Chapter 66  My mom came over, trying to win favor, and I noticed she was holding a gift box that looked like a small chest. What kind of gift comes at this hour, anyway?  “I know you’ve been down lately, and I’ve heard you’ve lost quite a bit of your appetite. That’s not good at all. Nicole was so thoughtful; she went to an auction and got you two sets of porcelain dinnerwate.”  “Take it away, I don’t need it.” Grandma’s face was icy. “I don’t want anything from her”  “How about you take a peek first?”  Without waiting for a reply, my mom pulled out the dinnerware. It was a stunning set of porcelain. The porcelain was white with delicate pattems, simple yet elegant. However, instead of the typical floral or animal designs, there were words written in script on the dishes.  “What’s this about?”  This set is a special collaboration between two renowned masters.”  “Collaboration?” Grandma’s eyes narrowed with suspicion.  “Yes, the pottery was crafted by a master potter, but the inscriptions are by a famous priest. This set is said to carry a spiritual essence.” Grandma’s expression shifted at the mention of spirituality. “Really?”  “Absolutely. Nicole knew how much spirituality means to you; she put in a lot of effort to win this set at the auction. It was crafted by two top–notch masters, and many people wanted it. Nicole paid a hefty price for it. Eating from these will surely bless you with longevity and health.”  “Alright, then leave it here.”  In her later years, Grandma had grown almost obsessively devoted to spirituality.  I could see why, though. The more power and influence people had, the more they dreaded death. She had always had everything–a comfortable life, a devoted family, and a world of luxury. But after Grandpa passed away, she saw death up close, and it left a mark on her psyche.  Science and medicine could only do so much to ease her pain, so she turned to spirituality, hoping to extend her life.  Grandma glanced at my mom. “Aren’t you leaving?”  My mom hesitated before speaking up. “Actually, Mom, I came to bring you the dinnerware and talk about something else. You know Amanda is married now and is part of the Reyes family. She and Chase grew up together, like two peas in a pod. The Reyes family is blessed, so I don’t worry about her. But Nicole…”  She sighed deeply. “Since Dad passed, the Kennedy family hasn’t been the same. We couldn’t stop our decline. If this keeps up, I’m afraid Nicole won’t find a good family to marry into. I know you’ve always wanted to leave your shares to Amanda.”  By this point, both Grandma and I knew where this was headed. Grandma’s face tumed serious. “If you’re here for my shares, you can forget it. I’d rather donate them to charity than give them to Nicole!”  “Mom, how can you be so unfair? Amanda is your granddaughter, but isn’t Nicole your granddaughter too? Amanda pushed Nicole into hardship, and she’s suffered for years. Is your heart made of stone? I’m not asking for favoritism, just fairness.”  I thought I’d moved on from my failed relationship with Chase, thinking seeing him with Nicole wouldn’t faze me. But now I realized, compared to family hurt, that was nothing.  Grandma stood up for me. “You call me biased, but haven’t you been the same? Back then, a few words from Nicole would have you all accusing Amanda. Can anyone prove Amanda pushed Nicole into hardship? Did you see it with your own eyes?”