Chapter 155 Grizelle's Final Heirloom

Chapter 155 Grizelle's Final Heirloom
Evan stared at the wooden box in his hands. Its surface was smooth, the unmistakable texture of teak polished over decades. There was no elaborate lock, only a simple silver clasp. He glanced at Lavina, who was still standing before him with a gentle smile.

“Bring it inside. Alice should see it too,” Lavina whispered softly. “It’s something very precious to Grizelle, not because of its price.”

Evan nodded. He went back into the bedroom, closing the door carefully so as not to make a sound. Alice was already awake, sitting against the headboard, rubbing her sleepy eyes.

“Evan? What’s going on? Was that Grandma?” Alice asked.

“Yes. She found a box that belonged to my mother in the underground storage room that was just cleared,” Evan said as he sat on the edge of the bed and placed the box between them.

Alice looked at it with curiosity. “Mother Grizelle’s box? What’s inside?”

“Grandma said it’s something sweet. Not a secret or a problem, just a personal keepsake,” Evan replied as he opened the clasp.

The moment the lid lifted, a faint scent of sandalwood drifted out. Inside, resting on slightly faded red velvet, lay a simple gold necklace with a jasmine-shaped pendant. Beside it was a small piece of paper, neatly folded.

Evan picked up the note and read it.

“To my beloved daughter-in-law. Whoever you are, I know Evan chose you with his heart. This necklace is the first thing I ever bought with my own earnings. I want you to wear it as a sign that you are part of this family’s light.”

Alice covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes glistening. “Evan… this is beautiful.”

Evan lifted the necklace. The chain was thin yet strong. He moved behind Alice and gently swept her hair aside. “Mother wanted you to wear it. She prepared it even before she knew who would stand beside me.”

“Help me put it on,” Alice said softly.

With large yet deft fingers, Evan fastened the necklace around Alice’s neck. The jasmine pendant rested perfectly between her collarbones, standing out against her fair skin.

“Perfect,” Evan whispered as he kissed the nape of her neck. “You look beautiful, Alice.”

The Next Morning.

The Nathaniel residence was filled with bright sunlight. There were no more shadows from the past. Their lives had truly settled into a peaceful rhythm.

In the dining room, Zavian was busy stacking wooden blocks on the table. Across from him, Lucas, who could now crawl astonishingly fast, tried to grab the blocks while laughing loudly.

“Lucas, wait a moment. Grandpa is building a tower for you,” Zavian said with remarkable patience, something that once would have been nearly impossible to hear from him.

“Dad, don’t let him knock it down too fast, or he’ll cry,” Evan called out as he entered with Alice.

“He won’t cry. He’s a Nathaniel. He’ll build it again,” Zavian replied proudly.

Alice sat at the dining table, her fingers brushing the jasmine necklace at her neck. Lavina entered carrying a tray of healthy snacks for Lucas. Her eyes immediately went to Alice’s necklace.

“Ah, you’re wearing it. Grizelle would be very happy to see that,” Lavina said as she set the tray down.

“Thank you for finding it, Grandma. It means so much to me,” Alice said sincerely.

“It has always been yours, Alice. From the very beginning,” Lavina replied.

That afternoon, Evan decided to take Alice and Lucas out without a tight security detail. They used just one regular SUV. Evan drove, while Alice sat beside him with Lucas on her lap, the baby happily chewing on his teething toy.

“Where are we going?” Alice asked.

“To the city park. I want Lucas to see the outside world, not just the high walls of our house,” Evan answered.

They arrived at a lively park. People passed by, children ran around, and a balloon vendor stood at the corner. No one recognized them as the legendary Nathaniel family. To everyone there, they were simply a happy little family.

Evan spread a mat beneath a shady tree and placed Lucas on the grass. The baby looked thrilled, touching the rough texture of the grass with his tiny hands.

“Look at him, Evan. He’s not afraid at all,” Alice laughed as Lucas tried to put a blade of grass into his mouth.

“Hey, don’t eat that!” Evan quickly caught Lucas’s hand and wiped it clean. “He really wants to try everything.”

“That means he’s very curious,” Alice replied.

They spent hours there. Watching people, eating sandwiches prepared by the staff at home, and occasionally Evan took photos of Alice and Lucas with his phone. There were no urgent calls, no emergency reports. The world felt slow and peaceful.

In the late afternoon, as the sun tilted westward, they walked back to the car. Evan carried Lucas on his shoulders.

“Alice, I’ve been thinking,” Evan said suddenly.

“About what?”

“What if we move to the beach house permanently? I think the air there would be better for Lucas. And I can manage the business from there through video connections,” Evan suggested.

Alice was silent for a moment, studying Evan’s face. “You really want to leave the city?”

“This city holds too many bitter memories for us. I want Lucas to grow up with the sound of waves, not car horns,” Evan explained.

Alice smiled widely. “I agree. I prefer painting there too. The light is much better.”

“Then it’s settled. We’ll start moving things next month,” Evan said firmly.

Back home, the atmosphere grew even warmer. That night, they held a family dinner on the open veranda. Zavian seemed to approve of Evan’s plan to move to the coast.

“I’ll visit often. Make sure there’s a room big enough for me,” Zavian said.

“Of course, Dad. You can come anytime,” Alice replied.

After dinner, Evan and Alice took Lucas to the nursery. Together they bathed him, dressed him in soft cotton pajamas, and read him a story before bed.

Once Lucas was asleep, Evan wrapped an arm around Alice’s shoulders at the nursery doorway.

“Everything is perfect now, isn’t it?” Evan asked.

“More than perfect,” Alice replied.

They returned to the master bedroom. Evan helped Alice remove the jasmine necklace and carefully placed it back into its box.

“We should take good care of it. It’s for our future daughter-in-law,” Evan joked.

Alice laughed. “Lucas is only a few months old, Evan. You’re already thinking about in-laws?”

“I’m just preparing,” Evan said, pulling Alice into his arms.

They stood on the balcony, looking out at the garden now lit by soft landscape lights. The night’s silence felt comforting. There was no more unease.

“Evan,” Alice called softly.

“Yes?”

“I want you to know that I love you. Not because you’re my protector, not because you’re the father of my child, but because you are you,” Alice said sincerely.

Evan looked deeply into her eyes. “I love you too, Alice. More than my own life.”

They stood there in a warm embrace. But the stillness was slightly broken by the vibration of a phone on the bedside table. Evan sighed softly and went to pick it up, hoping it was not work intruding on the moment.

He looked at the screen. The name displayed was Rico.

“Yes, Rico? What is it, this late?” Evan asked as he answered.

Alice watched Evan’s expression, hoping there was no new trouble. But his face showed confusion, not tension.

“Wait, say that again,” Evan said to Rico.

“What is it, Evan?” Alice asked, stepping closer.

Evan lowered the phone and looked at Alice with a very strange expression, half baffled, half amused.

“Alice… Rico says a large package just arrived at the port warehouse. It was sent from an address that’s been inactive for years, and the contents aren’t documents or jewelry,” Evan said.

“Then what is it?” Alice began to feel uneasy.

Evan glanced at the phone again, as if he still couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “Rico says it’s a giant wooden swing, carved with both our names. And there’s a note attached: ‘For the childhoods you missed. From someone who only wants to see you smile."