Chapter 569
Chapter 569
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Chapter 569
After breakfast, Winter saw Mr. White approaching with a box in his hands.
It was slightly larger than a sheet of paper and very simply designed.
“Mr. Julian Xander had this delivered for Richie. It’s his birthday present.
Mr. White handed her the box.
Winter already knew that Sasha was dead. Since she and Julian were still legally married, he had been handling the funeral arrangements and wouldn’t be attending Richie’s birthday today.
“Baby, come here p>
Winter waved to Richie, who was playing with a Frisbee with General in the living room.
Richie came running over on his legs and stared curiously at the box in her hands.
“Uncle Julian sent you a present p>
“Uncle Julie p>
Winter laughed.
His pronunciation still wasn’t perfect, but she didn’t bother correcting him. He was only two, and half the fun was hearing how his words came out.
“Mommy, open p>
Richie pointed at the box.
There was a latch on the front that he couldn’t open himself.
“Okay p>
Winter undid the latch and lifted the lid.
Inside was a property deed.
Before she could get a good look at it, Richie grabbed the document with both hands and started waving it around like a fan.
General ran over and squinted as the breeze hit his face.
“That’s not a fan p>
Laughing, Winter caught Richie’s little hand and opened the document properly.
She had assumed Julian had given him a house.
Instead, he had given Richie an island.
Chris had just finished a phone call and walked into the room in time to see the deed open in Winter’s hands.
“If Uncle Julian gave it to him, let him keep it. Richie is the oldest grandson of the Xander family. It’s only
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natural for the family to spoil him p>
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Chris already knew about the gift.
After all, Richie was still a minor, so transferring the island into his name had required Chris to handle the paperwork as his legal guardian.
Winter nodded,
For the oldest grandson of a family like the Xanders, a birthday gift like this was apparently nothing unusual.
She also knew that Chris had commissioned a yacht for Richie.
It was called the Richie, and today would be its maiden voyage.
Chris had never been someone who liked to show off.
Anyone could see how much he adored his son.
But to those who knew the whole story, there was something deeper behind the way he loved Richie, something that went beyond a father’s love for his child,
Winter’s phone rang.
Chris’s eyes dropped to the name on the screen.
William Zeller.
“William, weren’t you supposed to p>
Winter answered almost immediately and walked away as she spoke.
Her voice gradually faded into the distance.
Chris’s hand tightened at his side until his knuckles turned pale.
Mr. Simmons Sr. walked in just in time to see Chris staring after Winter.
Chris hadn’t even noticed him come in.
“Hmph p>
Then a sweet little voice rang out.
“Great-Grandpa p>
“Oh, there’s my little sweetheart p>
Mr. Simmons Sr.’s entire expression changed in an instant. Even his white beard seemed to bounce as he smiled.
“How did my birthday boy get so adorable p>
He bent down and held out a hand.
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Richie immediately grabbed it and held on tight.
“Baby hold hand p>
“All right, all right. You hold Great-Grandpa’s hand. You have to protect me, okay p>
No one looking at him now would have guessed that he had once been a renowned general.
When he turned and saw Chris approaching, he rolled his eyes.
“Go away. I’m talking to my little guy p>
“Grandpa, you’re here p>
Winter had finished her call and walked over to the couch.
“Winnie, come sit by Grandpa p>
Mr. Simmons Sr. looked at her with relief.
She looked so much better than she had more than six months ago.
“It’s good to have you back,” he said warmly. “It really is p>
Just then, the sound of cars pulling into the driveway came from outside.
Winter knew William hadn’t arrived yet, so she had no idea who it could be.
Several people appeared on the front porch.
Richie had been holding Mr. Simmons Sr.’s hand when he suddenly spotted someone.
He slid off the couch.
“Aunt Ollie p>
He hurried over to a woman and looked up at her with a huge smile.
Winter recognized the doctors and nurses standing beside her as members of the medical team that had been caring for Richie.
But who was the woman?
Mr. White had told her the night before who would be coming, and Winter recognized everyone else.
That meant she had to be Dr. Olivia Carter.
Back at the hospital, Olivia had always worn a mask, so Winter had only ever seen her eyes. That was why she hadn’t recognized her right away without it.
But why did her face seem so familiar?
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