Chapter 9
That day when I went to visit Mom’s grave, I saw Grayson there.[]
His hair had gone mostly gray at the temples, and he looked gaunt and weathered.[]
When he saw me, his eyes lit up for a moment.[]
But they quickly dimmed again.[]
“Sera…” His voice was hoarse.[]
I ignored him and placed my flowers, gently touching Mom’s photo.[]
Suddenly, Grayson grabbed my hand.[]
“I know you can’t forgive me, but could I… could I just watch you from afar?“]]
“Please don’t leave. I heard Silas is taking you away.“]]
I yanked my hand back and met his bloodshot eyes.[]
They were filled with regret, desperation, and a hint of obsessive madness.[]
“Grayson, you need to let this go.“]]
“I can’t let go, Sera. I love you.” He said it stubbornly.]]
I looked away.[]
Listening to his so–called heartfelt confession stirred nothing in me.]
In the sunset, Mom’s smile in the photo was warm and radiant.[]
Grayson’s shadow stretched long across the ground.[]
My voice was fla. “Don’t come here anymore. Neither my mother nor I want to see you.“[]
The evening breeze carried a chill against my face.[]
I was walking away when I realized I was crying.[]
Behind me, I could hear Grayson’s muffled, anguished sobs.]
I quickened my pace and left the cemetery.[]
Silas was waiting by the road.]
“Let’s go.“]
Chapter 9
“Uncle, didn’t you have that project meeting today?”]
I got in the passenger seat, curious.]]
Silas smiled. “I did, but when I heard you were at the cemetery, I couldn’t help but worry.“[]
The air grew heavy between us.[]
After a while, I quietly wiped away my tears.]
(小手)
“Uncle, you don’t need to worry about me. I’m not a kid anymore.“[]
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Silas never married.]]
He groomed me as his heir.[]
I made rapid progress.[]
Within a few short years, I could handle major company matters independently.]
Years later, during a quiet night, I saw Silas holding Mom’s photo and crying.]]
I heard him say, “Sister, your daughter is brilliant, just like you.“]]
“Sister, I miss you so much…“[]
I quietly closed the door and returned to my room.[]
The moon outside was cold and distant.]
More years passed.[]
I stood at the floor–to–ceiling windows of D’Arcy Tower, watching the bustling traffic below.
Over the years, I’d grown used to being on my own.[]
Silas had evolved from worrying about everything to learning to let me be independent.[]
Though he still had that protective father complex.[]
Every time I visited Mom, he’d send bodyguards along.
As he put it: “Gotta watch out for certain pests.“]
He was obviously talking about Grayson.[]
These past few years, Grayson had been like a persistent ghost.]
He never approached me directly, but somehow always managed to “run into” me wherever I went.[]
Chapter 9
Sometimes on park benches, sometimes at corners of shopping centers I frequented…]
Grayson had started some small business ventures.[]
But just when they’d show promise, they’d mysteriously fail.[]
After several attempts, he’d burned through most of the money he’d gotten from the Langford divorce settlement.[]
Of course, the Langford family was also barely hanging on, teetering on bankruptcy.]
Everyone in the business world knew this was Silas’s handiwork.]
The last time I saw Grayson was at the cemetery.
“Sera, long time no see.” His voice was even more aged and raspy than ten years ago.]]
The bodyguards immediately stepped in front of me.]
Grayson stood about fifteen feet away, not daring to come closer.
His hair had gone completely white, and he held a bunch of white chrysanthemums.[]
The wind made his frail figure sway precariously.]]
“Could I… could I leave some flowers for
your mom?”
He asked so carefully, terrified I’d refuse.]]
I said nothing.]
He walked over and placed the chrysanthemums in front of Mom’s headstone.[]
Then he kowtowed three times, staying down for a long moment.[]
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” His voice was muffled and unclear.[]
As I turned to leave, Grayson suddenly called out.]
“I’m dying.”
I stopped but didn’t turn around.[]
“Stage four lung cancer.” He let out a bitter laugh. “God’s punishing me.“[]
The laughter was full of desperate anguish.
I walked faster without responding.]
Whether he lived or died was none of my business.
A month later, I heard about Grayson’s death.]
Chapter 9
“They found him in your old house, still clutching your wedding rings.“]
Silas handed me his phone.[]
The trending headline read: “Grayson Langford Dies at Home from Late–Stage Lung Cancer.“]
I said, “I see.“]
I felt absolutely nothing, as if he and I had never known each other.[]
Silas looked at me and smiled. “Good. You’ve really let go completely.“]
I smiled back and said nothing more.]
I’d let go of Grayson long ago.]]
Not forgiveness–complete indifference to his existence.]]
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