The Heiress They Lost Came Back Overpowered

The sound of the door opening was accompanied by the firm, powerful voice of a middle-aged woman they didn’t recognize.

"This isn’t your fault."

Everyone turned to look. A middle-aged woman with a haggard face and red, swollen eyes entered, accompanied by a girl who looked to be about sixteen or seventeen. An officer in a hat escorted them.

The officer explained, "This is Nana’s mother, Ms. Sutton, and her younger sister, Penny."

Harrison Lowell quickly stood up, but he kept his head bowed, not daring to look at Ms. Sutton and Penny. ’He was worried he would see disgust and hatred in their eyes.’

’But he deserved it. After all, he was the one who had indirectly caused Nana’s death. Her death was because of him.’

But the rebukes and curses he expected never came. "Brother Harrison? Can I call you that? That’s what Nana used to call you."

Harrison Lowell snapped his head up, his gaze meeting a pair of forgiving eyes.

They held sadness, gentleness, and resilience—nothing like what he had imagined.

He quickly waved his hands. "Please, Ms. Sutton, you’re my elder. You can just call me Harrison."

After a pause, Harrison Lowell took half a step back and bowed to her. "I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. If it weren’t for me, Nana wouldn’t have..."

A pair of warm hands lifted him up. "You don’t need to apologize. I don’t blame you."

Harrison Lowell tried to say more, but Ms. Sutton interrupted him. "Can I tell you about Nana?"

"Okay. You... please, sit." Harrison Lowell pulled out a chair for her.

Ms. Sutton sat down, and Nina Jennings pulled Penny over to a seat on the side.

"My husband and I grew up in the same orphanage. Nana’s father was killed in the line of duty when she was seven. Penny was only four at the time."

"Even though I was a housewife, we were relatively comfortable. With my husband’s death benefits, life wasn’t too difficult."

"But I wanted to give my two children a better safety net, so I decided to go back to work the year Penny turned five."

"I would drop both kids off at school every day before heading to my job at a restaurant. Most of the time, Nana was the one at home looking after her little sister."

"Nana was such a good girl, and she always had excellent grades. She was first in her class all through elementary school. The top student got free tuition, and she wanted to make things easier for me."

"By the time I got home at night, both children would already be asleep. Because of that, I wasn’t as attentive as I should have been."

"My cooking is decent, and I had some savings, so I eventually opened my own little restaurant. That gave me a lot more free time."

"That’s when I discovered that Nana had been bullied at school for five long years, starting from her first year of middle school!"

"And the reason? Apparently, it was because she was sweet and her grades were too good! How ridiculous is that!"

[WTF?!! TO HELL WITH SCHOOL BULLIES!!!!]

[Nana was such a sweet, wonderful girl! I met her at an offline event before, and she was super warm, just like her mom!! [crying][crying][crying]]

[She’s the daughter of a fallen hero! How could those animals dare?!]

[No wonder she said she’d suffered from depression! [crying]]

"She was melancholic all the time back then and was diagnosed with depression. You were the one who saved her."

Harrison Lowell looked at her, his eyes filled with confusion.

Ms. Sutton offered a small smile, the upturn of her lips a thin veil for her sorrow.

"It was the premiere of your first television series. That’s what gave her a reason to live."

"I brought her diary. May I read a passage to you?"

Before Harrison Lowell could answer, she began to read on her own.

"The weather is muggy, and my head is so noisy. The endless screams and curses are giving me a splitting headache. Mom and sister aren’t home. The window is wide open, and the kitchen knife is right there in the kitchen."

"But I just found a new show that premiered. The lead actor’s name is Harrison Lowell. He must be a new actor; I’ve never heard of him."

"The plot seems pretty interesting. Only two episodes have aired so far. I want to see how it ends, so I’ll wait a little longer."

["I was going to end my life today, but I found a really good TV show. It’s a long way from the finale, so I guess I’ll wait."]

[I’m a complete sobbing mess!!!]

[Isn’t this supposed to be a heartwarming show? Why are they hitting us with this in the finale?! [crying]]

Harrison Lowell’s mouth opened and closed, but he couldn’t form a single syllable.

Ms. Sutton continued, "She was captivated by your acting and became your fan. Her condition improved significantly after that."

"She took the initiative to go back to school, so I had her transferred. The people who bullied her before also paid the price for what they did."

"Her scores on the college entrance exam that year weren’t as good as before, but she still got into the university she wanted. Just before this happened, she told me she had successfully secured a spot in a graduate program."

"When I got the news today, I was furious and heartbroken. But I never once hated you, and I don’t want you to blame yourself for this."

"Because in Nana’s life, you were a truly significant beacon of light."

"You were never the one at fault. The ones to blame are those who have lost their humanity and have no regard for the law."

"So please don’t let this crush you. And don’t give up the work you love so much. If for no other reason, do it for Nana. Can you do that?"

Harrison Lowell stood frozen in place. Ms. Sutton didn’t rush him, patiently waiting for him to speak.

Snapping out of his daze, Harrison Lowell wiped his face and looked at her with determination. "Okay! I’ll keep going!"

Ms. Sutton gave a soft chuckle and looked toward the camera. "Is this camera for a livestream?"

"To all the fans watching the show, I hope you aren’t too sad, and please don’t blame Harrison. Nana often told me how friendly and welcoming you all were to her, so please continue being that warm and kind to each other."

"When Nana was little, she told me that in her next life, she wanted to be the mother, and she wanted me and Penny to be her daughters. So she’s just gone on ahead to get our home ready for the next life."

"A true death is not the end of a life, but when one is forgotten."

"So as long as I remember her, she’s still here."

[SOB... Ma’am, you and Nana are the truly warm ones!!]

[Damn you, Happy Family, you owe me for these tears!!]

[What is even happening?! I’m crying my eyes out, holy shit!! [crying]]

[We will continue to be warm and kind!! Ms. Sutton and Penny, please take care of yourselves!!]

[We won’t forget her either. She’ll always be our little ray of sunshine.]

Penny, holding a kraft paper bag, walked up to Harrison Lowell and handed it to him.

"Brother Harrison, this is the 23rd birthday present my sister prepared for you."

After he took the bag, Penny continued, "Inside is a handwritten letter, a portrait she drew of you, and a scarf she knitted herself. She was planning to wait until your birthday at the end of the year to give it to you at an event. Now, I have to give it to you in her place."