Chapter 321
I never expected to see Grace standing outside my apartment building when I returned home with Billy and Betty.
Her appearance was so unexpected that I felt my body tense immediately, instinctively moving to shield Billy behind me.
“Sophia!” Grace called out, her voice unnaturally bright as she hurried toward us.
Seeing her triggered all my defensive instincts.
After years of her deliberate cruelty and sabotage, I wasn’t about to let her anywhere near my son.
I stepped in front of Billy, my eyes narrowing with suspicion as I studied her expression.
“What do you want?” I asked coldly, carefully observing her face.
Grace stopped a respectful distance away, seemingly aware of my distrust.
The once arrogant princess now stood hesitantly before me.
That cold smirk she usually wore was gone, replaced by something I’d never seen on her face before–humility.
Instead of launching into one of her typical tirades, Grace bowed deeply–a gesture so unexpected I nearly gasped in surprise.
“Sophia, I’ve been terrible to you these past six years,” she said, maintaining her bowed position. “I was manipulated, yes, but that’s no excuse. My stupidity and jealousy made your life miserable, and I’m truly sorry.”
She continued speaking, her voice growing more emotional.
“I sincerely apologize. You don’t have to forgive me—you can test me, punish me, direct all your anger toward me. I’ll
accept it without complaint.”
“For six years, I’ve worked against you at every turn. Í almost harmed Billy before he was even born. I was foolish and
cruel. You can hit me, curse me–whatever you want. I deserve it all.”
This speech seemed carefully rehearsed, but the catch in her voice made it impossible to question her sincerity.
I was completely stunned, unable to process this dramatic transformation.
Betty was equally shocked, but recovered faster than me.
“What kind of game are you playing, Grace?” Betty demanded suspiciously. “I don’t believe for a second you’re genuinely apologizing. You’ve said what you came to say, now get lost!”
If we hadn’t been standing in a public place with neighbors passing by, I’m certain Betty would have confronted her physically. Her loyalty to me had always been unwavering–especially when it came to the Harding family.
But Grace’s response surprised us both again.
She didn’t explode with entitlement as we expected, but remained calm, taking Betty’s verbal attack without protest.
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“You’re right,” Grace said, briefly raising her eyes to meet mine.
“Sophia, everything in the past was my fault, entirely my mistake. Even if you only criticized me instead of beating me twice, which you would have been justified to do, you haven’t said a word, and Miss White has only mocked me a little. You’ve both been very merciful to me.”
“What’s happened to Grace?” This submissive, apologetic woman couldn’t possibly be the same spoiled princess who had tormented me for years.
Betty grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently, whispering, “This is too suspicious. I’ll take Billy home while you deal with her. Call me if you need backup–I’ll come running.”
Billy, who had remained quiet during the exchange, gave Grace a wary look as he passed her. “Hello, Aunt Grace,” he mumbled reluctantly, clearly not fond of this overbearing aunt.
Once Betty and Billy had walked a safe distance away, I turned back to Grace.
“I accept your apology,” I said flatly, “but whether I forgive you is my business. You can leave now.”
Grace finally straightened up, her eyes suddenly bright with hope. “Sophia, without you, that house has completely fallen apart. Please come back with me.”
I stared at her, wondering if she’d lost her mind. “Grace, are you insane?” I asked incredulously. “Henry and I are divorced. I have nothing to do with the Harding family anymore. And you’re asking me to go back? Is something wrong with your
brain?”
I turned to walk away, but Grace rushed forward to block my path.
“You love my brother!” she pleaded. “Don’t give up on him so easily, please!”
The old Grace would have thrown a tantrum when rejected. Now she looked desperate but remained respectful.
I stopped, carefully studying her expression.
“You know what? I did love your brother. I thought if I loved him hard enough, gave enough of my love, he would eventually love me back.”
My voice grew quieter. “Every time he hurt me, I found an excuse for him. But now, I’ve run out of excuses.” I looked directly into her eyes. “Listen carefully, Grace! There is no future for Henry and me. Please don’t disturb my peaceful life again. We’re adults–let’s end this with dignity.”
With that, I walked away quickly, determined not to look back.
Those unbearable experiences were like a flame that burned away all my childish dreams and naive hopes. What grew from those ashes: clarity, rationality, and emotional independence, are now my most precious treasures.
It wasn’t until much later that evening, when rain began hammering against my windows, that I thought about Grace again.
Spring in New York could still deliver bitterly cold nights, and this sudden downpour was particularly fierce.
Betty knocked on my bedroom door, still in her pajamas.
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“Um, Sophia? You might want to see this,” she said, pointing toward the window.
There, standing in the torrential rain, was Grace–still in the exact spot where I’d left her hours ago.
She hadn’t moved at all, hadn’t sought shelter. She just stood there, soaked to the bone, staring up at my window.
“What should we do?” Betty asked, pointing toward Grace. “Is she planning to stand there all night? She’ll catch pneumonia in this weather. No matter what she’s done, if something happens to her outside our building, people will blame you.”
Grace’s privileged upbringing left her with no endurance for this kind of situation. Her slight frame was already shaking violently in the cold rain.
I sighed resignedly and grabbed two umbrellas before heading downstairs.
I opened one for myself and extended the other toward Grace.
“That’s enough drama for one day,” I said firmly. “Go home. If you die on my doorstep, I’ll have to deal with your funeral. Don’t make more trouble for me.”
Grace’s lips had turned an alarming shade of blue. Her face was deathly pale, and her entire body trembled uncontrollably. When she tried to speak, her voice came out as barely a whisper.
“Sophia, I don’t want to cause trouble,” she managed. “I just want you to come home. Back to our home.”
Before she could finish, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed toward the ground.
I immediately knelt beside her and called for an ambulance.
Even as she was losing consciousness, Grace continued whispering.
“Sophia, without you, it’s not a home anymore.” Her voice was fading. “Please come back with me?”
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