Chapter 59
Richard's POV
"I mean exactly what I said." Mother's voice was matter-of-fact, as if she were discussing the weather. "If Grace can provide biological heirs, then your adopted daughter is no longer an asset. She's a liability."
"Mother, you can't be serious—"
"I'm completely serious." She turned to Aria, who was listening with growing comprehension. "The simplest solution is to terminate the adoption. Send the child back to foster care."
The blood drained from my face. "You can't—"
"We can, and we will." Mother's voice brooked no argument.
As if summoned by our conversation, the door opened and Emma peered around the edge, her small face streaked with tears.
"Daddy?" Her voice was small, frightened. "Are you really going to send me away?"
Damn. She'd been listening outside the door.
Emma ran to me, wrapping her small arms around my legs, her body shaking with sobs. "Daddy, I don't want to go back! I'll be good, I promise! I won't be mean to Grace anymore!"
I looked down at my daughter—my daughter. Her blue eyes were wide with terror, her face blotchy from crying.
"Please, Daddy," she whispered. "I'll do anything. Just don't send me back to that place."
Margaret watched this display with cold detachment. "The decision is made, Richard. The sooner we handle this, the better."
Aria cleared her throat, drawing our attention back to her. Despite her harsh tone, I could see something that might have been compassion flickering in her eyes as she looked at Emma.
"Perhaps," she said slowly, "we should focus on the immediate problem. Getting Grace back should be our priority."
"Exactly," Margaret agreed.
She turned to me with that same calculating look. "You need to get Grace pregnant, Richard. As soon as possible."
The words hit me like a slap. "What?"
"You heard me." Mother's smile was sharp as a blade. "Once she's carrying your child, she won't be able to leave so easily."
At first, I'd always resisted the idea of Grace getting pregnant. The thought that she might use a child to manipulate me, to gain more control in our relationship, made my skin crawl. But today, Mom had planted a different seed.
If Grace gets pregnant, she'll be just like Laura—completely manageable. A mother's first priority is always her child's security.
The logic was sound. A pregnant Grace would become dependent, controllable, focused on nesting rather than asking uncomfortable questions. It would solve so many problems.
But when I thought of Emma's terrified, crying face, something twisted in my chest.
"Richard, be reasonable. If Grace comes back, if she's carrying your child, keeping Emma here will only create unnecessary tension."
"Emma is my daughter," I said firmly. "She's not going anywhere."
"Think practically." Margaret's voice took on that persuasive tone she'd perfected over decades. "You can visit her anytime. But keeping her here while you and Grace try to rebuild... it's not fair to anyone."
I could see the calculation in her eyes. Remove the problem child, give Grace a clean slate, make everything easier to manage.
"Emma is my daughter," I said, my voice carrying a finality I rarely used with my mother. "She stays. End of discussion."
"You're making a foolish mistake," Mom snapped.
"I won't," I replied coldly.
Anger flashed in Mom's eyes, but she said nothing more as I carried Emma away from her icy stare.
---
In the quiet hospital corridor, Emma's sobs gradually subsided into hiccups.
"Daddy?" Her voice was muffled against my shoulder. "You really won't send me away?"
"Never," I said firmly. "Daddy will never abandon you."
I felt her death grip on my shirt loosen slightly.
God, what have I done to this child?
All those times I'd been cold to Grace in front of Emma, all those moments when I'd let family dynamics play out while my daughter watched and learned that love was conditional, that people could be discarded when they became inconvenient.
Grace was right. I should reflect on myself.
If only I'd had the courage to stand up to my family back when I was with Laura, she and our child wouldn't have suffered so much. If I'd met Grace earlier... maybe my choices would have been different.
---
Third Person POV
Margaret hadn't been able to stop Richard, and she was practically stamping her feet in fury. "This is absolutely outrageous! First Grace acts this way, now Richard—has everyone gone mad lately?"
However, Aria remained remarkably calm. "Emma isn't our biggest concern right now. How hard can it be to deal with an adopted child? Getting Grace back is more important."
As she spoke, she fumbled for her phone and began dialing Grace's number.
But the call wouldn't go through.
Seeing this, Margaret's anger flared even more.
"Mom, Grace dares to act this way because she knows you'll support her! If you ask me, it's time you showed some authority and taught her a proper lesson."
Aria was also frustrated at not being able to get through. She started dialing again.
"No matter how willful Grace is, her value to the company far exceeds yours! If you hadn't been making things difficult for her at every turn, Grace wouldn't have left Richard, and Laura wouldn't have had a chance to move in. We should have gotten rid of Laura ten years ago."
After saying this, Aria looked at her phone screen in annoyance.
But she didn't notice the call duration showing seven seconds.
Her last sentence had been heard clearly by Grace.