Chapter 11 Entering His Heart
"This is my favorite piece of jewelry, older than me. I want you to have it. I hope you and Frederick will have a long and happy life together."
"These are deeds to some properties in Empire City, along with a few hot spring hotels in the suburbs. Frederick's grandfather and I prepared these as a gift for our granddaughter-in-law..."
"And here's the key to the safe."
Elizabeth handed over each item carefully, making sure she covered everything.
Rebecca glanced at the various boxes and the thick stack of property deeds on the table, her eyes pleading as she looked in the direction Frederick had left.
Jewelry was one thing; she could return it if they ever divorced. But accepting property deeds and a safe key? That was way too risky. If anything went wrong, she'd never be able to make up for the loss.
She wanted to tell Elizabeth that she and Frederick were just in a fake marriage, and it would be safer for her to keep these treasures. But she had no idea what Frederick had told Elizabeth.
If she slipped up and exposed their secret, Frederick would be furious. And if she scared Elizabeth, that would be an even bigger disaster.
Her mind raced, but even as Elizabeth finished her instructions, Frederick still hadn't returned.
Looking into Elizabeth's kind eyes, Rebecca smiled warmly. "Thanks, Grandma. I got it."
"You're such a good child!"
Elizabeth patted Rebecca's hand, her smile deepening the wrinkles on her face.
She had thought Frederick, with his cold demeanor, might never settle down. But life had its surprises.
She didn't know what had finally convinced him to marry, but the process didn't matter.
Elizabeth lovingly touched Rebecca's face. "Becca, you and Frederick need to take care of each other, okay?"
"For so many years, no one has cared for him except his grandfather and me. His mother... well, she might as well not exist..."
Halfway through, Elizabeth seemed to realize it wasn't right to speak ill of someone behind their back and stopped. "Frederick may seem cold, but he has a warm heart. The key is to get close to him. Becca, I'm entrusting Frederick to you. You are husband and wife now, the closest people to each other. Treat him well, and he'll treat you well, and your life will only get better, right?"
Rebecca nodded, her mind lingering on Elizabeth's abrupt comment about Frederick's mother.
She had heard plenty about the Windsor family over the years.
Frederick's father, David, was Elizabeth's only son. His mother wasn't from a prominent family in Empire City; they had fallen in love naturally over time.
With an ordinary background and a less-than-diplomatic personality, their relationship had faced many obstacles.
The details were murky, but the outcome was clear: the Windsor family had been thrown into turmoil.
In the end, Frederick's father had married his love. The following year, Frederick was born.
Then, tragedy struck. Frederick's father died unexpectedly, and his mother left the Windsor family and Empire City, abandoning Frederick.
For those years, the Windsor family appeared in tabloids more often than in business magazines.
Rebecca had thought it was just another high-society scandal, but seeing Elizabeth's reluctance to discuss it, she felt a pang of empathy.
And thinking of Frederick's perpetually cold demeanor, she felt a surge of sympathy.
Maybe his coldness was just a protective shell.
"Grandma, don't worry..."
Rebecca smiled gently to reassure Elizabeth. "I'll take good care of him."
"Good, good..."
Elizabeth nodded repeatedly, looking at Rebecca with immense satisfaction.
"Come on, let me show you around the house. Whenever you have time, come back and stay often..."
Elizabeth stood up and led Rebecca to Frederick's wing of the estate.