Leaving the Past in Flames

I prepared for Mom and I to leave. I booked us flight tickets.

However, Dad's assistant, Michael Smith, found us out. After that, Dad sent bodyguards to watch us day and night. Even on his wedding day, he forced Mom and me to attend.

Everyone was surprised to see us there.

"It's Mr. Gray's wedding day. How can this mother-daughter duo have the nerve to show up here?"

"It goes without saying, doesn't it? They must have shamelessly followed him here."

"Don't tell me a starlet like Cassandra really thinks she can marry above her station."

"Her daughter is one who has no shame, too. She thought she could latch onto the Shaws, but Christopher was only fooling around with her."

"I heard about that, too. In fact, Christopher is also getting married today."

"That's the way it should be. Hannah is the perfect match for him—why would he be interested in an illegitimate daughter?"

The crowd started talking amongst themselves and insulting Mom and me. Their disdainful gazes landed on us. I looked at Mom in concern, but she held my hand gently yet firmly. "Don't worry about me, Rosie.

"Wasting 30 years to see a person's true colors is a steep price to pay, but at least I'm awake now. From now on, we only have to live the way we want."

At that moment, the banquet hall's doors swung open. Lori made her entrance in a lavish wedding gown. She made her way down the aisle, and Dad stood at the end, looking at her tenderly.

Then, their son, Lionel Gray, placed Lori's hand in Dad's. He said, "I'll leave Mom in your hands from now on, Dad. She suffered a lot to raise me, so I hope you can treat her well."

A hint of pride flashed across Dad's face.

He patted Lionel's shoulder and said, "Teaching your own father a lesson, huh? You should worry more about yourself—you need to work hard because you'll need to manage the Gray family's businesses in the future."

Everyone was touched when they saw the happy family of three.

Dad turned to look at Mom and me, but his words were still directed at Lionel.

"Cassandra has spent so many years by my side, so you shouldn't be too rude to her in the future. What's meant to be yours will always be yours—I won't be dumb enough to give other people more than what they deserve."

The guests could sense the warning in his words. Their scornful and accusatory looks landed on Mom and me again.

I held Mom's hand tightly. Just then, my phone pinged. I checked it to see that I'd received a video. In it, Christopher and Hannah looked lovingly into each other's eyes as they said their vows.

Christopher turned to face Hannah's parents. "Mom and Dad, rest assured that I'll take good care of Han in the future. I won't make her sad or let her suffer."

I took a deep breath and stood up.

Then, I said, "You don't have to sound so sarcastic, Mr. Gray. If my mother were the greedy sort, she wouldn't have wasted 30 years of her life on you. I'm not interested in the Gray family fortune, and neither is my mother. You can leave everything to your precious son."

A trace of anger flashed across Dad's face. It seemed he didn't expect me to cause a scene in public.

"How dare you kick up a fuss on such an important day! Get the hell out of here if you don't want to be here, and take your mother with you!"

A group of bodyguards dressed in black surrounded Mom and me. They dragged us out of the banquet hall and stuffed us into the car. Then, they took us back to our villa and locked us up.

Once they left the house, I calmly pulled out my phone and called Mr. Jones. I asked him to divert the bodyguards.

Many years ago, his wife and child had been gravely ill. Mom and I had paid the medical bills for him, saving their lives.

Later, he'd become one of the Gray family's bodyguards to thank us. I wouldn't have expected him to help us like this, though.

A news broadcast on Dad's and Christopher's weddings played on TV. I turned to look at Mom when the grooms kissed their brides.

She would've been upset in the past, but I didn't detect any hint of sorrow in her eyes now.

She smiled calmly at me and picked up her suitcase. "Let's go, Rosie."

I nodded and had the car I'd prepared brought around. I turned to look at the villa one last time—I'd spent over two decades there, after all.

Then, I left without another look back.