have messed it up. You didn't even try to ask for her forgiveness properly!"

Raina, furious, hit Howard. "I told you from the start not to deceive her. Valerie is a good girl. She took care of you without hesitation, and you didn't even think about the consequences. You never listen to me!"

"Where are you going to find another girl like her? I don't care! I like Valerie, and you have to bring her back!"

"Grandma," Howard sighed, raising his hands to block Raina's next attack. "She needs some time alone. If I go to her now, emotions will run high again, and the conversation will go nowhere."

"If you don't try to win her back, that's the real hopeless situation!" Raina retorted angrily.

Seeing that he remained unmoved, she was so furious she could barely breathe. She pounded her chest and issued an ultimatum, "If you don't bring her back, I won't acknowledge you as my grandson anymore!"

With that, Raina stormed out of the study.

She sat in the living room, her face dark with anger. Seeing Joseph hovering nearby, her mood worsened. "Howard is useless, and you don't even try to persuade him!"

Joseph stiffened, laughing awkwardly. "Mr. Carter's decisions are not something we can easily interfere with, as you know..."

"You're useless too!" Raina waved him away irritably, signaling him to get out of her sight.

She sat on the sofa, her mind racing.

Raina knew how good Valerie was. Unlike other women who only cared about the Carter family's power, money, and status, Valerie genuinely cared for Howard, despite his disability.

Thinking of Valerie's sweet demeanor, Raina's heart ached.

Raina glared in the direction of the study. "I have to take matters into my own hands!"

Without hesitation, Raina had someone investigate Valerie's current residence and collect contact information for all the residents in the neighborhood. She planned to buy out the entire area at above-market prices.

But that wasn't enough. Raina also arranged for a group of people to look after Valerie and keep an eye on her.

After all this, she heard the study door open.

Howard, wheeled by Joseph, emerged from the study. Seeing the room full of people, his gaze finally landed on Raina. "Grandma, what are you doing?"

"It's not your business!"

Raina stood up, throwing the items in her arms at Howard, glaring at him disdainfully. "I don't know what goes on in your head!"

"You handle company matters so well, but when it comes to relationships, you're like a block of wood!"

After moving into the new place, Valerie felt the house was too empty, lacking some essential furniture.

She quickly tidied herself up and headed out to buy furniture. As she stepped into the elevator, someone greeted her with a smile, "Hey there, you just moved in, right?"

Before Valerie could respond, another person chimed in, "Are you going out shopping? Are you single? Any plans to get married?"

Valerie was taken aback.

She instinctively shrank into the corner of the elevator, eyeing them warily.

Seeing her reaction, they quickly assured her they meant no harm. They just found her likable and had sons at home, so they asked a few questions.

As Valerie relaxed, they started chatting with her.