Chapter 713: Driving Someone Away
A servant came forward and helped Walker Grant toward his room. He said flatly, "Grandma isn’t leaving again. You can go now."
Annie York’s face paled. She bit her lip and whispered, "I understand."
She turned and left Jardinelle. Once she was out the main gate, her eyes rimmed with red.
’He’s so cold to me.’
...
Chloe took a nap. When she woke, she felt a hand gently stroking her hair. She turned her head and met her grandmother’s loving gaze.
"Chloe, did you sleep well?"
Her grandmother asked gently, her face filled with tender concern.
Chloe turned and hugged her, nodding.
It was the most peaceful sleep she’d had in a long time.
At her grandmother’s side, she felt warm and perfectly at ease.
Her grandmother stroked her back lovingly. "I know you’re hiding things from me, but I won’t press you about it. You can tell me when you’re ready. But you have to promise me one thing."
She gently held Chloe at arm’s length, gazing intently into her eyes. "From now on, no matter what danger you face, you have to tell me beforehand. I don’t want to find out what’s happened to you from someone else."
Chloe pressed her lips together, her eyes stinging as she nodded forcefully.
Her heart ached with guilt toward her grandmother.
She had still made her grandmother worry so much.
KNOCK, KNOCK!
A soft knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?"
Her grandmother got up and looked quizzically toward the door.
"Grandma, it’s me. Dinner’s ready. Are you hungry?" Walker’s voice sounded from the doorway.
Her grandmother turned to Chloe. "Now that you’re awake, let’s go eat. I even made a dish—your favorite braised fish."
At this, Chloe’s eyes instantly brightened, and a radiant smile graced her lips.
Her grandmother turned and called to the door, "We’ll be down in a moment."
"Alright."
Chloe went to freshen up. Feeling reinvigorated, she went downstairs with her grandmother.
Glancing around, her grandmother asked quizzically, "Where’s Ann?"
She had forgotten to see to Annie York’s arrangements, but she figured that since Annie was a servant here, she would have been properly settled in.
Walker said coolly, "She had something to take care of, so she left."
Fiona Linton’s head snapped toward him. ’That man is a liar!’
’She’d seen it with her own eyes—he was the one who kicked the girl out!’
Fiona Linton huffed softly but didn’t say anything else.
The grandmother, however, glanced at Fiona. Seeing the contemptuous look she gave Walker, she looked away without another word.
Judith Pierce smiled and said, "Auntie, I didn’t know you were here. My arrival was a bit sudden, I hope I didn’t startle you?"
The grandmother shook her head. "Walker has taken very good care of us during this time."
Judith Pierce said, "He’s your grandson-in-law, so of course he should take care of you. Please, don’t stand on ceremony with him. You can order him around as you please."
The grandmother gave a gentle smile. "Walker has always been very attentive. But now he’s injured, and the most important thing is for him to recover properly. I can still get around, so I can help look after them."
Judith Pierce quickly interjected, "I’ll be staying here from now on, so I can look after everyone. We couldn’t possibly trouble you."
She then turned to Walker, sighed, and said, "I wonder how your grandmother is doing, all alone abroad."
Walker replied nonchalantly, "If you’re so worried, you can go visit her. Or you could just stay there and keep her company."