Even Veronica, though suspicious, had no idea what was coming.
As everyone gathered, including the grandmother, my heart pounded. Taking a deep breath, I stood up.
“I have something to say. I didn’t come here with a plan to disrupt your family, but now that I know the truth, I can’t keep quiet.”
All eyes were on me as I told my story: how my mother had worked here, how she’d loved Richard, and the secret she carried when she left.
“I’m not here to take anything from you,” I added, looking directly at Richard.
“But your mother deserves more respect than she’s been given. She’s far more capable than you think.”
Veronica’s face reddened, but before she could speak, Richard raised a hand.
“Enough,” he said firmly.
The room fell into a heavy silence. Finally, I cleared my throat, breaking the quiet.
“I think it’s better if I leave.
I didn’t come here to stay, and now you finally have a chance to make things right as a family.”
My gaze moved from Richard to the grandmother, and then to Oliver. “This is your time to fix what’s broken.”
Richard’s lips parted as if to object, but he said nothing. He only nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly.
***
The next morning, I packed my bags.
At the door, Oliver handed me an envelope with a salary. “You’ll always have a brother in me. Don’t be a stranger.”
A month later, I was invited back for my grandmother’s birthday.
Lucas and Oliver welcomed me warmly, and Richard approached.
“I ended things with Veronica. I want to make up for lost time.”
I stayed, and slowly, we became what we were meant to be. Grandmother laughed with Lucas in the garden, Oliver and I raced through morning runs, and my father and I biked along sunlit paths, sharing stories of my mother.
Together, we began to heal.
At last, I had a family.
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Source: amomama
