Chapter 13 Who Really Is Vivian
BELLA
A granddaughter? Who were they kidding? The idea of giving them a child, especially when their son was a complete jackass, made my skin crawl. I couldn’t even picture David touching me, let alone starting a family with him. As I glanced at him, David casually responded to his mother, "Yes, we will soon have a daughter."
My heart skipped a beat. Was he serious? My thoughts spiraled—had he forgotten this was all a charade? As I struggled to process his words, Mr. Copperfield’s voice broke through the haze.
"And how is Vivian?" he asked, his tone light, though the question hung in the air like a weight. "Why isn’t she here with us?"
David’s jaw tensed. "She’s fine," he said, his voice flat, not bothering to hide his disinterest in the topic.
"You’ve always been like a big brother to her," Mr. Copperfield continued, his eyes resting on David. "That’s why I trusted you to look after her. Her mother asks about her all the time."
Her mother? I blinked, confused. Why hadn’t I heard about her before? And if this was truly a family dinner, where were they? Mrs. Williams was here, but she was just a family friend. Why not Vivian and her mother?
David leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "I’ve made sure no one dares to bother her. She’s in a good place."
Something felt off, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. The more I tried to piece it together, the more tangled the situation seemed. I was still puzzling over it when Mrs. Thalassa, David’s mother, turned to me, her voice light and sweet. "Would you join me for shopping tomorrow?"
My first instinct was to refuse. There was work piling up, and I didn’t need more time with this family. But then again, a chance to avoid David’s brooding presence for a few hours didn’t sound so bad. I forced a smile. "Sure, I’d love to."
"Can I come too, Grandma?" little Jasper’s voice piped up, eyes wide with excitement.
Mrs. Thalassa’s face softened. "Of course, darling. It wouldn’t be any fun without my grandson."
The table erupted in laughter as Jasper’s infectious giggles filled the air, breaking the tension that had been building all evening.
Later, as we drove home, the car was quiet, except for the soft snores of Jasper, his head resting in my lap. I stared out the window, but my mind was racing. David had said I could ask him anything. Well, now was the time.
"Why don’t Vivian and her mom come to these family gatherings?" I asked, my voice low, almost hesitant.
David’s gaze flicked toward me, his expression hard to read in the dim light of the car. "This is a family gathering."
I frowned, the puzzle pieces still not fitting together. "But Mr. Copperfield said she’s like a sister to you. If she’s family, why isn’t she here?”
"Aren't you going shopping with my mom tomorrow?" David’s eyes flickered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You’ll find your answer."