Chapter 129
Elodie’s Pov~
The next two days were a blur of work.
Meetings, deadlines, code reviews, everything piled up at once, and I barely had time to breathe, let alone go shopping for my grandmother’s birthday gift.
I kept telling myself I’d find time. Tomorrow. After this project wraps up. After this meeting ends.
But tomorrow never came.
On the third day, Johnny decided to reward the team for all our hard work. He booked a private room at a nice restaurant downtown and treated everyone to lunch.
By the time we were halfway through the meal, I excused myself to use the restroom.
When I came back out, walking down the hallway toward our private room, I stopped dead in my tracks.
Not far ahead, a group of people were filing out of another private room.
Seven or eight of them.
And right in the center, unmistakable even from a distance, was Sienna.
My father, Logan, was there. Aunt Lauren. A beautiful woman I didn’t recognize but who was clearly close to Logan, probably his current wife. And an elderly woman, being carefully supported by Sienna.
Mrs. Brown. My grandmother. Or rather, the woman who used to be my grandmother.
They stepped into the elevator, chatting among themselves, completely oblivious to my presence.
The doors slid shut.
And they were gone.
“Who were they p>
I jumped slightly. Johnny had appeared beside me, his eyes still fixed on the spot where the elevator had been.
He’d seen them too. Sienna. Logan. Lauren. All of them.
“The Brown family,” I said quietly.
Johnny’s expression shifted. He looked at me carefully, then back toward the elevator. “That elderly woman… is she your p>
“She was,” I said, cutting him off. “But she’s not anymore p>
Johnny didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he reached out and gave me a gentle, reassuring hug. “You okay p>
I nodded. “Yeah. Let’s go back p>
He didn’t push.
We walked back to the private room together, and I slipped back into my seat, picking up my chopsticks like nothing had happened.
But my mind was spinning.
I’d changed my surname years ago. Cut ties with the Brown family completely.
They weren’t related to me anymore. They didn’t matter.
Or at least, that’s what I kept telling myself.
But seeing them all together like that, heading to the capital, clearly settling in, made something twist uncomfortably in my chest.
I’d suspected this might happen.
When Sienna’s uncle, the Green family, had tried to buy property near my family’s villa, I’d figured they were planning to move to the Bellini Pack’s territory.
And if the Greens were moving, it made sense that the Browns would follow.
But suspecting it and seeing it were two very different things.
That afternoon, I left work earlier than usual.
Cara and I met up for dinner, then decided to go shopping, which was another attempt to find something, anything, for my grandmother’s birthday.
But after more than an hour of wandering through stores, trying on jewelry, looking at art pieces, I still came up empty.
Nothing felt right.
Cara disappeared into a dressing room to try on a dress, and I stood outside, scrolling absently through my phone.
Then it rang. And again it was Liora.
I answered. “Hey, sweetheart p>
“Mommy, when are you coming back p>
There was something off in her voice. A little flat. A little bored.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, keeping my tone light.
“Dad’s on a business trip, and I’m so bored p>
Of course he is.
I leaned against the wall, watching other shoppers pass by. Normally, even when Dante was away, Liora would be with Sienna. They were practically inseparable these days.
But it was the weekend. And instead of being with her, Liora was calling me.
Which meant Sienna didn’t have time for her.
With Logan and the rest of the Brown family already in the capital, and Dante away on business, Sienna probably didn’t have time to babysit my daughter.
“You can entertain yourself for now,” I said, keeping my voice gentle. “I’ll come back tomorrow p>
“Really?” Liora’s voice brightened immediately. “So we’re agreed? You’ll be back tomorrow morning p>
“Yes. I promise p>
“Okay! See you tomorrow, Mommy p>
She hung up, already sounding happier.
I slipped my phone back into my pocket and rejoined Cara, who was still admiring herself in the mirror.
That evening, I still hadn’t found a gift.
My grandmother’s birthday was in just a few days, and I was running out of time. I considered just picking something decent and calling it good enough, but every time I looked at an item, it felt wrong.
They were too generic. Too impersonal. Not good enough.
So I left empty-handed. Again.
The next morning, I drove back to Dante’s villa.
Liora was already awake and eating breakfast when I arrived. I kissed the top of her head, told her I’d be right back, and headed upstairs to grab something I’d left in the bedroom.
But the moment I stepped inside, I stopped.
There, sitting neatly on my vanity, were two exquisite jewelry boxes.
Just like the property deed before, they were placed deliberately on my side. Which meant they were meant for me.
I walked over slowly, my heart beating a little faster than it should have been.
The first box was small, and round.
I opened it. And froze.
Inside was the emerald jewelry set.
The one I’d tried to bid on at the auction. The one Sienna had outbid me for.
The one I’d walked away from.
My hands trembled slightly as I set it down and reached for the second box, which was a heavy, rectangular case.
I already knew what it was before I opened it. It was an embroidered artwork.
I carefully lifted the scroll out and unrolled it on the round table in the center of the room.
The colors were vivid, and luminous. The stitching was breathtaking.
It was perfect. Both of them were.
I stood there, staring at the two items I’d wanted so desperately just days ago, now sitting in front of me like they’d always been mine.
And I didn’t know what to feel.
If I wasn’t mistaken, these were gifts Dante had bought at the auction. For my grandmother’s birthday.
One was meant to be given in Nonna’s name.
The other… was meant to be given in the name of both of us. As husband and wife.
My throat tightened.
Why? Why had he done this?
He’d ignored me at the auction. Hadn’t answered my call. Had sat there with Sienna, letting her outbid me, letting her humiliate me in front of everyone.
And now he’d bought these for me anyway?
I didn’t understand him. I didn’t understand any of this.
“Mom! I’m done eating! We can go now p>
Liora’s voice echoed up the stairs.
I quickly rolled the scroll back up, placed it carefully in the box, and closed both lids.
When Liora burst into the room a second later, she peered at the boxes curiously. “Oh! Those are the ones Dad brought back a few days ago. He said they were for you p>
I gave a quiet “Mm,” then gently guided her toward the door. “Come on. Let’s go p>
Liora wanted to go to the shooting range, so I took her.
Then she wanted to ride the roller coaster, so we did that too.
We spent most of the day together, and by late afternoon, I was exhausted.
But Liora was still bouncing with energy, tugging on my sleeve. “Can we go to the arcade next? Please p>
In the past, I would’ve said yes immediately.
I would’ve put my own needs aside, rearranged my schedule, and stayed with her for however long she wanted.
But not today.
Today, I looked at her and said calmly, “I have other things I need to do, sweetheart. If you want to keep playing, the bodyguard can stay with you p>
Liora’s face fell. “But I want you to stay p>
“I know. But I can’t today p>
She pouted, clearly not used to hearing me say no.
But I didn’t budge.