Chapter 143
After dinner, Amelia’s cheeks looked delightful. Landon couldn’t help but gently caress her cheek. “Are you happy, Honey?”
“Sure am!” Amelia nodded vigorously. “With Velmira, I can finally treat my iodine poisoning and become a mother!”
‘Getting the Velmira from the Meyers family won’t be easy, though,’ Amelia thought, ‘but I can afford to wait. Knowing her poisoning was treatable was the greatest news she had heard.’
“Don’t worry, Honey. I’ll get that Velmira. Just give me a little more time, okay?” Landon leaned in and planted a tender kiss on her cheek.
Amelia blinked shyly and said, “I’m not in a hurry, Dear. Don’t do anything reckless, okay?”
“Of course,” Landon replied softly. He pressed his lips against her cheek repeatedly.
‘Honestly, the best thing about today is finding a way to help Amelia get better,’ Landon thought to himself, feeling a rare sense of hope.
Although he was never particularly keen on having children, Amelia’s frail health always weighed on his conscience, leaving him with a lingering sense of guilt.
Amelia looked at Landon’s leg and sighed softly. “What a shame about your leg. You’ll have to push through this on your own,” she said. “But, Honey, I know you can do it.”
Landon chuckled, “Oh? Now that you have your brother back, am I not good enough for you anymore?”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Amelia quickly shook her head, her voice gentle. “You’ve misunderstood.”
Amelia quickly shook her head, careful not to hurt his “fragile” pride. “I just genuinely want you to get better,” she said softly.
“Don’t worry, I know I’ll recover,” Landon said, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Landon thought, ‘If Amelia finds out I’ve been faking this injury, she’s gonna kill me!’
“You got this, Honey!” Amelia pumped her fist in encouragement.
A storm of emotions churned inside Landon’s heart. He nearly gave himself away by standing up right in front of Amelia. But fortunately, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the message and deleted it immediately.
‘Guess I’ll keep faking it for now,’ he thought.
Daniel returned to the hotel with the gift from Amelia, feeling on top of the world. “Sir, it’s been ages since you’ve been this happy,” Micah said with a chuckle.
“With Mom gone, I need to protect her. Micah, I finally have a sibling. Do you get it?” Daniel let out a long sigh, then sank into the sofa and closed his eyes for a quick rest.
Being with his sister again, Daniel thought to himself, ‘It feels just like being back in those carefree childhood days with Mom. It’s pure happiness and warmth, without a care in the world. With her, I can say whatever I want and do whatever I please. With her, I can let go of other things and just be a good brother—not the head of the Zuckerberg family shackled by all these damn restrictions.’
“I understand, Sir.” Micah sighed.
Chapter 143
However, Amelia’s return to Lunova wouldn’t be easy. The Zuckerbergs and the Hughes pride themselves on their pristine reputation, and Catherine’s scandal (presumed dead for twenty years, while having a secret child) would stain it if such matters leaked. It would be their fallout.
“Daniel.” A stern, aged voice suddenly rang out, startling both Daniel and Micah. They whipped their heads around toward the doorway.
Vivianne and Maisie appeared in the doorway. Maisie’s slap mark had disappeared. She raised her eyebrows with a triumphant grin and said, “Daniel, Grandma and I are here to celebrate your birthday!”
“Grandma?” Daniel’s heart sank. He quickly stood up. “Grandma, what brings you here?”
“With my eldest grandson spending his birthday all alone so far from home, how could I not come to celebrate?” Vivianne said sternly, her tone laced with authority and thinly veiled sarcasm.
“Daniel, I got you a huge birthday cake!” Maisie snapped her fingers as a waiter wheeled in a dining cart. The flowers, cake, and gifts were all in place. Everything sparkled under the festive glow of the ambient lights.
“Grandma, this is far too much for me,” Daniel said, his head spinning with unease. He couldn’t bring himself to feel happy at all.
“How could that be? You’re my one and only grandson, and the head of the Zuckerberg family. I only want what’s best for you, Dear.” Vivianne sat and, with a pointed look at Maisie, signaled for the show to begin.
Maisie clapped her hands cheerfully while singing “Happy Birthday,” then placed a birthday hat on Daniel’s head.
Just like she did every year back at Zuckerberg’s family residence, she never missed sending him her heartfelt wishes. “Daniel, happy birthday. Now, make a wish and blow out the candles!” Maisie said.
“Okay,” Daniel replied. He closed his eyes and made a silent, solemn wish, ‘May my sister Amelia recover soon and be blessed with a lifetime of happiness!’
“Daniel, what did you wish for?” Maisie asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Daniel replied, “I can’t tell you the wish I just made, or it won’t come true.”
“Alright then, let’s cut the cake!” Maisie urged.
“Okay,” Daniel replied.
Daniel wasn’t sure how much his grandmother knew about the situation. As long as Maisie didn’t bring up Amy, he wouldn’t either. He decided to play along through the motions and finish the birthday celebration.
The three each sampled the cake, then distributed portions to the staff. Daniel ate absent-mindedly, his mind was a mess. ‘What exactly are Grandma and Maisie here for?’ he wondered.
“Daniel,” Vivianne finally called, her voice sharp. “Norava is no fun. I can’t stand being here. We’re going home tomorrow.”
Daniel frowned, “Grandma, why don’t you let Maisie accompany you back first? I’ll stay here for a few more days and come back later.”
“What’s keeping you here? The Zuckerberg family has no business in Norava,” Vivianne said curtly.
“I have something personal to take care of,” Daniel said, choosing his words carefully.
“What personal matters?” Vivianne pressed sharply.
Daniel shot a sharp glance at Maisie, who was putting on an angelic face of innocence. With Vivianne demanding he return to Lunova, there was no way Maisie was innocent.
Daniel finally said, “Tomorrow, I’m going to visit my mother’s grave.”
Chapter 143
“Catherine’s grave is in Lunova. If you’re truly sincere, gather the entire family to visit her when you return. I’m certain Sannis will agree,” said Vivianne.
“That grave is empty. Pinecrest is where my mom is buried.”
“Absolute nonsense!” Vivianne snapped.
Daniel sighed inwardly and shook his head. “Grandma, I know the whole truth. There’s no need to say more.”
Vivianne’s face stiffened. She was furious. “What truth? Don’t be deceived by others! Your mother was the daughter of the Hughes family. Your grandfather personally arranged her burial. How could she possibly be buried in Pinecrest?”
“Then what? Should I go back to Lunova and have the grave exhumed to prove it?” Daniel shot back.
Vivianne froze for a moment, then slammed her hand on the table. “This is outrageous!”
Daniel scoffed, “Grandma, Mom didn’t die in Lunova back then. She was forced to flee to Pinecrest and lived there for another four or five years before she passed away.”
Daniel’s heart ached as he imagined his mother, already mentally unstable, fleeing hundreds of miles away to Pinecrest. His voice grew low and hoarse. “I don’t know what happened back then. But now that I’ve found my mother’s grave, I won’t turn my back on her.”
“Do you want to remain head of this family?” Vivianne shouted.
Micah stood by, trembling with fear. He sighed inwardly. ‘I knew this family reunion wouldn’t go smoothly. Of course, the Zuckerbergs would intervene. But I never expected his grandma to come.’
“Then I’d rather lose my title,” Daniel said firmly.
Vivianne trembled with rage. The Zuckerberg family line was thin. Joanna, the second wife, bore only one daughter, Maisie, and never conceived again.
Among all the grandchildren, Daniel was the sole male heir of the family. The position of the Zuckerberg family’s head was inherited exclusively by male descendants. No one could fill his place if he didn’t become the family head.
“Daniel! Are you trying to threaten us?” Vivianne asked angrily.
Daniel said calmly, “I became the head of the family just to find my mother. Now that I have, even if you kick me out, I don’t care anymore.”
“Daniel, have you lost your mind? Is Amelia worth throwing everything away for?” Maisie shrieked in disbelief.
As the head of the Zuckerberg family, he held the most prestigious position among the elite circles. To give up this title would be to forfeit all the resources and influence the capital had to offer. Being expelled from the Zuckerberg family would leave him in dire straits!