Chapter 21 Once Bitten, Twice Shy

In the dining room, Vivica sat at the long dining table, her bandaged feet hidden beneath her silk gown, looking small and fragile.She lowered her eyes to hide the flicker of resentment still burning inside her heart. She spoke with a quiet, practiced humility and said, "Grandpa, I have come to apologize for my rebellious conduct.I let my impulses get the better of me, and I deeply regret it. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."For a moment, the room fell still, leaving nothing but the steady, rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock to fill the void.Vivica kept her head bowed, playing the part of the penitent to perfection. She knew that if she wanted to see Preston. She had to get back into Grandpa’s good graces first.Her grandfather didn't soften his gaze. He let the silence stretch until Vivica’s shoulders began to tremble.Finally, he leaned forward, his massive frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the light from the dining table.His eyes cut throug

Chapter 22 Meeting the James Family

At the James family residence, when Ziva heard the sound of the car, she stepped outside the mansion. She then stood in the driveway, her posture stiff and her hands firmly on her hips.She wasn’t there to offer a warm welcome to her new sister-in-law. Her presence was a silent, cold threat designed to intimidate Brooklyn before a single word was even spoken. She wanted to avenge her best friend, Vavica.Brooklyn got out of her car, then she met Ziva’s glare with a steady, unbreakable gaze. She didn't look like a nervous newcomer. However, she looked like a woman who had already weathered enough chaos to be immune to Ziva's petty power plays.Ziva stepped forward and linked her arm through her brother’s, pulling him toward the mansion as if her brother’s wife didn't exist.Preston allowed himself to be led, his silence a stinging betrayal as they vanished into the living room together. Ziva paused at the door, then she glanced back with a look of pure, cold satisfaction before disappea

Chapter 23 Charity Case

Brooklyn turned to Ziva and said, her tone laced with quiet disappointment, “Some people have such narrow minds. Tell me, what exactly is the shame in being a janitor? Or does this house only respect people with titles and pedigrees?”Ziva was caught off guard. She had expected a fragile orphan she could break with a few well-placed insults, but Brooklyn’s unflinching composure told a different story. She realized that her new sister-in-law wasn’t a pushover to be bullied.Ziva’s mouth hung open, her words dying in her throat as she struggled to find a comeback. Unable to speak, she glared at Brooklyn, her eyes burning with a raw, unchecked hatred.Across the table, Preston shot his wife a warning glare, his eyes like shards of ice, silently commanding her to submit. However, Brooklyn ignored his cold gaze entirely, which made his authority feel hollow.Her mother-in-law slammed her hand against the dining table and shrieked, her voice vibrating against the walls, “How dare you! A girl

Chapter 24 Protective Shield

When Brooklyn walked out of the James family mansion, her husband tried to follow her, but his mother stopped him.She looked at her son, her eyes flashing with a cold, desperate resolve, and barked, “Don't you dare follow that girl, Preston. I refuse to have a common janitor staining our family tree.Do you want our social circle laughing at us? You must cut her off now, before the scandal becomes permanent. Vivica is the only one who belongs in this house.Forget about the company shares, Son. We will find a way to manage the inheritance until Vivica turns twenty-one, but I will never sit across from that girl for another meal."Ziva looked at his brother with tears brimming in her eyes and said, “Big Brother, please listen to Mom. That girl is nothing but a social climber who has forgotten her place.Please divorce her as soon as possible, Big Brother. We need to erase this mistake before anyone finds out that she is your nominal wife.”Before Preston could respond, Mr James Senior

Chapter 25 Two Years

At Mr Ashford Senior’s private ward, he was surrounded by the people he loved the most. He looked at his son, Victor, then to his daughter-in-law and said, “I miss my wife so much, my children. I am ready to join her in heaven.”Before they could respond, Jason walked into the private ward and said, “Grandpa, please give me two years. You can’t go to heaven without meeting my beautiful wife.”The private ward, which was thick with the heavy silence of a final goodbye, suddenly shifted. Jason’s words hung in the air, a startling contrast to the quiet resignation of his grandfather’s plea.The old man turned his head slowly, his cloudy eyes focusing on Jason. A faint, knowing smile flickered on his lips and asked, his voice barely a whisper, "Two years?"Jason’s parents exchanged a look of stunned hope. They had been preparing for the end, but their son had just handed his grandfather a reason to check the calendar instead of the clock.Jason stepped closer and took his grandfather's fra

Wasted Tears のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 25

Chapter 21 Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Chapter 22 Meeting the James Family

Chapter 23 Charity Case

Chapter 24 Protective Shield

Chapter 25 Two Years