Chapter 247: A dying wish
Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the Pearl mansion was unusually quiet, with everyone silently eating breakfast. The silence continued until Grace suddenly paused and turned to Hannah.
"When are you planning to introduce us to your boyfriend?"
Her question caught everyone off guard, and Jonathan nearly choked on his food.
"Darling, couldn’t you have built up some suspense first?" he muttered, clearly taken aback by his wife’s straightforwardness.
Grace glanced at him. "I know, but that trick is getting old."
Jonathan pouted, but before he could argue, Grace turned her attention back to Hannah, who was sitting uncomfortably in her chair, slowly chewing her food.
"And don’t even think about brushing off my question. I know you have someone in your life. I’m simply asking when you’re going to introduce him to us."
After having a lengthy discussion with Dominic, Grace and Jonathan had finally accepted Hannah’s decision to explore a relationship. Their only concern was whether the man she was seeing would treat her well and, more importantly, whether he was anything like Eric.
Although they had no intention of interfering in their children’s personal lives, they were still their parents. Naturally, they wanted to ensure their children were happy with the people they chose.
Moreover, they could easily have investigated the man themselves, but they chose to respect Hannah’s privacy and give her the opportunity to introduce him on her own terms.
On the other hand, Hannah swallowed her food and forced a smile.
"What’s the hurry, Mom? We only started seeing each other recently. Don’t you think it’s a little too soon to introduce him to the entire family?"
Although Hannah and Mark had initially planned to face the Sterling family and officially announce their relationship, they had been forced to put their plans on hold after Dominic threatened Mark over his relationship with his sister.
Hannah had been taken aback by her brother’s words. However, she had quickly decided to confront him, only for Mark to stop her and plead with her not to act recklessly.
He knew Hannah was more than capable of standing up to Dominic and warning him to stay away from the man she loved. However, Mark had his own reasons for stopping her.
He respected Dominic, not only as his boss but also as the man who had changed his life for the better.
Mark might constantly complain about Dominic’s unreasonable behaviour, but when it mattered, he was always ready to stand by him and show his loyalty.
That was precisely why he had stopped Hannah. It wasn’t because he was afraid of Dominic or intimidated by his threats. He simply wanted to prepare himself before facing the Sterling family, without allowing unnecessary pressure to affect him.
He loved Hannah, and there was no way he intended to give her up. However, he also didn’t want to enter the situation unprepared, knowing exactly who he would be dealing with.
And so, the couple had decided to wait until the right time to reveal their relationship.
Back at the breakfast table, Grace raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
Hannah immediately straightened in her chair.
"Okay, okay! It’s not too early," she conceded hastily. "I’ll find the right time to bring him over."
Only then did Grace finally look away.
She wasn’t being stern without reason. As a mother, she was simply concerned about her daughter’s happiness and wanted to make sure she was making the right choice.
"Good," Grace replied, satisfied.
Hannah finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Somehow, she was even more grateful that her parents hadn’t taken matters into their own hands and investigated Mark. They had always respected her decisions and given her the freedom to choose her own path.
Now that they wanted to meet the man she was seeing, she knew there was nothing to worry about. She only needed to find the right moment to bring him home.
After breakfast, Hannah left for work, while Grace and Jonathan remained seated at the table.
A short while later, the butler approached them with a bouquet in his hands.
"Master, here’s the bouquet you requested."
Jonathan accepted it with a satisfied smile.
"Thank you."
With that, he rose from his chair, and the couple soon left the mansion together.
***
Soon, the car came to a stop outside the cemetery. Grace and Jonathan stepped out, and the couple made their way inside, heading toward Laila’s tombstone.
Today was her birthday, and as they did every year, Jonathan and Grace had come to pay their respects.
Only a handful of people knew the truth about the relationship between the two women. Laila and Grace had been childhood friends, sharing a bond that had lasted for years. However, what few people knew was that Laila had made one final request before her death—a request that would change both Grace and Jonathan’s lives forever.
She had wanted Grace to marry her husband after she was gone.
At first, Grace had refused. She had never looked at Jonathan that way, and the thought of marrying her best friend’s husband had seemed impossible. However, she couldn’t bring herself to reject Laila’s final wish.
Laila had been deeply worried about what would happen to her family after her death. She knew Jonathan would struggle with the loneliness of losing his wife, while Dominic, still young and already deeply affected by his mother’s condition, might shut himself away from the world.
She couldn’t bear the thought of her husband and son spending the rest of their lives trapped in grief.
That was why she had pleaded with Grace to take her place, not because she wanted her friend to forget their bond, but because she trusted her to look after the two people she loved most.
She wanted Jonathan to find happiness again and Dominic to grow up surrounded by love, even if she could no longer be there for them.
And in the end, Grace had agreed.
Not because she had fallen in love with Jonathan overnight, but because she couldn’t turn away from her dying friend’s plea.
Years had passed since then, yet neither Grace nor Jonathan had forgotten the woman who had brought them together.
As they finally reached Laila’s tombstone, Jonathan and Grace suddenly stopped in their tracks upon noticing the unexpected guest standing before it.
"What is she doing here?" Grace whispered, exchanging a bewildered look with her husband.
Both of them turned their attention back to Clara, who was completely absorbed in her conversation with Laila.
Neither Jonathan nor Grace dared to interrupt her, especially when the words coming out of Clara’s mouth left them utterly speechless.
"I’m sorry for introducing myself out of the blue, but I’m Clara, Dominic’s wife."
With that, Clara carefully placed the cake she had brought before the tombstone.
She had learned about Laila’s birthday from Butler James. After visiting the bakery, she had decided to come straight to the cemetery to pay her respects to the woman who had given birth to her husband.
She wanted to meet her mother-in-law and get to know her a little better, even if it had to be without Dominic’s knowledge.
And, of course, she hadn’t come empty-handed. She had brought Laila’s favorite cake.
"I’m sorry I couldn’t meet you in person," Clara continued, looking at the tombstone with a small smile. "But Butler James has told me so many things about you that I feel like I’ve known you for a long time."
She paused before leaning closer.
"Honestly, your son is a little difficult to handle. I hope you know that."
Behind her, Jonathan’s eyes widened.
Grace immediately covered her mouth to suppress a laugh.
"Don’t look at me like that!" Clara continued, pointing at the tombstone. "I’m telling the truth. He’s handsome, but his temper? Oh, goodness! You should have warned me before I married him."
Jonathan nearly choked on his own breath, while Grace silently grabbed his arm to keep him from interrupting.
"But don’t worry," Clara added, her expression softening. "I’ll take good care of him. So you can rest peacefully. And if he ever bullies me, which he doesn’t, I’ll come straight here and complain to you."
For some reason, speaking to Laila made Clara’s heart feel strangely at ease, as though she had finally gotten the chance to introduce herself to someone important in Dominic’s life.
After chatting for a little longer, she straightened and dusted her hands.
"Alright, Aunt Laila, I’ll come visit you again. And next time, I’ll bring something better than cake. Maybe I’ll bring Dominic along so you can scold him yourself!"
With a satisfied nod, Clara turned around, only to freeze.
Standing a short distance away were Jonathan and Grace, staring at her in complete silence.
Clara blinked. Then she smiled awkwardly.
"Um... how long have you two been standing there?"
However, the couple continued to hold their smiles, leaving Clara even more embarrassed.
***
[Outside the Cemetery]
"Mom, will you stop smiling? I’m already embarrassed enough to want to dig a hole and bury myself!" Clara complained, having no idea how Grace and Jonathan had overheard everything she said.
Although she had been polite, knowing they had heard her complaints about their son made her want to disappear.
"Well, you didn’t say anything untrue. In fact, I’m impressed that you don’t hold back," Grace replied with a laugh.
Grace had always been amused by Clara’s honesty, and listening to her complain about Dominic’s behavior didn’t offend her in the slightest. After all, even Dominic knew how difficult he could be.
Clara pouted, but Grace gently caressed her head.
"I’m sure my friend must be very happy to have finally met you."
Clara blinked. "...Your friend?"