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“And? When you know, you know.” His hands framed my face. “I love you, Hazel Ashworth. I’ve loved you longer than you realize.”
“I did. Congratulations on finally getting your mother to tell the truth.”
I bit back a retort. “What do you want? I’m busy.”
Chapter 137 – Unraveling Ties and Calculated Truces
“The only thing I regret is not cutting all of you out of my life sooner. Now leave before I call security.”
I hadn’t planned to negotiate, but an idea struck me. “The villa. Transfer it to my name.”
I hung up before he could respond. The villa wouldn’t bring my mother back, but there was a certain poetic justice in taking something valuable from the Graysons after all they’d taken from me.
“It’s about your father.”
After a long pause, he sighed. “Fine. I’ll have the papers drawn up.”
His secretary hovered nearby, passing him a paper bag before departing with a concerned glance. Julian wheeled toward me, the bag clutched in his lap.
Silence hung between us.
The next morning, I arrived at the government center ten minutes early, letter carefully drafted and tucked in my bag. I’d dressed for the occasion in a burgundy power suit from my own collection, shoulders squared against the morning chill.
With deliberate slowness, she closed the folder and stood. “Your office is… modest.” Against my better judgment, I answered. “What now?”
“In fact,” he continued, his voice dropping lower, “maybe we should make it official. Marry me.”
Instead of answering, Julian held up the paper bag. “Your favorite. Hot cocoa. You didn’t get to drink that cup last time.”
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“Not to me.” I pointed to the door. “Harrison can rot in whatever hospital will take him. I won’t spend a single cent on the man who watched my mother die and did nothing”
I kept my face neutral, refusing to show how this news affected me. Harrison’s health wasn’t my concern.
“Make yourself at home,” I said sarcastically.
“He needs specialized treatment. Expensive treatment.” She smoothed her designer skirt. “As his daughter-”
“Good. Meet me at the government center tomorrow at 10 AM. Bring the deed, and I’ll bring the letter.”
Eleanor’s nostrils flared. “You’ll regret this when he’s gone.”
“Not until you agree to help with his medical bills. It’s the least you can do-”
My phone immediately rang–Julian.
I searched his face for any hint of deception but found none. “Then why does she seem to think there’s more between you two?”
chin my
“There’s
“Wishful thinking on her part, perhaps.” A wry smile played at his lips. “The Sinclairs have always been… ambitious. But Hazel, look at me.” He tilted only one woman I want, and she’s standing right in front of me.”
- up.
“Then where? Because I’m about to face my stepmother upstairs, and I’d rather not walk in there with yet another unanswered question weighing on me.”
Just those four words sent a chill through me. “I have nothing to say about that man.”
Julian was already waiting, sitting in an electric wheelchair. His skin had a sallow cast to it, his once–robust frame diminished. Despite everything, a flicker of pity stirred within me before I ruthlessly stamped it out.
“Marry me,” he repeated, more firmly this time. “I wasn’t planning to ask like this, but I’ve known since the moment you came back into my life. I want you to be my wife.”
I wouldn’t betray her memory by saving the man who destroyed her. Some wounds ran too deep for forgiveness.
Damien’s car pulled into the underground parking of my office building nd I followed
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in my new Maserati–a car that still felt like I was driving someone else’s life. As I cut the engine, I couldn’t shake Bianca’s words from my mind. “Brother Damien.” The familiarity in those two words bothered me more than I wanted to admit.
“Good for him,” I said flatly. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here.”
“Your family’s vacation villa. The one we were supposed to honeymoon in. Transfer ownership to me, and I’ll write your letter.”
“Want me to come up with you?”
The intensity in his gaze made my breath catch.
“Let me think about it,” I finally said, unable to fully surrender to the moment despite how much I wanted to. “This is all happening so fast.”
“What do you want?” he finally asked.
A mixture of joy and panic swirled inside me. “But your grandfather… Bianca mentioned-‘
“1
I stared at the offering, memories flooding back of countless mornings sharing hot cocoa, the one tradition we’d maintained throughout our six–year relationship. The familiar gesture from this shell of the man I once loved left me frozen, unsure whether to feel touched or manipulated once again.
She looked up, not even having the decency to appear embarrassed. “Hazel. Finally.” Eleanor flinched but quickly recovered. “That’s ancient history.”
I squared my shoulders and pushed open my office door. Eleanor sat in my chair, behind my desk, leafing through a folder of design sketches.
I blinked, certain I’d misheard. “What?”
He leaned down and kissed me softly, making my resolve waver. But before I could say anything else, my phone chimed with a text from Cherry: *She’s still here. Getting impatient.*
“I want to formally apologize to Hazel Ashworth for my actions…” Her voice was steady as she read from a prepared statement. “The allegations I made were false and motivated by personal grievances. Ms. Ashworth is innocent of any wrongdoing, and 1 deeply regret the distress I’ve caused her.”
134 Chapter 137
Eleanor’s pinched expression grew tighter. “He’s being released next month on medical grounds. The cancer has spread.”
I pulled away reluctantly. “I need to deal with Eleanor.”
As the elevator carried me up to my office floor, I tried to compose myself. From a surprise proposal to a showdown with my stepmother–just another day in my chaotic
life.
“The least I can do?” I stepped closer, my voice dangerously low. “I spent years being your family’s punching bag. I watched my mother die because Harrison broke her heart and stole everything from her. When she needed treatment for her depression, where was he? Too busy with you, his mistress.”
“Stop right there.” My voice cut through the air like a blade. “If you came here asking for money, you can leave now.”
“That’s it?” I pressed.
“I knew Bianca when we were younger. We attended some of the same society events, charity galas. Nothing more.” His thumb traced circles on my palm. “She’s trying to create drama where none exists.”
After she stormed out, I sank into my chair, trembling with emotion. My mother’s face flashed before my eyes–pale, gaunt, her eyes vacant in those final months. While Harrison lived in luxury with his new family, she’d wasted away in a tiny apartment, her spirit broken beyond repair.
He sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. “Let’s not discuss this in a parking garage, Hazel.”
I nodded stiffly. “Do you have the papers?”
“Hazel, please.” The desperation in his voice was almost satisfying. “She’s my mother.”
“Of course she did,” I muttered, “It’s fine, Cherry.”
“That’s my seat, Eleanor.”
“I learned from the best.” I stood my ground. “Harrison doesn’t get my help unless he visits my
mother’s grave and begs her forgiveness. Those are my terms.”
“Raised me?” I laughed bitterly. “Is that what you call what he did? He neglected me,
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belittled me, and stole my maternal inheritance. He left my mother to waste away in depression until she took her own life.”
White–hot rage flooded my veins. I slammed my hand on the desk. “Get out.”
My phone buzzed with a
screen. She was giving ews alert. I opened it to see Giselle Grayson’s face on the
screen. She was giving a public statement, looking appropriately contrite.
Cherry met me at the elevator with an apologetic look. “She’s in your office. I tried to put her in the conference room, but she insisted.”
My heart hammered against my ribs. “Damien, we’ve only been together for a few months.”
“The Sinclairs and Sterlings have known each other for generations,” he explained. “Our grandfathers were business partners. In certain circles, it’s customary for family friends to address each other as brothers and sisters.”
“He’s your father!” Eleanor’s composure cracked. “Despite everything, he He raised you—”
gave you life.
I stepped out of my car just as Damien approached, his expression unreadable.
I shook my head. “I need to handle this on my own. But thank you.”
Damien’s eyes softened. He reached for my hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, I let him take it.
I remembered my conversation with Julian that morning, his warnings about the Sterling family’s traditions. Then Bianca’s mother’s condescending remarks about my “complicated background.”
“That property is worth millions-”
“What?”
“You didn’t answer my question,” I said, crossing my arms.
Eleanor had the audacity to roll her eyes. “Always so dramatic about your mother. She was weak.”
“Then I guess your mother’s freedom isn’t worth much to you.” I kept my tone cool “That’s my offer. Take it or leave it.”
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“Forget what she said. My grandfather’s approval matters, yes, but my happiness
matters more.”
“You saw the statement?” He sounded tired.
Disappointment flickered across his face, but he nodded. “Take all the time you need. Just know my answer will always be yes.”
“Hazel,” he greeted, his voice weaker than yesterday.
“You’re heartless,” she spat.
“They’re releasing her on bail, but the prosecutor wants a letter from you. A statement of understanding”
I scoffed. “After everything she did to me? She’s lucky I’m not pressing for maximum penalties.”
“And what about my mother, Julian? Did anyone care about her when she was suffering?”
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