Gerald’s weathered face went pale with shock.

    “Mr. Howard, you can’t…”

    Howard didn’t even nce back. As he left, he tossed onest warning at the Lloyds.

    “I’ve said what I needed to say. If Rachel doesn’te crawling to me within a week to apologize, your family can start preparing for bankruptcy.”

    “Mr. Howard…”

    Gerald gripped his cane, trying to follow, but his age betrayed him–he couldn’t keep up. Once Howard was gone, the living room fell silent.

    Sasha turned to Gerald, smug as ever.

    “See? I told you, Rachel’s nothing but a curse. If you’d just listened to me and cut ties with her earlier, would Howard have evere after the Lloyds?”

    Gerald’s head throbbed. Rubbing at the few strands of hair left on his scalp, he snapped, “Do you really need to rub salt in the wound? This whole house is in ruins because of you! Tell me this–where’s Yvette? I haven’t seen her around these past few days.”

    At that, Sasha’s smile grew sly, almost triumphant.

    “Why don’t byou /bask your precious eldest granddaughter what she’s been up to–like how she managed to get her own little sister thrown into a police station.”

    Gerald frozei. /i

    “What are you talking about?”

    Sasha, savoring every second, painted the story of Rachel and Yvette in the most damning light possible, piling exaggeration on itop /iof usation.

    Gerald sat there, her words pouring into his ears like poison, every phrase hitting him harder than thest. The room seemed to spin. Before Sasha could even finish, his world went dark, and he copsed

    onto the floor.

    Startled, Sasha screamed.

    “Old man!”

    Rachel and Tyler had barely returned to the hotel when her phone rang. It was Jim.

    “Rachel, can youe to the hospital? Your grandfather fainted. He’s been admitted,” Jim said in a panic.

    Hearing that Gerald had been admitted, her heart clenched with guilt. Could this be because of her?

    She steadied herself enough to ask, “Which hospital?”

    “The same one I’m at. Sasha brought him in.”

    “I’ll be right there.”

    Ending the call, Rachel turned to Jerry. “Jerry, take me to the hospital first.”

    “Got it.”

    Although she didn’t like Gerald much, the thought that he might have copsed because of her left a heaviness in her chest. Thest thing she wanted was to shoulder more me.

    Tyler, noticing her expression, leaned back with arms crossed. His tone was casual and almost dismissive. “You didn’t argue with him. If anyone takes the me, it’ll be me. Not you.”

    It wasn’t the gentlest way tofort someone, but Rachel could see through it. This was his way shielding her. He was taking the weight onto himself. Strangely enough, it warmed her.

    of

    She studied him quietly. He looked steadier now than he had earlier, but there was still an undeniable

    weariness about him.

    “Why don’t you go back to the hotel and rest?”

    “No. I’ming with you.”

    “But you look exhausted.”

    “And whose fault do you think that is?b” /b

    To anyone else, it might’ve sounded like a simple remark, but Rachel could feel the deliberate sting in it.

    She pursed her lips and gave him the side–eye.

    “Shut up!”