CHAPTER 118

BETTY

She pauses then, her hands stilling slightly before she looks at me again, her expression shifting, the softness disappearing.

“Now,” she says, her tone changing, sharpening just enough to make my stomach tighten. “Are you going to tell me why you are really here?”

This is it. No more circling. No more distractions.

My grip tightens around the passport again as my eyes drift, almost instinctively, toward Grace.

She is still there, watering her little patch of roses.

I know what I am supposed to say. I know why I came here. The shares. Trade them in for Grace. Easy peasy.

I look back at Harriette, and my eyes land on the fabric again. At the care she is putting into something as small as a costume, just to make sure Grace is happy.

And suddenly, the words feel heavier. Harder. Less certain.

I swallow, clearing my throat as I force myself to speak. “Rhys and I are going out of town for a few days,” I tell her instead.

The reaction is immediate, subtle, but immediate.

Her hands freeze mid-motion, the needle suspended between her fingers as her lips press into a thin line before she resumes, as if nothing happened.

“If it would be okay with you,” I continue, pushing through the tension building between us, “could you put Grace on the phone whenever I call?”

She picks up a few beads, rolling them between her fingers before placing them carefully onto the thread.

“Rhys? So you two are getting serious?”

I exhale slowly, leaning back slightly, the conversation already feeling more uncomfortable than I anticipated.

Maybe I should have just let him talk to her like he had suggested. The thought passes through my mind before I dismiss it.

“I mean…” she shrugs, her voice quieter now, “I still want you to be happy, and if it’s with him, that would be ideal. “ A small smile forms on her lips. “Because you would still be part of this family.”

I pause and blink.

What is up with this family today? Did someone slip something in their tea? Why are they all being so agreeable?

“Thank you,” I say after a moment, the tension easing slightly. “That means a lot. But you should know I didn’t plan this, It just—”

“Yes,” she interrupts again, her tone light now, almost amused. “No one can resist that charm of his. Not even you, Betty. That’s how I know this is just one of those things that happen. Maybe it was fate that he came here.”

I press my lips together, unsure how to respond to that.

“So yes, you can call whenever you want and speak to Grace. I’ll give her the phone. I hope you enjoy your trip.”

I nod slowly, leaning back into my chair, the tightness in my chest loosening just enough for me to breathe.

“Anything else you’d like to speak to me about? I know you, and I have been in disagreement since you found out about the guardianship.”

The question lands softly, and I turn my head again toward Grace.

She looks up at that exact moment, as if she feels my gaze, and she waves at me, her eyes bright, her smile effortless.

My chest tightens.

This is the moment now.

I open my mouth, and nothing comes out. The words sit there, heavy, stuck, and suddenly, it doesn’t feel like the right time.

I swallow, my throat dry. “No, that’s it. There’s nothing else.”

And just like that, I let the moment pass.