Chapter 496

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Donald said , “ Jennifer , I’ve called you so many times and you just ignored me . If Ms. Nelson really is Jonathan’s grandma , wouldn’t it be great if the whole family got back together ? ”
“ Not at all , Donald ! You’ve made my life a nightmare , ” Jennifer said , feeling more pain .
Donald was completely surprised .
Jennifer started hitting Donald . “ Ms. Nelson hates being bothered , but you still had Jonathan go find her . If she gets mad , she’ll totally blame me . This is all your fault ! ”
Donald just couldn’t understand . A family reunion was supposed to be happy . So many people spend years searching for lost relatives , and when they find them , they feel so happy .
Jennifer said , “ Call Jonathan and tell him to come back right now . ”
Donald felt too embarrassed to call and tell Jonathan not to visit his own grandma .
But Jennifer wouldn’t stop , so Donald had no choice but to call Jonathan . “ I’m already there . We’ll talk when I get back , ” Jonathan said , then hung up .
Jonathan parked at the end of a rough , unpaved road . The car couldn’t go any further . The path was muddy from yesterday’s rain . Following the location
Donald sent him , Jonathan walked for half an hour before finally reaching the school .
The old gate swung open . There was no security guard around . A few little girls with dirty faces saw Jonathan and shouted , “ Ms. Nelson , a stranger is here ! ”
Genevieve was busy cooking in the cafeteria . As soon as she heard the kids calling out , she put down her knife , and Jonathan had already come inside .
He stood in the doorway , sunlight shining over his broad shoulders , casting half his face in shadow .
“ You’re Jennifer’s- ” Genevieve muttered to herself .
Jonathan took a few steps closer , and she said , “ I was mistaken . You’re not Jennifer’s husband . ”
Jonathan looked at Genevieve – her white hair was neat , her face full of wrinkles , but her eyes were sharp and lively . She looked a lot like Fiona from the
photo .
Jonathan gave a small bow . “ I’m Donald’s cousin . My name’s Jonathan . ”
Genevieve nodded . “ Who told you about this place? Are you here to see me , or someone else ? ”
Before Jonathan could answer , a bunch of kids poked their heads in behind him , all saying they were hungry .
Jonathan rolled up his sleeves . “ Let me help you with that , ” he said .
Genevieve looked at him , thinking he looked like someone who’d never done housework in his life . She smiled , doubting he could cook , but to her surprise , she was wrong . Jonathan chopped the carrots quickly and neatly , very at ease .
“ Do you cook for all these kids by yourself ? ” he asked .
“ Yeah , ” Genevieve replied .
Jonathan helped her knead the dough , asking casually , “ Are you from here ? ”
“ Not really , ” she said .
“ No family ? What about your own kids ? ” Jonathan asked gently .
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Genevieve paused . She sighed , then smiled warmly . “ All the kids here are
my children . ”
When the food was ready , Jonathan looked over the simple dishes — not even a piece of meat . The kids ate their bread and veggies happily .
“ This is for you , ” Genevieve said , handing Jonathan a plate filled with cabbage .
“ You must be hungry too . Thanks for helping me cook today , ” she added .
“ You’re too kind , ” Jonathan said .
Only then did Genevieve ask , “ You still haven’t told me . What exactly brings you out here ? ”
Jonathan put down his fork . “ I’m looking for someone , ” he said .
“ Who ? ”
Genevieve looked around at the kids eating . “ Don’t tell me you’re the dad of one of these kids ? ”
Jonathan shook his head slightly . “ I’m here to find Fiona . ”
The fork slipped from Genevieve’s hands . She looked at Jonathan , her eyes cautious and guarded . “ Who are you ? ”
Jonathan took out an old photo and gave it to her . “ This is Fiona – the person I’m looking for . Do you know her ? ”
Genevieve just looked at the photo and said coolly , “ I don’t know her . What’s your connection to the person in the picture ? ”
“ That’s my grandma , ” Jonathan replied .
Genevieve took a deep breath . “ That can’t be . Her kid died a long time ago . ”
Jonathan narrowed his eyes slightly . “ How do you know her child is gone ? Are you Fiona ? ”
Genevieve was silent for a couple of seconds . “ You answer me first , then I’ll answer you . ”
Even though she was old , her mind was sharp as ever . Compared to Gordon , who was losing his memory , Genevieve seemed like she belonged to a different time . Jonathan told her everything he knew about Fiona .
Back then , Fiona was thrown out and schemed against by Gordon’s mistress . Gordon , believing his mistress’s lies , thought Fiona had cheated on him and ignored her – even though she was pregnant with twin daughters .
Later , his mistress paid off the doctor and tricked Fiona into thinking both her babies had died . After Fiona disappeared , the mistress confessed the truth on her deathbed .
By then , Gordon realized he had misunderstood his wife , but Fiona had already left a letter and gone without a trace .
Gordon never believed his wife had taken her own life . He spent years searching for her . When he turned sixty , he got dementia . His memory faded , a he forgot almost everyone , but he still kept talking about finding Fiona every day .
Jonathan said , “ At Donald and Jennifer’s wedding , my grandpa saw Jennifer wearing a bracelet and went crazy , insisting it was my grandmother’s .
“ Everyone got scared . After asking around , I found / out you were the one who gave Jennifer that bracelet . That’s why I drove all the way here from Nareigh . ”
Genevieve listened quietly for a long time and said , “ Gordon has dementia now and is unconscious ? ”
Jonathan said , “ His health is really bad . He probably doesn’t have much time left . His only regret is not finding my grandmother before he goes . ”
“ I’m not your grandmother , ” Genevieve said , turning her back to him . “ I’ll give you an address and a phone number . Go find Fiona .
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Jonathan frowned , struggling to accept that the woman in front of him wasn’t his grandma after all . Genevieve wrote down an address and a number for him , then , with tears in her eyes , waved him away .
“ I’ll get you some food for the road , ” Genevieve offered .
“ No need , ” Jonathan replied .
“ Take it . Drive slowly – the roads here are rough . Go find Fiona , and please , don’t come looking for me again .” Genevieve gave him a long look before turning away .