CHAPTER 249: PREPARING THE PATH

Micah sat relaxed on the couch, sipping the tea Darcy had brewed. Across from him was Darcy with his back straight, holding his own cup with both hands, careful not to spill. He nodded along as Micah talked about the dormitory life. Zhou Ruyan sipped her tea slowly, listening attentively.

Half an hour later, Micah glanced at his watch. He set down his teacup and stood up. "Grandma, we should get going," he said, masking a flicker of tension. "If Grandpa hears we kept you up this late, he will give me an earful."

Zhou Ruyan raised an eyebrow, looking at the tall clock on the corner. 9:00 p.m. How was that late?

Micah was already halfway to the door, one hand gripping Darcy’s sleeve, nudging him along.

He could feel it in the way his grandmother’s gaze followed him, patient and full of questions. If he lingered a second too long, she would ask. And if she asked... he would have to answer. Better to leave while he still could. So far, Darcy had acted as quite a good buffer. Zhou Ruyan couldn’t bring up the elephant in the room with him present.

But as Micah’s fingers brushed the doorknob, a voice called behind him.

"Micah," Zhou Ruyan said softly. "Wait, I have something to tell you."

Micah’s shoulders tensed. He peeked at her.

Zhou Ruyan gave him a meaningful look.

Darcy turned back, his brows furrowed slightly as he looked between them.

"Grandma, I’ll come again soon," Micah said, trying to retreat again. His voice was casual, but his feet had started edging back, ready to bolt.

"If you are worried about your friend, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, right?" Zhou Ruyan asked matter-of-factly.

Darcy nodded. "Yeah. Take your time," he said, giving Micah one last look before slipping out the door. "I’ll wait in the garden."

The room fell into a quiet silence.

Micah stood there, motionless, his eyes darting toward the window instead of looking at his grandmother.

Zhou Ruyan watched him for a second, then sighed. "Don’t you have something to tell me?"

"I’m sorry!" Micah burst out suddenly, dropping to his knees with a thud on the polished floor. His hands clutched together as if in prayer. "I was going to... I mean, I didn’t know how..."

Zhou Ruyan arched an eyebrow, her expression caught between amusement and exasperation. "You know, now I understand your mother. You are really a handful."

"Sorry..." Micah mumbled again, eyes squeezed shut. "I just didn’t know how to bring it up..."

"Of course, you should have given me a heads up. But that’s not what I’m asking, tell me... what’s the meaning of this? Why the secrecy?"

Micah shifted on his knees, still unable to meet her gaze. "There are... some circumstances. I can’t tell everyone the truth just yet..."

Zhou Ruyan’s expression changed. "What exactly are you planning?"

Micah hesitated, pressing his palms against the floor. "I want to prepare everything for him before he steps into the Ramsy family."

"I don’t understand. Do you think anybody would object?"

"Of course not," Micah finally looked up, his eyes glistening. "You know, Grandpa had quite a few enemies among shareholders. And I am not exactly the ideal grandson and heir. If I bring Darcy into this mess now, those geezers will find a way to use him. Or use our strange situation. That’s not even the worst part," Micah paused. "I’m sure everyone will be confused, even hurt by the mixed-up, if someone from rival companies tries to stir that mess, fishing in muddied waters, the consequences would be unimaginable."

Zhou Ruyan was silent, her eyes steady. "So..." she said at last, her voice faint. "In the end, you just want to leave us?"

Micah lowered his head again, his voice barely a whisper. "It was never my place to begin with..."

Her breath hitched. "What does that have to do with anything? Don’t we love you?"

"That’s not it!" Micah snapped, eyes wide. "I know you love me. I know all of you do. It’s because I love you too, so much, that I have to do this."

"Doing what? Run away?"

"No. I’m not," Micah said quickly. "I just want to lie low until people stop thinking about me. Until I am not the clown jumping in front of everyone, handing the perfect excuse for people to mock Ramsys, to belittle us. When I’m gone, they will forget me. They’ll focus just on Darcy."

"And how exactly do you plan to do that?"

Micah’s voice trembled. "I want you to disown me. Kick me out before Darcy joins the family."

"Are you out of your loving mind?" Zhou Ruyan’s voice rose.

"It’s just for show!" Micah rushed to explain. "It’s fake. I will be Ramsy until I die."

Zhou Ruyan breathed rapidly, glaring at him.

Micah moistened his dry lips and continued. "Grandma... let’s be real. I don’t have the talent for business. I am not on par with them. If I stay, they’ll keep targeting me. If I leave, they won’t bother. The least I can do is to make myself worthless."

There was a pause. She didn’t talk to him. Her silence meant she was still against it.

Micah swallowed. "Grandma, I’ve seen my birth mother. She is sick... MS, without a definite cure. Darcy has been taking care of her all these years. I want to help, too."

"Help how? Just show up out of nowhere and take over? she asked flatly, finally speaking to him.

"I’m not stupid," Micah murmured. "I want to move to a southern city with them. Where the Zhou family is."

"Now?" Zhou Ruyan asked.

"No. When the truth comes out." Micah said.

"And when is that exactly?"

"Less than two years."

Her brows lifted. "So, how do you plan to get disowned? You think your parents and sisters will just go along with it?"

Micah laughed bitterly. "No, they won’t... so I have to use the gossip. The Open Secret. No one would mention it in front of my parents. But all knew. Even now they think I am trash, a spoiled, clingy, good-for-nothing. And my parents still didn’t hear about that."

"And whose fault is that?" Zhou Ruyan shot back. "You were the one who begged me to block the news from them."

"I know. And I’m thankful. But Grandma...I’m desperate..."

Zhou Ruyan stood up using her cane. She stepped closer and looked down at him. "Do you really think so little of us? Do you think we’re that powerless? That we can’t protect you or him?"

Micah blinked hard. His voice came out strained. "It’s not that... I just need to do something. He had nothing while I had everything. I want to show him that I care. My sincerity. That I am sorry."

The silence fell into the room.

Micah looked up, cautiously glancing at her expression. She wasn’t angry anymore. Thank god. But still, her face had twisted into something sorrowful.

"Grandma... you... You’ll help me, right? Keep it a secret?" Micah mumbled hesitantly.

Zhou Ruyan didn’t answer immediately. She took one slow breath, then opened her arms. "Silly boy! Come here."

Micah didn’t think twice. He threw himself forward and wrapped his arms around her. His face pressed into her shoulder. He clung to her like a child who had held in his tears too long.

The lump in his throat gave way. His eyes blurred. And it was like a dam broke. Hot tears poured down his cheeks, one after another, falling silently onto her silk collar. His sorrow broke out abruptly.

"I’m sorry... I’m sorry I took him away from you..."

Zhou Ruyan held him tightly, her own eyes glistening, silent tears slipping down as she held him close. Her hand smoothed the back of his head, over and over, as if trying to soothe away the years of guilt and fear he had carried alone.