Chapter 17 HER LAST WISH (II)
Chapter 17 HER LAST WISH (II)
HAYLEY
Gently placing the flowers on Toby’s headstone, he steps back, head bent for a full minute.
I turn away, letting him have a moment with his son.
Minutes later, Edward’s voice pulls me back to the present.
“How long will you continue this insanity, Hayley? You’re pregnant, not in any condition to sit here day and night.”
My spine stiffens as I turn to face him;
“You came here to pay respects to your son. Don’t act like you care about me, Edward. I don’t need the lecture.”
His jaw hardens and something flickers in his eyes as he runs his gaze over every inch of me.
If I was still delusional, I would think he was checking to make sure I was okay.
His next words banish that delusion into the pits of hell.
“You’re right. l do not care. In fact, I almost signed our divorce papers last night.”
I lift my chin, making sure he understands that I do not give a shit. “And what stopped you?”
“Grandma.”
My resolve wavers at the mention of grandma. I miss her so much.
“What about her?”
“She wants you to come back to the house.” His eyes darken in a manner that tells me exactly what he thinks of grandma’s idea.
He hates it.
I return to my chore of arranging flowers, promptly dismissing him.
“That’s cute. But I’m not coming back.”
Edward releases a short, impatient sigh.
“Watch this video first.”
Against my better judgement, I turn around to see what he’s talking about. Edward has his phone up, already playing a video.
My eyes narrow at the sight of the frail, elderly lady on the screen. It takes a moment for me to realize who she is.
“Grandma?” I grab the phone, my chest tightening with panic. “What happened to her? Why does she look so… sick?”
“She has stage three breast cancer.” Edward says, “I only found out yesterday.”
My stomach dips. Breast cancer?
I sneak a glance at Edward and catch him pinching his left ear, a small, unconscious act he does when he’s trying to hide his emotions.
“Hayley, please come back home, my child.” Grandma coughs and my heart instantly riddles with guilt.
“I heard you’re pregnant. Come home and let me take care of you. Please…”
My eyes sting with unshed tears but I blink them back, handing Edward’s phone back to him.
“I’m sorry about grandma, but my mind is already made up. I’m not coming back.”
Judging from his expression, I can tell he thought I would jump into the car the moment I saw grandma’s tear stained cheeks.
“Stubborn as always.” He mumbles under his breath. “What would it take to get you to come back?”
I pause at the note of seriousness in his tone.
“I don’t hear an apology.”
His eyes spark grey fire. “An apology for what?”
I lift my chin, my voice taking on a steely edge; “if you think you do not have a reason to apologize to me, Mr. DaSilva, you can leave.”
He studies me for long moments, as if bent on learning my facial features all over again.
“That sharp tongue.” He mutters, clearly exasperated.
He raises his left hand and John places a sleek, black envelope on his palm. Edward retrieves a cheque from the envelope and waves it in my face like a golden egg.
“Here, a five million dollar cheque.” His eyes are as ruthless as his tone; “you’ve made it pretty clear that you only stayed for the money. If some extra cash will make you come home for grandma, I will give you as much as you want.”
Rage surges up my throat in an instant.
“Careful there, Mr. DaSilva. There’s a thin line between offering me money and calling me a gold digger. I consider the latter an insult.”
He edges closer, doing what he knows how to do best — invading my personal space.
His eyes dance with forbidden fire, and his words spark a dangerous challenge;
“Isn’t that exactly what you are, Mrs. DaSilva? A gold digger?”
The bastard.
My left hand lashes out to slap him, but this time, he’s faster.
He grabs my offensive wrist in a firm, heated grip, and pins it to his chest.
All of a sudden, it feels like someone sucked out all the oxygen in the atmosphere with a giant vacuum.
“Let go of me.”
“No, Hayley,” he hisses through clenched teeth. “Fuck, no.”
I blink, taken aback by his bluntness.
“Do not forget that you owe me, and the entire DaSilva family an irreparable debt. You killed my son. Our heir is dead because of your carelessness.
If you had cared enough to lock the doors before running off to your lover, Toby would still be alive today.”
What the hell is he talking about?
I locked the doors after stepping out that night. I made sure to check and double check. The place was sealed.
Edward’s eyes burn with cruel intensity as he tightens his hold on my wrist.
“You will show up at the mansion tomorrow, ready to do anything to make grandma happy.
Anything less than that and I will make your life a living hell.”