Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion >>
After Vincent left, Eustace continued his work but struggled to focus because he was constantly distracted by his thoughts of Danika. Smiling wryly, he never thought that he’d be so smitten with a woman.
It was late when Old Mr. Quincey visited Eustace at the hospital. He barged into the room in a great hurry and looked at Eustace with unspoken worries in his eyes.
“Grandpa? Why are you here?” Eustace remembered that he had clearly informed Vincent to keep the hospitalization a secret from his grandfather. In the end, he still found out about it.
Fuming, Old Mr. Quincey glared at him. “Why can’t I visit you? As your grandpa, do I not have the right to learn about your injuries?”
“Grandpa, I don’t want to worry you.” Eustace smiled at him in an attempt to calm him down.
Old Mr. Quincey puffed and said, “You don’t want me to worry about you? It seems like you think you’re not giving me enough to worry about.”
“Grandpa!”
“If you really don’t want me to worry, you shouldn’t have put yourself in harm’s way. Aren’t you afraid of dying?” Old Mr. Quincey was incensed at Eustace’s nonchalance. Eustace fell silent as he couldn’t find any good explanation for his behavior. When Marigold wanted to run Danika over, his only goal at that instant was to ensure Danika’s safety. He drove his car into Marigold’s without thinking about the consequences.
Old Mr. Quincey sighed at Eustace’s silence. “I know you did that to save Danika, but….you need to treasure your life.”
“Grandpa, I know. Don’t worry about me. I’ll be more careful in the future,” Eustace assuaged him to stop him from worrying.
Still, Old Mr. Quincey was unrelenting. He stared at Eustace and shook his head. “I can no longer tell if a relationship with Danika is better or worse for you.”
“Grandpa, why did you say so?” Eustace was confused by his words, but he was sure things were not as simple as they seemed.
Old Mr. Quincey sighed without saying another word. He had insisted on matchmaking Eustace and Danika because he knew about her real background. When Danika rejoined her powerful birth family, her connections would be of great help to the Quinceys. However, all of that would not have mattered if Eustace had to sacrifice himself for her.
Judging from the situation, Old Mr. Quincey assumed that Danika would only meet with more obstacles down the road. He dared not picture his foolish grandson throwing himself again and again in harm’s way to protect her. It was an unimaginable scene. If anything bad happened to Eustace, Danika-the ace card with powerful connections-would be meaningless to him.
“Eustace, now that I think about it, I don’t care if you’re not interested in Danika. You don’t have to like her just because I want the two of you together.” Finally, Old Mr. Quincey chose to protect his grandson.
Upset at his remark, Eustace frowned. “Grandpa, what do you mean by that? Do you think my feelings can be changed as you wish?”
“Eustace…”
“Grandpa, I’m an adult with my own opinions,” he cut him off. “I can tell you that Danika is the woman I want. From now on, I will be with her whether or not you approve of our relationship.”
Standing outside the room with an insulated food container in her hand, Danika listened to Eustace’s words. She felt glad and conflicted at the same time, not knowing whether to enter the room.
After listening to what Eustace had to say, Old Mr. Quincey’s expression sank, and he fell silent for a long time.” Do you still want to be with her even if it would cost your life?” he sounded distant and unhappy.
Eustace nodded without hesitation. “Yes.”
Old Mr. Quincey gave him a long look and finally sighed in defeat. “Whatever. Do what you want.”
Eustace heaved a sigh of relief after his grandfather yielded. “Grandpa, you don’t have to worry. I’m not that weak. I can protect Danika and myself.”
Underneath Old Mr. Quincey’s silence, he had come up with a plan. He couldn’t afford to wait, for no one would know how long it’d take for the family in Bardoff City to discover Danika’s existence. She might be in greater trouble if her birth family’s enemies found out about her before anyone else.
Old Mr. Quincey was uninterested in Danika’s reunion with her birth family. Still, he had to start caring because Eustace’s safety was on the line. He decided that he had to leak the news of Danika’s existence to her birth family in Bardoff City in the hope that they could reunite soon.
“Rest well. I’ll leave now.” Once he arrived at a decision, he immediately took leave.
“Is that all? You didn’t even ask about my injuries.” Dumbfounded, Eustace wondered if his grandpa was truly there to visit him, but his protests were ignored.
Judging from Eustace’s confident look, Old Mr. Quincey knew well that he was fine. So, he had no more questions to ask. He opened the door and found Danika standing on the other side. “Oh, Danika! Are you okay?”
“Grandpa, I’m fine.” She stood there embarrassed. She had been thinking of hiding somewhere, but Old Mr. Quincey gave her no chance to do so when he opened the door without warning.
He closed the door behind him and smiled at her. “You heard what Eustace said, didn’t you?”
“Grandpa, I didn’t…”
“I know you didn’t eavesdrop on purpose.” He smiled gently without any intention of blaming her. “But you overheard him. Is that right?”
She bit her lips and nodded. Looking satisfied, he advised her earnestly, “I can’t deny that Eustace has mistreated you in the past. But you can tell his feelings for you lately. Right?”
She nodded at him.
“I’m the one to blame for everything that happened in the past. I forced him to marry you, and I understand his resentment toward me. That doesn’t mean he was right.”
At the end of the day, Eustace was in the wrong for not meeting Danika even once during their two-year marriage. His chilling indifference to his wife was a mistake that couldn’t be glossed over.
Staring at Danika anxiously, Old Mr. Quincey asked, “So, Danika, do you still refuse to give him a second chance?”
She wondered how to break it to him that she had decided to give Eustace another chance. She found it difficult to tell him the truth. After a pause, she blurted out, “Grandpa, I appreciate all he has done for me.” He sighed. “That’s good. He’s my grandson, after all. It’s hard not to feel bad for him. I’m really worried, especially after he almost risked his life a few times to save you.”
“Grandpa, I’m sorry. I…”
“I don’t blame you. That kid is willing to sacrifice anything for you.” Zachary waved at her. He didn’t need an apology.
Eustace abruptly opened the door and cut Old Mr. Quincey off. Upset, he stared at his grandpa. “Why are you still here chatting instead of going home?”
“You rascal! I’m doing this all for you!” Old Mr. Quincey was frustrated at Eustace’s insensibility.
Eustace shot a look at Warren and ordered, “Send Grandpa home. He shouldn’t be lingering around.”
“You little punk!” Old Mr. Quincey raised his stick at Eustace, and Danika hurried over to protect Eustace when the stick was about to hit him.
“Grandpa! He still hasn’t recovered from his injuries!”
In the end, Old Mr. Quincey didn’t beat Eustace up because he had never intended to do so, apart from the fact that Danika was standing between them. Smiling, he winked at Eustace. “I’ll let this slip for Danika’s sake.”
Speechless, Eustace thought, “You’re such a childish old man.”