Chapter 525
He hadn’t even married the girl yet, and he was already forgetting his own
grandmother.
Surprisingly, Janice was actually thrilled about it.
At the end of the day, the only person who would stand by her grandson for the rest of his life was his partner.
If he was so blinded by filial piety that he couldn’t get his priorities straight, Janice would have taken her cane to him herself.
Rowan rubbed his nose, completely unapologetic. The normally aloof and
commanding man looked incredibly fond as he replied, “Can you blame me? She’s my wife.”
They weren’t married yet, but he knew with absolute certainty that Elissa was the only woman who ever would be.
He had made that decision a very long time ago.
“So what if she is?”
Janice understood her grandson’s anxiety perfectly; Elissa meant too much to him.
They had grown up together, finding warmth in each other when they had no one else. No one could ever replace Elissa in his heart. Now that she had finally opened up to him, he naturally wanted to keep her safely tucked under his wing.
He’d tether her to his side 24/7 if he could.
Still, Janice couldn’t help but offer a word of advice. “Even if she’s your wife, she has her own life and her own social circle. Does she police your calls and tell you who you can and can’t talk to?”
Properly scolded, Rowan muttered in a low, grudging tone, “…No.”
He honestly wished she would.
But she had never cared about things like that. Hell, back in the day, she used to cheerfully deliver love letters to him from other girls.
“Exactly.”
Janice gave him a stern look. “You need to trust her judgment. There’s no need to treat a single phone call like a declaration of war. If she and Frank were actually a good match, do you really think they would have divorced?”
…
Unaware of what the call was about, Elissa walked a short distance away. “Hello? Frank?”
“Elissa.”
Hearing her pick up, Frank let out a breath of relief. “Edna baked some of your favorite cookies. When are you getting home? I can bring them up to you.”
“There’s no need.”
Elissa paused before offering a polite clarification. “I’m not staying at Vistapeak Gardens right now.”
“Then where are you…”
Frank’s sentence died in his throat.
His knuckles turned white as he
gripped the phone, a sharp,
suffocating ache seizing hovet
She wasn’t a social butterfly; her circle was incredibly small.
In all of Vistapeak, he could count her true friends on one hand.
Tanya was still living at Vistapeak Gardens.
So where else could Elissa possibly be staying?
The answer was obvious: Rowan’s place.
Despite his best efforts, he still couldn’t stomach the thought of her building a life
with someone else.
Frank forced a hollow laugh,
desperately trying to mask the bitter taste of defeat. “Right. By the way my grandmother’s stomach has been acting up severely lately. Do you think you could find some time in the next couple of days to come to the manor and take a look at her?”
Maintaining his usual gentle tone, added, “My mother shouldn’t be
home tomorrow, so you won’t nee
to run into fer.”
That had indeed been Elissa’s main concern.
She had zero desire to cross paths with Carmela and spark another pointless screaming match.
With that obstacle removed, Elissa didn’t see a reason to refuse. “Alright, I’ll find some time to go tomorrow.”
Carmela was a nightmare, but Frank’s late grandfather and his grandmother had always treated her with genuine kindness.
As a doctor, and out of respect for their shared past, it was only right that she check on the older woman’s health.
Hearing her agree, Frank felt a massive weight lift off his shoulders. “Okay.”
Finally, he would get to see her.
It felt like an eternity since he had last looked at her face.
It was painfully ironic. They used to share a bed, and now he had to manufacture excuses just to get a glimpse of her.
The moment the call ended, a text message from an unknown number popped onto Frank’s screen.
He frowned, his thumb hovering instinctively over the ‘Delete’ button, but right before he pressed it, he froze.