Chapter 51: Grandma strongly opposed
After a long silence, he asked, “Did my father approach you?”
Helena’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected Willis to figure it out so quickly. Recalling Ryan’s advice not to let Willis know as it might affect their father-son relationship, she casually said, “You’ve mentioned divorce a long time ago. I told you I couldn’t stand Susan.”
Willis’s fingers traced her spine, gently caressing. “Lies. I’ve been consciously keeping my distance from her recently.”
With a subtle lift of her lips, Helena, though, lacked the amusement in her eyes. She calmly stated, “I am just a caretaker you hired with money. Now that your leg is healed, it’s time for this caretaker to withdraw.”
Her self-deprecating words weighed on Willis’s heart, and he held her even tighter.
Being tall and straight like a pine tree, with well-defined features, he, a stern man, whispered gently above her head, “I’ve never regarded you as a caretaker. Truly. You are my legitimate wife, and I’ve always respected you.”
A pang of sourness struck Helena’s heart, and despite her smile, she retorted softly, “You initiated the divorce because of me…”
“Fine, divorce,” Helena hastily interrupted him, fearing she might relent. “Long pain is not as good as short pain. It’s like a blunt knife cutting through flesh, too tormenting.”
Willis slowly released her, lowered his gaze, and quietly examined her pale face. In a low voice, he said, “Grandmother won’t agree.”
Helena turned her head to avoid his gaze, unable to meet his eyes directly. “We’ll talk to her this weekend when I go with you. Try to persuade her properly.”This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Willis kissed her forehead gently and hugged her for a while before saying in a very understated manner, “Alright.”
The word “alright” was like a stone dropped into a lake, creating ripples in Helena’s heart.
She felt no relief, only a mixture of emotions.
Untangling herself from his embrace, she reached up to unbutton his suit, intending to return it to him.
Willis held her hand. “Keep it on. There’s air conditioning in the car.”
Her hands paused, and he tucked her wind-blown hair behind her ear, his deep gaze fixed on her. “Take care of yourself.”
Helena’s nose tingled, “You too. Keep your right hand dry, be careful of wound infections. Smoke and drink less, eat on time.”
Willis nodded softly, “Go back, it’s windy.”
Forcing a cheerful smile on her face, Helena said, “Alright.”
Willis opened the car door, bending inside.
It wasn’t until the car vanished from sight that Helena turned and walked back.
Her fingers fiddled with his buttons, a smile on her face, but her heart ached terribly.
That profound sense of powerlessness washed over her once again.
Ever since she was little, her grandfather had told her that with effort, one could achieve success. However, the enormous gap in family background was something her hard work couldn’t change.
Saturday evening.
Helena and Willis arrived together at the Santana family’s old mansion.
As they entered, Grandma greeted them with a beaming smile, warmly saying, “Helena is here.”
Helena politely greeted, “Hello, Grandma.”
“Very good, very good. Quickly, have a seat, have a seat.” The old lady warmly took her hand, led her to the sofa, and glanced at Helena’s flat belly, asking mysteriously, “Girl, are you pregnant?”
Helena shook her head, smiled apologetically, and said, “Grandma, I’m getting a divorce from Willis, I’m sorry.”
Grandma was momentarily stunned, and her smile froze on her face. Disappointment filled her eyes. “We agreed last time, promising me a big, chubby grandchild. How come you changed your mind so quickly?”
Helena lowered her eyes, silent.
Originally, she thought it was reasonable not to have children, but seeing Grandma’s disappointed eyes, she felt guilty.
Grandma was a reasonable person.
Seeing Helena’s appearance, she guessed something happened.
She patted Helena’s head, lifted an eyebrow, and stared at Willis. “Did you recently get entangled with Susan again, making Helena angry?”
Willis raised the corner of his lips, his expression indifferent. “Helena and I have been getting along well lately. My mother also likes Helena, not to mention Nancy.”
Implicitly, he was saying, ‘You can guess for yourself.’
Grandma frowned, thought for a while, and said, “Could it be your father causing trouble again?”
Willis nodded.
The old lady was furious. She picked up her phone and called Ryan, “You brat, I have something to find you. You have half an hour to come back and see me!”
Ryan was entertaining clients at a dining table and was annoyed by the old lady’s yelling. He stood up, walked to the door, and held the phone away from his ear, impatiently saying, “Mom, are you out of your mind? I’m with clients and can’t leave. I’m busy every day, unlike you with so much free time.”
“If you have many subordinates, assign it to them. You immediately come to me!” The old lady finished speaking and hung up the phone.
Half an hour later, Ryan returned exactly on time.
Entering the house and seeing Helena, his face darkened instantly. His expression was unpleasant, and the strong disdain and disgust in his eyes were unreserved.
Helena’s pride was crushed into pieces, and the humiliation almost made her cry.
She had always been a person with a strong sense of self-esteem, thin-skinned like paper.
Because she was obedient and sensible from a young age, excelling in both academics and character, and had the skill to restore ancient paintings and books, she had never been so directly despised by someone.
Willis sensed it, covered her palm with his, and with his other hand, gently cradled her face, pulling her into his embrace, avoiding Ryan’s sharp gaze.
Helena nestled in his arms, her fingers instinctively grabbing his shirt.
The scent of his refreshing and pleasant cologne enveloped her, emanating a dependable warmth. The discomfort in her heart seemed to alleviate a lot.
She pressed her face against his chest, leaned in, and leaned in again.
Grandma patted Helena’s back gently, stared at Ryan with sharp eyes, changed from her previous kindness, and scolded, “What’s with your gloomy face? Who are you showing it to? Helena told me, and I figured it out myself. I knew you, old boy, can’t stay put. I have such a good daughter-in-law, why are you messing around? When Willis was in a wheelchair before, you didn’t force him to divorce. Now that Willis is on his feet, you’re driving away the young girl. You heartless thing, are you still a human?”
Ryan, who had been in a high position for many years, had never been scolded so mercilessly.
Especially in front of the younger generation, especially in front of Helena, he was scolded without mercy.
He couldn’t maintain his old face anymore.