Chapter 8
654words
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
Victoria's eyes widened with dawning horror.
I seized Felix by his hair and yanked him in front of Victoria.
"Your beloved son was murdered by your precious grandson."
Victoria stared at Felix with empty eyes, her lips parting but no sound emerging.
"Felix… what she's saying… it can't be true… right?"
Felix's face crumpled, guilt written in every line.
Victoria saw the truth in his expression and something broke behind her eyes.
She threw her head back with a broken laugh.
"Ha! Hahaha!"
"The great Victoria Palmer! Outsmarted everyone my whole life, only to cradle my son's murderer to my breast!"
Felix's lips quivered like a child's.
"Grandma, please—it was an accident! I never meant to kill Dad!"
I scoffed. "An accident?"
My assistant produced a file and handed it to Victoria, reciting the contents with clinical precision.
"Mr. Grant had been ill for days and intended to seek medical attention, but Felix demanded his father join him on a weekend trip."
"During this trip, Jessica Miller served Mr. Grant unpasteurized milk, triggering severe gastroenteritis."
"A treatable condition—had he received prompt medical care, he would have recovered completely."
"But Felix threw a tantrum on the road, forcing the driver to abandon them. Felix, who couldn't drive, was left in charge."
"Charles Grant died in excruciating pain while his son watched and did nothing."
Victoria's eyes blazed with murderous fury. She wrenched free from her restraints with surprising strength.
She launched herself at Felix, slapping him with such force his head snapped back and forth.
"You worthless bastard!"
"You monster!"
"You murdered your father and had the audacity to demand his money over his dead body!"
"You desecrated his remains at his own funeral! What kind of demon are you?!"
Victoria's fury burned out as quickly as it had ignited. She crumpled to the ground, suddenly looking every one of her years.
I knelt beside her, my voice low and urgent.
"Where is Eve?"
Something flickered in Victoria's vacant eyes. She struggled to her feet, swaying with exhaustion.
"Follow me. I'll take you to her."
I signaled my assistant to bring the security team.
Everyone in our circles knows about the Harrison heir's condition. No family with options would marry their daughter into such a situation.
Yet Victoria Palmer had arranged to sacrifice my daughter to this fate!
We hurried down a long hallway to a closed door.
Victoria was reaching for her key when Mr. Harrison appeared, flanked by his security staff.
"What's the meaning of this disruption, Victoria?"
I spat with disgust: "I am not your damn in-law."
Harrison dismissed me with a wave, addressing Victoria directly:
"The contract is signed. The banquet is tomorrow. Invitations have been sent to half the city."
"If your granddaughter isn't present, the Harrison name will be a laughingstock!"
To my surprise, Victoria stepped between us, her voice steady and cold.
"It's only an engagement. Marriages end in divorce every day—what's a broken engagement in comparison?"
Harrison's face darkened with fury.
"Do you think the Harrison family can be trifled with so easily, Victoria?!"
At his signal, security personnel materialized from every doorway, surrounding our group.
Despite my own security force, we were outnumbered on Harrison territory. A clean escape seemed unlikely.
Victoria pressed the key into my palm, her voice barely audible:
"Take Eve and go. He won't harm me—we've known each other too long."
I didn't waste time questioning her change of heart. I jammed the key into the lock and threw the door open.
Victoria's sudden concern for Eve stemmed only from learning she was the last connection to her beloved son.
Sadly, she understood neither my daughter nor the son she'd idolized.
Victoria turned to Harrison, her voice carrying a dangerous edge:
"I have a proposition that will save your family's reputation."
