Chapter 286

Chapter 286

What right does George have to pick up my daughter from school without my permission?

Panic, rage, and an indescribable sense of dread instantly consumed me.

I used every ounce of strength I had to keep myself from losing it in front of the teacher.

"Thank you, teacher."

As soon as I got in the car, my hands were shaking as I dialed George's number.

The endless ringing tone felt like a dull knife cutting into my heart.

Just when I thought he wouldn't answer, the call connected, but the next second, it was ruthlessly hung up.

"Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently on another call..."

George hung up? He actually dared to hang up on me!

I was so angry my vision went dark, my chest heaving violently.

I managed to calm myself, found his assistant's number and called it.

This time, the call was answered quickly.

"Ms. Brown." The assistant's voice was as formulaic as always.

"Where's George?" I couldn't be bothered with pleasantries, my voice trembling slightly with urgency and anger. "Did he pick up Milly? Where is he?"

There was a pause on the other end, seemingly surprised by my agitation, but the answer came quickly, "Ms. Brown, Mr. Smith did pick up Miss Milly from school this afternoon. Right now, Mr. Smith and Milly are both at the Old Smith Mansion, with Violet."

The Old Smith Mansion!

I immediately hung up and headed straight for the Old Smith Mansion.

I don't know how many red lights I ran through. I was thinking only one thing; to bring my daughter back.

I absolutely couldn't let Milly have any more ties to George, or to that place full of schemes and cold memories.

The car screeched to a stop at the entrance of the Old Smith Mansion.

I didn't even wait for the guard to announce me. I pushed open the car door and rushed in without a second thought.

The servants seemed startled by my appearance, and no one dared to stop me.

I crossed through the familiar yet strange courtyard. As soon as I walked into the main building's living room, I heard Milly's clear, cheerful laughter and Violet's kind voice.

"Great-grandmother, look at this castle I built. It's prettier than the one Dad built!"

"Milly is so talented! Much better than your father was at your age!"

I stopped abruptly, following the sound.

Under the warm lights of the living room, Milly was sitting on the carpet with an exquisite set of building blocks in front of her, her little face beaming with carefree joy.

Violet sat on the sofa beside her, smiling at her with eyes full of affection.

It was a warm and peaceful scene, and Milly looked like she'd always been there and had never left. Now that I had seen that Milly was safe and sound, happy even, my anxiety eased a bit. However, I was still fiercely angry and quite confused.

What exactly was George trying to do?

Was he using this method to trick Milly here, creating a false image of happy grandparent-grandchild harmony?

I took in a deep breath, and just as I was about to take a step forward, someone firmly grabbed my wrist and held me back. The force was undeniable. I turned and locked eyes with George. He was right next to me, with a complex look on his dark face. His eyes carried weird emotions that I couldn't decipher.

"Let's talk." His thin lips parted, uttering those words.

I yanked my hand away forcefully, my voice cold, "I have nothing to talk to you about. Move aside, I'm taking Milly home."

He didn't budge, staring calmly at me as he repeated, "Let's talk, about Milly."

I stopped struggling and decided to hear what he possibly had to say. I didn't look at him as I turned and walked over to a quiet corner of the back garden.

George followed behind me.

We reached the garden and after I made sure they couldn't hear us from the living room, I turned and stared straight at George, with eyes that tore right through him.

"George! What gives you the right? What gives you the right to pick up Milly from school without my permission? What authority do you have?"

My voice trembled slightly with suppressed fury.

George quietly listened to my questioning, his face expressionless.

After I finished speaking, he opened his mouth, speaking slowly and calmly, "First, Grandma missed her. I didn't want to disappoint the old lady."

"Second," he paused, his gaze locked tightly on mine, saying word by word, "I took Milly for a paternity test."

Paternity test?

It was like hearing the biggest joke ever. I suddenly felt something absurd crushing my rational mind.

I looked at him and couldn't help but laugh coldly. "George, are you sick? Have you lost your mind?"

I stepped forward, almost pointing at his nose, demanding angrily, "You never believed Milly was yours right from the start, right? Didn't you always doubt me? Now you're running off to do a paternity test? Where were you before? Six years! George, Milly was by your side for six years. Did you ever give her even a bit of a father's warmth and trust? Now you're testing DNA? Are you humiliating me, or humiliating yourself?"

Thinking of the grievances Milly suffered because of his and Sarah's favoritism, thinking of those cold and suspicious looks, the fire in my heart burned hotter and hotter, burning until my eyes reddened, almost bringing me to tears.

George was forced back half a step by my intense questioning. His brows furrowed tightly, complex emotions churning in his eyes.

There was regret, embarrassment, but also a hint of urgency.

"Grace, the test results are in. Milly is my daughter, absolutely certain."

His tone softened after he noticed the stunned look on my face, "So, for her sake, we should remarry and give her a complete family."

Remarry?

Those words hit my confused mind like two heavy hammers.

I felt like laughing at him.

For the child's sake?

I let out a low laugh, full of endless mockery and desolation. "George, listen carefully."

I raised my head, meeting his deep gaze, each word like an ice-cold blade, thrown out forcefully, "I will never remarry you. Never."

"Don't even think about using anything to threaten me. I'll raise Milly myself, give her all the love I can give and the best education. It won't make a difference to her if she has you as her father. In fact, she might even be better off without you in her life.

"You say it's for the child? Let me tell you, Milly's the precise reason that I divorced you. Your family only knows suspicion, coldness and favoritism, and I'll never let my daughter grow up in a home without love.

"I will never let her repeat the path I walked or endure the pain I endured!"

Every second I spent next to him felt toxic, so I looked away and turned to leave.

"Grace!"

George reached out and grabbed my wrist once more, so tightly that it hurt. He stood in the path ahead of me and blocked the way.

This time, the usual coldness and depth on his face was completely shattered, replaced by a kind of remorse I'd never seen before.

"I was wrong before." His voice was hoarse, tinged with bitterness. "My feelings toward Sarah were more about the debt and guilt from back then, not the kind of feelings you thought. I thought that you schemed your way, marrying into the Smith family. I always had this barrier in my heart, couldn't get past it, so I..."

He took a deep breath, looking into my eyes, saying clearly, word by word, "But last night, I saw it clearly and knew for sure that my life should be about making you and Milly happy. I don't want to lose you two again."

My heart jolted violently, as if struck by lightning.

The content of his words...

An absurdly ridiculous thought uncontrollably shot into my mind.

Could George also...?

Did he know about how it ended for me and Milly in the past life? Did he know that our tragic end was a result of his coldness and favoritism, and Sarah's schemes?

So that's why he suddenly changed his attitude toward Milly, rushed to do a paternity test, and said things about not wanting to lose us?

This guess sent chills down my spine.

But immediately, ice-cold, bone-piercing anger and mockery surged up.

So what? So what if George bow sees the error of his ways and regrets what he did? The harm Milly and I suffered in the previous life was real.

In this life, his doubts about me, his neglect of Milly, his indulgence of Sarah—all of it really happened.

It can't be erased with a casual "I was wrong."

His so-called compensation and not wanting to lose us was just fear and possessiveness born from knowing the painful consequences of loss.

It wasn't because he loved or cherished us. I forcefully broke away from his hold and put some distance between us.

"George, I don't understand what you're saying. The past, whether right or wrong, is over."

I looked at those eyes that suddenly darkened, continuing calmly, "We're already divorced. Black and white on paper, legally recognized. You need to face reality."

"Every single hurt you inflicted before is forever carved into my heart, and it goes so deep. So deeply that they won't ever heal even in an entire lifetime.

"So," I looked at George one last time. I didn't feel hate or resentment, only complete clarity and detachment, "whatever you want to make up for now, whatever you want to do, it's useless—You and I have been over for a long time."

With that, I ignored him, turned resolutely, and walked quickly toward my daughter.

Behind me, his heavy gaze followed me the entire way.