Chapter 250

Chapter 250

What surprised her even more was that Valencia's eyes went red the moment she saw her.

"Sophia." Valencia's voice trembled as she spoke.

Sophia snapped back to reality and stepped aside to make way. "Please... come in."

Valencia stepped through the door carrying her things. Her gaze swept over Sophia's round belly, and something in her reddened eyes began to well up.

She quickly looked away, as if afraid of losing her composure.

Nicholas was standing in the living room. When he saw who had walked in, his fingers tightened around his cane.

"Mom, what are you doing here?"

Valencia looked up at Nicholas, her eyes moving from his face to his leg, then back to his face, back and forth several times.

Not a single word of concern came out. All she managed to say was, "I wanted to... see the child."

"Mom." Nicholas's voice dropped.

"I said it three years ago — you're not allowed to see the child or Sophia without my permission."

Valencia's body swayed slightly.

"Nicholas, I know... I know it was my fault. But Eloise — she's sick, I heard she's sick, and I couldn't sleep for nights on end while I was abroad. I..."

As she spoke, the tears she'd been holding back finally spilled down her cheeks.

"Just let me see her. Just one look." She pleaded, her voice shaking. "Nicholas, please. I'm begging you."

Nicholas's throat moved. For just a moment, something in his eyes softened — but it quickly hardened back into coldness.

He turned away, refusing to look at Valencia's face, his voice even colder than before.

"I said no."

"Nicholas!" Valencia's voice suddenly rose. "She's my granddaughter, I —"

"Where were you back then?" Nicholas suddenly turned to face her.

"If it weren't for you, Natalia wouldn't have..."

He stopped mid-sentence.

Valencia fell silent too, tears streaming down her face without a sound.

After a long moment, Sophia let out a quiet sigh.

It wasn't that she didn't resent Valencia. But the tension between Valencia and Nicholas clearly needed someone to step in.

"Nicholas," Sophia spoke up.

Nicholas turned to look at her.

Sophia met his gaze and gently shook her head.

"The child has grown this much and never once met her grandmother," Sophia said. "It's time she did."

Nicholas's lips parted, as if he wanted to say something more.

Sophia shook her head again.

Nicholas looked at her for a few seconds, then slowly turned away and said nothing more.

Sophia turned to Valencia, the corners of her mouth curving slightly.

"Eloise is upstairs. She should have just woken up from her nap. Go on up."

Valencia snapped her head up, as if she couldn't believe what she'd heard.

After a long moment, she finally said, "Thank you."

She took a couple of quick steps forward, then stopped and looked back at Nicholas.

Nicholas didn't look at her, as if he had no desire to speak anymore.

Valencia bit her lip, then turned and went upstairs.

Once Valencia's figure disappeared at the top of the stairs, Sophia stepped forward and gently took Nicholas's hand.

"Are you angry?" Sophia asked softly.

Nicholas slowly turned his hand over and wrapped her hand inside his.

"No," he said quietly.

But his eyes told Sophia he was lying.

Sophia squeezed his hand. "Okay, let it go. I'm going upstairs to check on things."

Sophia made her way slowly up the stairs.

Eloise had just woken up from her nap. Her little cheeks were flushed pink from sleep, her hair sticking up in all directions. She was sitting on the bed, rubbing her eyes.

She heard footsteps and looked up. At the door stood a stranger — an older woman she didn't recognize. Eloise froze for a moment, her hand still hovering in mid-air.

Valencia stood in the doorway, one hand on the door frame, looking at Eloise on the bed as fresh tears welled up.

Eloise looked so much like Nicholas had as a child.

The little spark in her eyes, the way she pressed her lips together, even the exact angle at which she tilted her head to look at people — it was all strikingly familiar.

"Eloise," Valencia called her name.

Eloise tilted her head and looked at her, eyes full of curiosity, without a trace of fear.

She turned and saw Sophia walking in behind the woman. She reached out her little arms. "Mommy."

Sophia walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed, pulling Eloise into her arms and smoothing out her messy hair.

"Eloise, this is your grandma."

Eloise blinked, glancing between Valencia and Sophia, her little face full of confusion.

"Grandma?" she repeated the word.

"Yes, your grandma." Sophia nodded. "You met her when you were a newborn, but you were too little then to remember."

Eloise nodded and turned her gaze back to Valencia, looking her over from top to bottom.

"Grandma," Eloise suddenly said. "Have you eaten?"

Valencia was caught off guard. Then the tears came again.

She laughed and cried at the same time, crouching down to meet Eloise at eye level.

"Yes, Grandma has eaten."

Eloise nodded.

"Grandma, where do you live? Is it far? How did you get here? Did you take a plane or a train? Mommy says I cry on planes — do you cry on planes, Grandma?"

Valencia answered each question one by one, her eyes lingering on Eloise's face, unwilling to look away.

After the string of questions, Eloise suddenly stopped and tilted her head, studying Valencia for a long moment.

Then she asked quietly, "Grandma, how come you never came to see Eloise before? Were you sick too?"

The room went still.

Valencia's lips moved, and then she lowered her head in quiet guilt.

Eloise watched her, a flicker of confusion crossing her eyes.

But she could tell Valencia was avoiding the question. In her quiet, knowing way, she didn't push any further. Her eyes drifted down to the bag sitting at Valencia's feet.

"Grandma, what's that?" Eloise pointed.

Valencia snapped back to the moment and hurriedly wiped her tears.

"Grandma brought Eloise lots of presents. Do you want to see?"

Eloise's eyes lit up. She nodded eagerly, her little face breaking back into a smile.

Valencia opened the paper bag and began taking things out one by one.

A fluffy little bunny plush. Picture books. Chocolates. And a small dress.

It was a soft pink, the hem embroidered with delicate little flowers.

"Grandma saw this in London and thought Eloise would look beautiful in it." Valencia shook the dress open and held it up in front of Eloise.

Eloise reached out her small hand and touched the fabric.

Then she looked up and said very seriously, "Thank you, Grandma."

Valencia nearly burst into tears again.

She looked down, pretending to sort through what was left in the bag.

Eloise hugged the bunny plush and buried her face in its soft belly.

"So fluffy," she murmured.

The corners of Valencia's mouth curved up into a smile she couldn't hold back, no matter how hard she tried.