Ch-5

“Over my dead body will you do such a thing, Adina!”

The voice rang through the room, firm, unwavering, absolute.

All heads turned as Vanessa King, Adina’s grandmother, strode in like she owned the place. Which, in a way, she did—considering the Crown mansion had been her wedding gift to Eric and Adina.

Despite her seventy years of life, there was no hesitation in her stride. She moved with the poise of a queen, her very presence commanding the air.

By her side stood Jeremy Woods, her personal assistant of nearly fifteen years—loyal as ever. And beside him, Caleb West, friend to Dominic and her late son and also the King Group’s legal director.

The air in the room shifted instantly.

Adina and Eric sprang to their feet, their expressions frozen in shock. They had all agreed to keep the news from her—so how had she found out?

Tension crackled in the silence.

Dominic, however, remained seated, his face unreadable.

Mabel, ever the strategist, was the first to recover. Clearing her throat, she forced a smile and spoke in a cheerful tone, “Vanessa! What a lovely surprise. What brings you by? You should have let us know you were coming.”

Vanessa’s gaze flicked to Mabel—disdain sharp in her eyes.

“And why,” she asked, voice laced with venom, “would I need permission to visit my own granddaughter's…No—MY house?”

Her words landed like a slap, shocking everyone, especially Mabel.

In all the years they had known each other, Vanessa had never spoken to her with such hostility.

But tonight was different.

Tonight, her attitude shows she was not here for pleasantries.

“I’m waiting for your answer, Mabel.” Vanessa’s voice cut through the silence like a blade.

Mabel stood frozen, mouth slightly agape, no words coming out.

“I—uh…” she finally stammered, struggling to gather herself—to defend herself but then Dominic stepped in.

“There’s no need to be so confrontational, Vanessa,” he said smoothly. “My wife didn’t mean it that way. You’re always welcome here.. it's yours and our children have been living in it peacefully. I’m sure she was only asking because—”

Vanessa lifted a hand, cutting him off effortlessly.

She stepped further into the room, stopping near the table. Her gaze swept over them all, slow and deliberate—like a queen surveying a kingdom of fools.

“There will be no such thing as terminating that pregnancy.”

Silence.

Deafening. Absolute.

Mabel was the first to recover again.

She straightened her spine. “Vanessa. But—”

One piercing look was all it took to shut her up.

Vanessa turned to Caleb, her voice smooth. “Thank you for informing me. I shudder to think what might have happened had I not been made aware of this disgraceful conversation going on here.”

Mabel’s lips thinned, her gaze flicking toward Caleb. Beneath the surface, rage simmered.

So that’s how she found out— Mabel thought.

She had informed Caleb about the situation because, as her husband's best friend and an attorney who was well-versed in the law.

She needed to confirm whether Ryan could actually file a lawsuit—and win—if they went ahead with terminating the pregnancy despite his threats.

But she hadn’t expected Caleb to go behind her back and inform Vanessa of the situation.

Her jaw tightened. She’d deal with him later—after this conversation was over.

Meanwhile, Adina bit her lip, fingers tightening around the hem of her dress as Vanessa’s gaze landed on her.

Disappointment flickered beneath those hardened eyes.

“And you…Adina,” Vanessa’s voice was calm, yet cutting. “This is how you planned to kill my great-grandchild? Without even telling me?”

Adina’s stomach twisted.

“You’re willing to erase the only continuation of the King's lineage? Without even considering that this might be your only chance?”

Adina’s grip on the hem of her dress tightened more. She couldn’t bear to look into her grandmother’s eyes—eyes that held nothing but disappointment.

Slowly, she lowered her gaze to the floor.

Eric, on the other hand, was livid. Irritated. His patience had worn thin.

"Grandma, with all due respect, I don’t think we need your permission to make this decision." His voice was tight with frustration.

"This is about me and Adina. Our marriage. Our future. Do you expect me to stand by while another man’s child is forced into my life?"

Vanessa’s expression didn’t waver.

“Firstly, I am not your grandma.” Her voice was calm but razor-sharp. "I know exactly that I have only one grandchild."

Eric opened his mouth to argue, but Vanessa lifted a hand yet again, silencing him effortlessly.

"Yes, I was the one who told you to call me that. But starting today, you’ve lost that right. From now on, it’s Mrs. King to both you and your parents."

A heavy silence settled. Then, Vanessa took a measured breath before continuing.

“Secondly… if your marriage to my granddaughter is so fragile that an unborn child threatens it, perhaps you should be questioning more than just this pregnancy.”

Mabel’s face darkened, her patience snapping. She scoffed harshly, shaking her head.

Vanessa arched an eyebrow. “Do you have something to say, or are you going to keep scoffing like a fool?”

Mabel’s nostrils flared. "Are you calling me a fool?"

Vanessa’s lips curved slightly. “I said like a fool. But if that’s how you see yourself, who am I to argue?”

Mabel let out a sharp scoff, stepping forward, her voice rising. "I’ll ignore that insult, but let me make something clear—"

Her glare burned into Vanessa as she continued.

"When Adina and Eric got married, you insisted they were both your grandchildren, regardless of blood. But now, when it truly matters, you’re making decisions without considering my son?!"

Her voice trembled with rage. "Do you expect me to just sit back while my son is humiliated in public because your granddaughter is carrying her ex-boyfriend’s child?!"

She straightened, her tone turning cold and resolute. "That baby will not be born. And that’s final!”

Vanessa’s let out a small chuckle.

“You seem very confident in making that decision for a child that isn’t even your blood, Mabel…”

Her eyes glinted with something sharp—something that made Mabel shift uneasily.

"You didn’t even stop to think that this might be Adina’s only chance to ever have a child, considering her fertility struggles. Yet, you expect her to compromise… but you won’t.”

Mabel clenched her jaw, but before she could counter, Adina’s voice rang out.

“Enough, please!...All of you, just stop.” Her voice trembled as it cut through the tension in the room.

The weight of the argument, the venom lacing every word, had become unbearable. She heaved a breath, chest rising and falling rapidly.

Seeing her grandmother—who had once been warm and welcoming toward Eric and his parents—now treating them with such cold hostility made her stomach churn.

Maybe birthing this child would indeed cause problems.

Problems that wouldn’t just fade with time.

Problems that would have lasting consequences.

She lifted her head, trying to sound confident. "I'm terminating this pregnancy, Grandma… This child is in my body, and it is entirely my decision to get rid of it."

Vanessa didn’t miss a beat. "That’s exactly what someone who has been emotionally blackmailed would say."

Silence.

Dominic cleared his throat, his expression tense yet controlled. "Vanes—I mean, Mrs. King, I want to make it clear that I was never in support of this. Terminating the pregnancy was never my decision. I was just—"

Vanessa lifted a hand as always—her tone sharp and dismissive. "Oh spare me."

Dominic fell silent, his lips pressing into a thin line.

Sensing the tension thickening, Adina quickly spoke, her voice urgent. "Grandma, please, don’t misunderstand me. I’m not shutting you out, and no one is forcing me to do this.”

“I just… I don’t want to escalate things. I thought handling this quietly would prevent more issues with Ryan."

Vanessa’s gaze pinned her in place. "So killing an innocent child is your solution to avoiding issues with Ryan?"

Adina flinched.

"It’s not like that," she whispered. "You don’t understand—Ryan would be a big issue to handle, especially with how insistent he is that I keep the pregnancy. I was only trying to protect—"

"Protect who, Adina?" Vanessa cut in. "Yourself? Eric? Or your mother-in-law who sees this child as a problem rather than a blessing?"

Adina swallowed hard, her throat suddenly dry.

The room fell into heavy silence.

Vanessa exhaled, her expression softening just a fraction. "You may not see it now, Adina, but deep down, you’ve already chosen this child. The only thing stopping you is fear.”

Adina felt something tighten in her chest. Her grandmother's words had struck a chord in her heart, but she couldn't respond.

Her eyes only held the old woman's face, searching, hoping for a way out of the mess.

Mabel, though visibly on edge, took a step back, unwilling to challenge Vanessa, whose wealth and influence had long been a cornerstone of their family’s comfort. She folded her arms and sat down, watching nervously.

Caleb, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.

“Mrs. King is right,” he said, his voice calm yet firm. “Legally speaking, this situation is more complicated than simply terminating the pregnancy. Ryan Knight is a powerful man, and if he’s willing to fight, it won’t be an easy battle. It might affect the family image if it gets to the media.”

Eric scoffed. “So what? Should I just accept fathering another man's child?"

Caleb’s eyes met his. “Winning isn’t always about who fights the loudest. Sometimes, it’s about who plays the smartest.”

“Thanks for your admonishment, Caleb, but I don't think we'll need all that motivational talk now,” Vanessa said. Then her gaze shifted to Mabel, her voice unwavering.

“Mabel, I understand your concern for your son. But it’s quite clear you have no regard for my granddaughter's health, emotional well-being and wishes in this situation.”

Mabel opened her mouth to protest, but Vanessa’s icy glare silenced her.

Then she turned back to Adina and Eric, her next words slicing through the tension like a blade.

“Since Mabel is so deeply concerned about her son’s feelings, and clearly not at all about the strain this pregnancy is putting on Adina, I suggest—out of respect for everyone—that Adina and Eric divorce.”

Silence. Absolute, suffocating silence.

Even Mabel, who always had a rebuttal, was speechless.