Tessa stared at the familiar front door, eyes brimming with tears. For the past month, all she’d known was the stench of disinfectant or the oppressive air of the police station. Her voice had been damaged beyond repair. What had only been a month felt more like a year, but time hadn’t moved that fast.
Grace could see the pain written all over her daughter’s face. She had always believed that it was Julian who’d orchestrated everything and that Tessa had been kept in the dark. That was why she’d chosen to be gentler with her, especially after the injury to her vocal cords; Grace even felt like she owed her something, though in truth, she didn’t. But where would she even begin to explain any of that now?
Grace held Tessa’s hand and spoke softly. “Come on, let’s go home.”
“Okay,” Tessa nodded and sniffled. She really had missed home. After being out for so long, all she wanted now was the comfort of familiarity. With a soft smile, she said, “Mom, I’ve been craving your homemade barbecue ribs and honey-glazed salmon.”
Grace tapped the tip of her nose affectionately. “Alright, you little foodie. If there’s anything else you want, just let me know. I’ll have the staff pick up the ingredients.”
But Tessa shook her head contentedly. “That’s enough, Mom. If you make too much, I really won’t be able to finish it all.”
Grace sighed with emotion. “Looks like you’ve really grown up.” She had always sensed it—Tessa used to be spoiled and willful, a little princess shaped entirely by her own hand. Though she wasn’t a bad person, Tessa’s personality had always rubbed others the wrong way—never quite likable in their eyes. But now, not only had Jason noticed a change, even Grace could see it clearly. She couldn’t afford to spoil her daughter too much anymore.
Once they were inside, Tessa immediately helped Grace put on an apron. Grace joked that it had been ages since she last cooked, but for Tessa’s sake, she’d give it a shot today. The two of them enjoyed their time together, chatting and laughing. By the time Grace came out, the table was already set. She placed the dishes on the table, then glanced at Tessa’s thinner frame, concern spilling from her voice. “You’ve… really lost weight. You look so different from before.”
Seeing the food ready, Tessa gently pulled Grace down to sit beside her. “Mom, stop fussing. I’m already too full to eat more.” Grace looked at her helplessly but eventually gave in. Still, her mind was halfway back in the kitchen. She asked the housekeeper to keep an eye on things. But hearing Tessa say she couldn’t eat anymore stirred a bit of irritation in Grace’s heart. She picked up her fork and started piling more food onto Tessa’s plate. “You’ve barely eaten anything. Come on, have a little more.” In no time, Tessa’s bowl was overflowing.
Truthfully, she hadn’t eaten much. She just missed the taste of home—that was why she’d asked her mother to cook a couple of dishes. It wasn’t about the food. She just wanted to feel what it was like to be home again. But Grace didn’t see it that way. She was about to say something when the butler called out toward the door, “Miss Aurora, you’re back.” There was a clear note of warning in his voice. After all, things were going smoothly between Tessa and Grace now. Arnold knew that, and he certainly wasn’t about to let Aurora walk in and witness the scene.