Chapter 167 167

Chapter 167 167
EMILY

By the time I arrived at the hotel my grandmother was staying in, my nerves had settled just enough for me to think clearly, although I still had no idea why she'd chosen to visit Ryan before speaking to me. 

The question had been bothering me ever since she'd casually walked out of my apartment the previous evening, leaving me standing outside with Ryan and a thousand unanswered questions.

Zara held my hand as we stepped into the suite, her tiny fingers wrapping tightly around mine the way they always did whenever we entered a place she wasn't familiar with.

The moment my grandmother looked up and saw us, a smile spread across her face.

"There you are."

I didn't return the smile. Instead, I closed the door behind us before looking directly at her.

"Why are you here?"

The smile faded almost immediately.

She let out a quiet sigh before setting the teacup in her hand down on the coffee table.

"Have I really become such a terrible person that the first thing my own granddaughter asks after not seeing me for so long is what I'm doing here?"

I looked at her steadily.

"You already know the answer to that."

A flicker of sadness crossed her face.

"I suppose I do."

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. She seemed to be searching for the right words while I waited patiently, no longer willing to fill uncomfortable silences for people who had hurt me.

Finally, she looked at me again.

"I'm sorry, Emily."

The apology caught me off guard.

"I know I've wronged you in more ways than I can count, and I don't expect one apology to erase everything I've done, but I needed to say it anyway because you deserved to hear it."

I folded my arms across my chest.

"Why now?"

She frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you apologizing now?" I asked, refusing to look away. "Is it because Cecilia is finally in jail? Or because you got your money back?"

She lowered her eyes for a brief moment before nodding.

"Partly."

I wasn't expecting that answer.

"You deserve the truth," she continued quietly. "Yes, I finally got my company back."

I remained silent as she explained.

After everything happened, Mateo finally confessed to his father. He told him why I had those photographs and why I was threatening to expose them. His father knew the scandal would destroy the Montego family if it became public, so he approached my grandmother with an offer."

"I heard about it," I said.

She nodded.

"He made me his business partner."

"Fifty percent."

"Yes."

The news had dominated every business headline for days. No one could understand why one of the wealthiest businessmen in Hong Kong had suddenly handed over half of the Montego Group to Vivian Cavendish, but I knew the truth behind the headlines.

"It was the only way to convince me to bury everything," she admitted. "He wanted those photographs gone before they destroyed his family name."

"And you agreed."

"I did."

I watched her carefully.

"So you got everything back."

She smiled sadly before slowly shaking her head.

"No."

I frowned.

"I got my company back, Emily."

Her eyes slowly lifted to mine.

"But I realized I'd already lost everything that truly mattered."

Silence settled between us.

"I spent years chasing money," she continued, her voice growing softer. "I convinced myself that power and wealth could replace people, and by the time I understood how wrong I was, I'd already pushed away my daughter..."

She paused.

"...and my granddaughters."

Something inside me softened despite myself.

"I can't change what I did."

"No."

"I can't give you back the years we lost."

"You can't."

"But if you'll let me..." she whispered, "...I'd like to spend whatever years I have left trying to be better."

Before I could respond, I felt Zara squeeze my hand even tighter.

I looked down to find her almost completely hidden behind me, peeking cautiously around my leg at the woman sitting across the room.

I couldn't help smiling.

"It's okay, sweetheart."

She looked up at me uncertainly.

I gently rubbed the top of her head.

"Go and say hello to Grandma."

She looked back at Vivian, then at me again as though asking whether I was absolutely sure.

When I nodded, she finally took one hesitant step forward.

Vivian's face softened immediately.

Instead of calling Zara over from where she sat, she slowly lowered herself onto one knee and stretched her arms open.

"Come on, little one."

For another second, Zara simply stood there.

Then something changed.

She broke into a run.

Vivian laughed through the tears gathering in her eyes as Zara threw herself into her arms, wrapping both little arms around her neck while Vivian hugged her as though she'd been waiting her entire life for that moment.

"My goodness," Vivian whispered, kissing the top of Zara's head. "You look so much like me.”

A knock sounded at the open suite door before anyone could say another word.

"Mom?"

I turned instinctively.

My mother stood frozen in the doorway.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then she walked toward me slowly, almost cautiously, as though she was afraid I'd disappear if she came too fast.

"Emily..."

Her voice cracked around my name.

I didn't think. I simply stepped into her arms.

She hugged me tightly, and I hugged her back just as fiercely, realizing all over again how much we'd both lost because of choices neither of us had made.

"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered.

"So am I."

Another voice interrupted us.

"Well..."

Hazel walked into the suite carrying two shopping bags before stopping dramatically in the middle of the room.

"I leave for twenty minutes, and everyone starts crying without me."

A laugh escaped me.

Even my mother smiled as Hazel set the bags down before pulling me into a quick hug.

"I was beginning to think I'd have to kidnap you myself."

The room filled with quiet laughter, and for the first time since finding my family, everything felt... easy.

My mother eventually turned toward Vivian, although the warmth disappeared from her face.

"I hope you're done playing games, Mom."

Grandma raised an eyebrow.

"I mean it," my mother continued. "I don't want you trying with Emily what you did with me. We've already lost enough years."

Grandma rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Oh, Gianna, you worry far too much."

"I have every reason to."

"I told you already," she replied, waving a dismissive hand. "I'm tired. All I want now is peace."

My mother studied her for another moment before sighing.

"If you say so."

"I do."

Then Grandma stood and dusted imaginary lint from her jacket before looking around the room.

"Now then," she announced, clapping her hands together once. "Tomorrow, we're all attending Cecilia's hearing together."

No one objected.

I slowly nodded.

"I just hope she finally gets what she deserves."

A slow, almost dangerous smile spread across my grandmother's face.

"Oh..."

She adjusted the sleeve of her blazer with practiced elegance before meeting my eyes.

"Trust me, darling."

"She will."

The confidence in her voice sent a small chill down my spine, and judging by the wary look my mother gave her, I wasn't the only one wondering exactly what she had planned.