Chapter 179
Grace's POV
The name "Morgan" hangs in the air like a death sentence. I watch Aria's face drain of all color, her body swaying as if the ground beneath her has shifted. The Harrison family driver rushes forward, trying to steady her trembling form.
"No... no, that's impossible," she whispers, her voice barely audible. Her breathing becomes rapid and shallow, each word a struggle. "You're lying. The Morgan family would never... they wouldn't choose someone like you."
The security captain steps forward, his voice respectful but firm. "Ma'am, I can confirm that Mr. Alex Morgan is indeed the current CEO of Morgan International. Mrs. Grace Wilson is his lawful wife. They've simply kept a low profile. This entire community, including all properties, is owned by Morgan International subsidiaries."
Aria staggers backward, her cane barely keeping her upright. I can see the moment reality crashes over her - the entire property management team, the security, the documentation. They couldn't all be lying. Her accusations crumble to dust before her eyes.
"The house..." she starts, then stops, her voice cracking.
I feel Alex's arm tighten around my waist. Despite everything, I'm struck by a moment of revelation. "This was your property all along?" I whisper to him.
His eyes meet mine with that familiar warmth. "When you were looking at houses, you seemed to need a place that was entirely yours. I didn't want to influence your choice."
Of course he didn't. Even then, he was thinking of what I needed, not what would be easier for him.
"The house is mine," he says softly, his voice carrying just enough for Aria to hear, "but I belong to you. Everything in my name is yours."
The security captain, with Alex's subtle nod, produces official property documents. "As you can see, the entire community is registered under Morgan International Holdings. There is no connection whatsoever to the Harrison family."
Aria's legs give out completely. The driver catches her just before she hits the ground, but she's shaking her head frantically. "No, no... even if he has money, she's still just an orphan. She doesn't have the breeding, the background. The Morgans care about bloodlines, about proper matches."
Still clinging to that last thread of superiority. Even facing complete humiliation, she can't let go of her prejudices.
Alex and I exchange a glance. We both know what's coming next. The final blow.
The security captain clears his throat. "Ma'am, I'm afraid you're mistaken about Mrs. Morgan's background as well." His voice takes on a formal tone. "Mrs. Grace Wilson is the daughter of the late Robert Wilson, Starport's wealthiest businessman, and the sole heir to Wilson Holdings Group."
There it is. The last card played.
"She and Mr. Morgan represent a true union of equals - the perfect match in every sense."
Aria's mouth opens and closes soundlessly. I watch her repeat the security captain's words under her breath, her body shaking violently. The woman who once treated me as a dependent of their family, who watched her grandson deceive me, now faces the truth: the "orphan" she scorned is the daughter of the city's most powerful family.
Her eyes lose focus, staring at nothing. The light in them seems to dim as the full scope of her misjudgment becomes clear.
"Wilson Holdings..." she breathes. "The contracts... the partnerships..."
Yes. Now she understands why Wilson Holdings cut all ties, why Harrison Group was systematically isolated, why their family empire crumbled. They hadn't just offended some random woman.
Aria's knees buckle completely. She collapses onto the pavement, all fight drained from her body.
I walk toward her slowly, my heels clicking against the asphalt. When I reach her, she looks up at me with eyes full of terror. The arrogant matriarch is gone, replaced by a broken old woman who finally understands the magnitude of her family's mistakes.
"I didn't want to say harsh things to you," I tell her, my voice cold but controlled. "I held back because you were the only one in that house who ever showed me any kindness."
She flinches as if I'd struck her.
"But you knew, didn't you?" I continue. "You knew exactly how Richard was treating me. You knew about Laura and had no intention of telling me. You knew it all."
Aria's lips tremble, but no words come out.
"You were the only person in that family who was ever decent to me," I say, my voice growing harder. "And that's exactly why I despise your hypocrisy the most. In your mind, only Harrison family members counted as real people. Your double standards, your selective morality - it's more disgusting and hurtful than the cruelty of those who were openly hostile."
I lean down slightly, making sure she hears every word. "The Harrison family's downfall? Not a single person in that house is innocent. And what I took back was never theirs to begin with - it was always mine."
Aria reaches toward me with a shaking hand, but the security guard steps between us. "Grace, please... I was wrong. I was just a foolish old woman. I know Richard wronged you, but please, have mercy..."
Mercy. After everything they put me through, she wants mercy.
"I never went after him," I reply evenly. "His humiliation is entirely self-inflicted."
"But he loves you," she pleads desperately. "He's realized his mistakes. He and Laura are divorced now. You could start fresh, you could—"
She stops mid-sentence, suddenly remembering Alex standing behind me. The man she can't afford to offend.
"Richard doesn't love me," I cut her off sharply. "He's exactly what your family raised him to be - just like the rest of you. He has no capacity for love, no basic human decency."
I turn and walk back to Alex, taking his arm. The warmth of his presence steadies me. "I already have the most perfect partner in the world."
Looking at Alex now, with the Harrison family's toxicity as contrast, I know exactly what I want from life. I want someone who makes my soul complete.
Alex is my heart's true direction, my countless moments of joy and flutter. He stands at the forefront of my life, and I'm willing to light the way for him through any darkness.