Bring Back My Granddaughter-in-law, Theodore.

THEODORE

Two hours after Catalina stormed out of the house, my grandmother called me to her room for another private talk. I could hear the low whispers amongst the maids in the house, but it seemed nothing could outclass my mother's silent, judgmental glare.

She looked at me like I was my father, cheating on her for the first time with his secretary. I still remember the day she screamed the entire house into submission, vowing to expose his infidelity to the press until my grandmother intervened.

I sighed when I saw her comforting Madelyn in a corner, knowing this was going to be a long, uphill battle. She was not going to rest until my marriage with Catalina was annulled, and my instincts told me that was highly unlikely to happen.

Pushing open the door, I found my grandmother sitting on a lounge chair near the balcony, with a newspaper in her hand. The morning sun's rays streaked right into the open space, illuminating the entire room, but the sunglasses she wore helped her endure it.

I walked to the bed and gently sat on it. It was never easy sitting in the uncomfortable silence the old lady created, but I had learned the hard way that no one spoke before Elizabeth Victoria Knight.

After several torturous minutes, the old lady finally closed the newspaper she was reading with practiced grace and stood up from the chair. My heart raced with anxiety when she sat right beside me, but I managed to give her the calmest mask I could manage.

She peeled off the sunglasses slowly and then faced me. “So what do you plan to do next?”

A trick question. I knew she wasn't asking because she cared for me in this situation but merely wanted to know what I planned to do to protect the family's reputation.

“Catalina has agreed to a divorce,” I replied. “I will do my best to make sure the process goes well in the most discreet way possible so you don't need to worry—”

My grandmother shook her head, cutting off my rehearsed speech with a light chuckle. This was obviously not the answer she wanted to hear, and we both knew it. Unfortunately, I truly didn't know of any other option except for this.

“Oh, I'm not worried, dear,” She readjusted her body and gave me a look. Instinctively, I fetched several pillows and stacked them on top of each other so she could rest comfortably.

Once she was settled, she continued with a calm authority. “I simply wanted to remind you about the terms regarding your future inheritance. You didn’t forget about it, did you?”

Her words struck me like a bucket of icy water, sending chills through my system. My eyes widened in surprise and disbelief as I met her unwavering gaze, which made it clear she was dead serious.

Unable to contain my frustration, I leaped up from the bed. “Grandmother, you cannot be serious!”

She arched a daring eyebrow, a small smile playing at her lips. “Why can’t I?”

I struggled for the next words to say, knowing that I had to tread carefully. My grandmother was also known for her fiery temper, and being her grandson didn't give me any special passes.

The tension in the air shifted when she gave me a kind smile, sending shivers down my spine. “I think Catalina is a special woman. And from what I have heard, her reputation and family are spotless.”

I forced myself to maintain my neutral expression, aware of my grandmother's sharp eyes. The fact she still hadn't found out the truth about Catalina meant I had done a superb job of keeping everything under the rug. But that didn't mean it would last for long.

“And I have always wanted to have a great-grandson, but your brothers refuse to give me one,” she added. “You are my only hope, Theodore. Don't disappoint me.”

I ran my hand down my face. “Grandmother, there's something I need to tell you—”

“I'm not interested in hearing it, Theodore,” she replied. Before I could say another word, she pulled down the glasses, a silent action meant to dismiss me. “Just make sure you remember this. If you divorce Catalina right now, you and your generations will lose all access to your multi-million dollar inheritance.”

“Grandmother—”

“Bring back my fucking granddaughter-in-law Theodore. Now.”

A few minutes later, I left the room with a splitting headache and a looming threat stuck in my throat. I was torn between finding a strong drink at 9 am or attending the business meeting I had with some investors.

Personally, I preferred the drink.

“So what did your grandmother say?” a familiar voice asked. I suppressed the urge to groan but instead turned around.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “She has ordered me...to find my angry wife. So that's exactly what I'm going to do.”

Disbelief colored her features, shifting her initial disappointed look to full-blown rage. “You can't be serious, Theodore! That woman is not good for you.”

“She's my wife, Mother,” I said, trying my best to keep my voice even. “I will not expect you to like her, but please give her some respect. She may be the mother of your grandchildren someday.”

I had no idea why I said that. But if it was some part of the deep, twisted desire to make my mother shut up, then it worked.

Guilt curled at the bottom of my stomach when I saw her pale face. “I have to go, Mother. I will call you when I finish the meeting.”

I leaned in, giving her a small kiss on the cheek before I left the house. On my way to my car, I found my uncle, Wesley waiting for me.

“What do you want, Uncle?” I asked, my voice curt.

The middle-aged man with brown hair swayed from side to side before he finally leaned on the car. He reeked of expensive booze and sweat.

“Hey, nephew,” Wesley slurred. “I just want to know if you have considered investing in that nightclub business I told you about.”

I tipped my head back to look at the clear blue sky, praying for some help that would free me from my family for just one second. It never really worked, but sometimes, the idea helped me get through dark times.

“I believe I had already told you I won't be investing in your business plan because it sucks,” I snapped, unable to hold back my temper. “If you can't understand that, then you really might be the most uneducated one in the family.”

Wesley's face darkened when he heard my words. “You better hope you become the head of this family when my mother dies, or else things are going to be very bad for you, Theodore. Although I doubt you will since your gorgeous wife just left the house looking pretty upset.”

“That's none of your business, Wesley.”

“It will be very soon,” Wesley straightened his form and walked past me. “Because I will be watching you very closely from now on, dear nephew. Close enough to witness how hard you will fall.”

As soon as he disappeared, I whipped out my phone from my pocket and dialed my assistant.

“Find out Catalina's current whereabouts. Now.”