Chapter 221 Meeting

Chapter 221 Meeting

Ethan nodded without hesitation.

"I know." He turned around and looked toward the main entrance. "I've already brought your granddaughter-in-law back."

As soon as he finished speaking, Diana walked in from the foyer, holding Olivia's hand.

The old man froze, quickly took off his reading glasses, and rubbed his eyes hard, afraid his old eyes were playing tricks on him.

When he confirmed it was really Diana, the old man suddenly stood up, almost dropping his cane.

"Diana! Good child, are you really willing to forgive this rascal?"

Diana walked forward and nodded gently.

"Grandpa, I'm back."

The old man nodded repeatedly with excitement, his eyes turning red.

Just then, his gaze fell on the small figure beside Diana's leg.

Olivia was wearing pink overalls today and carrying her little strawberry backpack.

She looked up, her big dark eyes curiously studying the white-haired old man before her.

The old man completely froze in place.

He stared intently at Olivia's face.

This child's features were practically carved from the same mold as Diana's, but that proud little attitude was clearly a carbon copy of Ethan as a child!

The old man's lips trembled as he pointed at Olivia, unable to form a complete sentence for a long time.

"This... this is..."

Diana bent down and patted Olivia's shoulder.

"Liv, say hello to Great-grandpa."

Olivia wasn't shy at all. She took a small step forward, looked up, and spoke in a clear, bright voice.

"Hello, Great-grandpa!"

That "Great-grandpa" hit the old man like a thunderbolt.

Memories from four years ago instantly flooded his mind.

That car accident, that child they couldn't save...

The old man's tears could no longer be held back.

"Could it be..." The old man looked at Diana, his voice shaking uncontrollably, filled with disbelief.

Diana's eyes also reddened.

She nodded firmly.

"Yes. She's the child from four years ago. I'm sorry, Grandpa. When I came back to River City last time, I was in such a hurry that I didn't have time to tell you."

The old man dropped his cane, crouched down, and stretched out both hands toward Olivia.

"Come here, let Great-grandpa hold you."

Olivia usually hated strangers touching her, but looking at this old man crying his heart out, she surprisingly didn't dodge. Instead, she obediently walked over and threw herself into the old man's arms.

"Don't cry, Great-grandpa." Olivia reached out her small hand and clumsily wiped the old man's tears. "Your beard is poking me."

The old man broke into a smile through his tears, hugging Olivia tightly, his whole body trembling with emotion.

"Good child, my dear great-granddaughter! Great-grandpa is happy, these are tears of joy!"

After holding her for a while, the old man finally let Olivia go.

He suddenly stood up, grabbed his cane from the ground, and without a word, swung it at Ethan's leg.

"You rascal! You knew all along, didn't you? Why didn't you tell me sooner!"

Ethan didn't dodge and took the hit.

He sucked in a sharp breath, clutched his abdomen, his face turning even paler, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

"Grandpa, go easy on me. I'm still injured."

Seeing this, Diana instinctively took a step forward, her hand already reaching out, then forcibly stopped herself.

The old man wasn't buying it at all and raised his cane to strike again.

"You deserve it! Even if someone beat you to death, you'd have it coming! Who told you to treat Diana so badly before!"

Despite his words, the old man ultimately didn't strike again.

He turned his head to look at Olivia, the anger on his face instantly transforming into tenderness.

"Liv, come on, Great-grandpa will take you upstairs to see something nice."

The old man took Olivia's hand and led her upstairs.

Diana followed behind, and Ethan, clutching his stomach, slowly brought up the rear.

At the end of the second-floor hallway was a pink wooden door.

The old man pushed it open.

Inside was an incredibly dreamy princess room.

Pink bed canopy, walls covered with fairy tale murals, thick carpet on the floor, corners piled with all kinds of stuffed animals and Lego blocks, even the wardrobe was shaped like a castle.

The room was spotless, clearly cleaned every day.

Diana stood in the doorway, stunned.

The old man stroked Olivia's head, his voice carrying a touch of weariness.

"Four years ago, when Great-grandpa found out your mom had you in her belly, I had people prepare this room. For these four years, Great-grandpa has had people clean it every day, hoping that one day my little great-granddaughter could move in. I never expected this old man would actually live to see that day."

Diana's nose tingled, tears nearly falling.

The despair and pain from four years ago seemed to finally find an outlet where they could be completely released, in the face of this room filled with love.

Olivia cheered, dropped her backpack, and dove into the pile of stuffed animals.

"Thank you, Great-grandpa! I love it!"

The old man smiled from ear to ear, responding repeatedly.

Night fell.

The Lancaster Estate grew quiet.

Olivia, tired from playing in the princess room, had gone to bed early.

Diana finished her shower and stood in the second-floor hallway, looking at the tightly closed door of the master bedroom. Her steps paused.

She bit her lower lip, turned around, and pushed open the guest room door next to it.

The guest room was very clean, the bed already made.

Diana pulled back the covers and lay down, turning off the bedside lamp.

She rolled over, forcing herself to close her eyes.

In a daze, she heard an extremely soft sound from the door.

Diana's eyes flew open.

Weak light from the hallway filtered in as a tall dark figure slipped into the room and locked the door behind him.

Immediately after, the mattress suddenly sank down.

A familiar crisp scent mixed with a faint medicinal smell washed over her.

The man lifted the covers and, along with the blanket, pulled her into his arms, his burning chest pressing directly against her back.

Diana jumped in fright and instinctively reached out to push him away.

"Ethan! What are you doing! Go back to your master bedroom!"

Not only did Ethan not let go, he buried his head in the crook of her neck, his hair brushing against her skin.

"The master bedroom is too cold." His voice was low and hoarse, carrying a hint of shamelessness. "My wound hurts, I can't sleep alone."

Diana laughed in exasperation, jabbing her elbow backward forcefully.

"If your wound hurts, go find a doctor. What are you doing here? Get off!"

Ethan groaned, his body suddenly tensing, his breathing instantly becoming heavy.

"Don't move." He grabbed her wrist and pressed it against his chest. "It really hurts. If you keep pushing, the wound will tear open."

Diana's movements instantly stopped.

She didn't dare move anymore and could only let him hold her like this.

"What exactly do you want?" Diana asked through gritted teeth, keeping her voice low.

Ethan lifted his head slightly and, in the darkness, precisely captured her lips, giving them a light peck.

"I don't want anything. I just want to hold you while I sleep."

He tightened his arms, pulling her closer into his embrace.

"Diana, these four years, I haven't had a single good night's sleep. Tonight, just let me sleep well, okay?"

The man's voice carried deep exhaustion and a barely perceptible vulnerability.

Diana's tense body gradually relaxed.

She didn't say anything more, nor did she push him away again.

Only the sound of their breathing remained in the room.

Ethan's chin rested on the top of her head, the corners of his mouth curving into a triumphant smile.