Chapter 89
Grace's POV
After the clamor of the banquet died down, Alex brought me to the Morgan family's main residence, where his family was waiting for us.
I sat on the plush velvet sofa, my hands folded in my lap, feeling Alex's warm fingers intertwined with mine. The weight of what I was about to share pressed against my chest like a stone. Eleanor sat across from us, her kind eyes reflecting the soft lamplight, while Daisy perched on the edge of her chair, leaning forward with gentle attention. Ethan nodded encouragingly from his wingback chair, his weathered hands clasped over his walking stick.
They deserve to know the truth. All of it.
"Six years ago," I began, my voice steady despite the tremor in my heart, "I thought I married Richard Harrison. The ceremony was simple—we went to the county courthouse. I was so deeply in love with him then, believed every promise he made me......"
The words came easier than I'd expected, as if I were narrating someone else's story rather than my own painful past. I kept talking about the details of what happened, while Alex's thumb traced gentle circles over my knuckles, grounding me.
"It wasn't until two months ago that I discovered our marriage certificate was forged. His real wife is Laura Parker—my former college roommate. They have a six-year-old daughter named Emma."
Alex's grip tightened almost imperceptibly. Though he might have known some of the situation, hearing it directly from my lips stirred something protective and fierce in his blue eyes. I could feel the controlled anger radiating from him, carefully contained beneath his composed exterior.
Eleanor's eyes immediately filled with tears. "Oh, sweetheart, you've been wronged tonight. I truly had no idea you'd been through so much."
Ethan's fist came down hard on the side table, making the crystal glasses rattle. "Bastard! Using a fake marriage certificate—that man should be rotting in prison!"
But then his expression softened, and he leaned forward with grandfatherly concern. "Grace, you've suffered enough. But now you have Alex, and our family will protect you. No one will ever hurt you again."
Eleanor wiped her eyes with a handkerchief. "Are the Harrisons still causing you trouble? Should Alex handle this for you?"
Throughout this exchange, Leon remained silent in the corner armchair, his face an unreadable mask. His fingers drummed against the leather armrest in a slow, deliberate rhythm.
Leon's voice cut through the family warmth. "Since you've laid out your past so clearly, Grace, I understand the entanglement with Richard Harrison. But you need to understand something crucial."
His tone sharpened, becoming more authoritative. "You were involved with Richard for six years. Even if the marriage was fake, emotional attachments don't disappear overnight. Your marriage to Alex is built on a business alliance, and I won't have your past bringing unnecessary complications to our family."
He leaned forward, his words precise as surgical cuts. "Simply put, Grace—if you choose to marry into the Morgan family, you must completely sever all ties with the Harrisons. We won't pay for your past mistakes, and we certainly won't get dragged into your romantic entanglements with your ex. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
The room fell into stunned silence. I felt Alex's body tense beside me, his jaw clenching as he processed his father's cold ultimatum.
Eleanor immediately bristled. "Leon! She's going to be your daughter-in-law! How can you speak to her like that?"
Ethan frowned deeply. "Leon, that was unnecessarily harsh. You'll hurt the child's feelings."
Daisy opened her mouth to intervene, but Leon's sharp look silenced her before she could speak.
I took a deep breath, drawing on every lesson I'd learned about maintaining composure under pressure. "Grandfather, Grandmother, you don't need to worry about me."
I met Leon's cold stare directly. "I understand your concerns completely. Business marriages are essentially transactions of mutual benefit. I won't let my past affect the Morgan family's interests, and I won't let Alex get caught up in unnecessary complications because of me."
My voice remained calm and measured, carrying a maturity that seemed to surprise even Leon. I've learned to navigate much worse than this.
Alex suddenly stood, his tall frame casting a shadow across the room. His deep blue eyes locked onto his father's with an intensity that made the air crackle. When he spoke, his voice was low but filled with unmistakable authority.
"Father, Grace has never asked me to do anything for her."
"But your prejudice and misunderstanding tonight have disappointed me greatly."
Leon became displeased. He clearly hadn't expected Alex to openly challenge him.
Alex continued, his tone brooking no argument. "I'll handle my relationship with Grace myself. You don't need to concern yourself with it. It's getting late—Grace and I will take our leave now."
It wasn't a request. It was a declaration.
"Alex, don't do this..." I whispered, tugging gently at his sleeve.
He looked down at me with surprising tenderness, then placed a protective hand on my shoulder. "We're leaving."
"Alex! Stop right there!" Leon's voice boomed behind us as we headed toward the door.
Alex didn't pause, didn't even slow down. He kept his arm around me, guiding me forward with gentle but unyielding pressure.
I tried to look back, but Alex drew me closer against his side, half-carrying me away from the confrontation.
In Alex's car, I sat in the passenger seat, my mind churning with conflicting emotions. The leather seats were warm, but I felt cold inside.
"Alex, your father is just looking out for you. Walking out like that—wasn't it a bit disrespectful?"
Alex's voice carried a note of weariness I'd rarely heard before. "He's not concerned about me. He only cares that my decisions don't impact the family's interests."
"He's never cared about what I actually want, only what he thinks is right. Grace, you don't need to worry about his opinion. In the Morgan family, you only need to get along with Grandfather and Grandmother."
His voice was detached, but I caught the faint note of loneliness underneath. How long has he been carrying this burden alone?
I reached over and gently touched his shoulder. The simple gesture seemed to ease some of the tension in his frame.
I pulled out my phone and dialed Eleanor's number.
"Grandmother, it's me, Grace... I want to apologize to Father on Alex's behalf. We left too abruptly tonight."
Eleanor's warm voice came through the speaker. "Child, you don't need to apologize. Leon just has that personality—he likes to say the difficult things upfront, but he doesn't really have any serious objections to you."
"You and Alex just focus on being happy together. Your grandfather and I will talk to Leon."
After I hung up, Alex glanced at me with something that might have been amusement. "You don't need to apologize for him. If he's really angry, he'll come after me eventually."