Chapter 69

The gloom between Reynaldo’s eyebrows instantly receded.

He didn’t look at me again; he just turned around and pushed the door. Just as the servant opened the door, he saw him and exclaimed with joy, “Madam, it’s Mr. Reynaldo! Mr. Reynaldo has returned!”

As the servant’s words fell, an old lady, leaning on a cane, excitedly approached.

“Reynaldo, my eldest grandson, you have finally returned!”

Reynaldo hurriedly went to support her.

“Sorry, Grandma, I came back late,” Reynaldo said, helping his grandmother Danielle to sit down on the sofa.

I endured the pain in my knee and followed along. Today is Danielle’s 80th birthday. Danielle’s hair was gray, but she looked fine and in good spirits. I used to think that Reynaldo was a black sheep of a wealthy family, disliked by everyone in the family. But at this moment, as I looked at Danielle and saw the kind and loving look in her eyes, I realized that she truly cared for her grandson. Without exaggeration, Danielle was his most important family member. But I used to mock the person he loved the most. No wonder when I said those things about his grandmother back then, he, who had always been gentle and virtuous, looked at me with such cold and resentful eyes.

“You, you deserve a beating! Today is my 80th birthday, and you actually arrived so late!” Danielle pretended to angrily tap Reynaldo’s hand.

The servant interjected, “Yes, young master, you have always prioritized matters concerning the old lady, let alone such a big event like her eightieth birthday. Why did you come back so late? You didn’t know, the old lady has been waiting downstairs for you all along. She even said, ‘If you don’t come back, this banquet won’t be allowed to start.’”

Without waiting for Reynaldo to speak, I said, “It’s my fault, I wasted his time.”

Danielle paused for a moment and then noticed me. She pointed at me and asked Reynaldo, “Who is she? Did you bring her back?”

Reynaldo glanced at me lightly and said, “She is Esmeralda.”

“Esmeralda?” Danielle instantly seemed to be lost in memories, pondering over my name.

I looked at her and said earnestly, “Danielle, I’m sorry.”

Danielle’s kind eyes scanned me up and down, and after a moment, she suddenly exclaimed with joy to Reynaldo, “Is she the Esmeralda who married you? My daughter-in-law?”

“Sorry,” I said to her again, respectfully. I’m sorry I wasted Reynaldo’s time and made her wait for Reynaldo. I’m sorry for my previous attitude toward her. She was such a kind and gentle old grandmother, and yet I still mocked her. Esmeralda, you were really out of line! I secretly blamed myself in my heart, and the inner guilt grew stronger and stronger. Just as I was feeling extremely guilty, Danielle suddenly pulled me to sit beside her.

She smiled kindly at me and said, “Oh, my silly daughter-in-law, why apologize to grandma? A man should wait for his own wife.”

I stared at her blankly. What happened? Does Danielle still not know that I divorced Reynaldo? And from the way she looked, it seemed like she didn’t dislike me. What happened? Danielle lightly tapped the back of my hand and looked at Reynaldo, saying, “Alright, just say that you were late because you were waiting for your wife, and Grandma will forgive you.”

Reynaldo smiled and said, “Thank you, Grandma.” He paused for a moment and then said, “You have always wanted to meet her, haven’t you? I brought her here.”

“Okay, okay…” Danielle kept holding my hand, her eyes filled with kindness and joy. It can be seen that she liked me very much and was very satisfied with me as her daughter-in-law. But I was so terrible to Reynaldo, and I had already divorced him; why is Danielle still….

I looked at Reynaldo in confusion. Reynaldo, however, suddenly got up and said to me casually, “I’ll go get some fruits. You can keep Grandma company and have a chat.”

“Oh, okay, sure.” I nodded blankly, watching his departing figure, filled with confusion in my heart.

Danielle teased me, “Look at you, Reynaldo just went downstairs to get some fruit, and you can’t bear to let him go?”

“No, I didn’t.” I blushed and lowered my head.

Danielle laughed again and said, “Young couples like you should stick together, but since it’s my first time meeting you, there are many things I want to say to you. So, I can only ask you to accompany this old lady a little longer.”

“No, Grandma, not at all. I enjoy being with you,” I said sincerely. Nowadays, in the Humphrey family, perhaps only Danielle and Winston treated me well.