Chapter 99

Aurora stayed by her grandmother’s bedside, refusing to leave for even a moment.
Grandma Grace regained consciousness quickly. Jordan arrived soon after, his wife and daughter in tow.
It didn’t take long for Jordan to bring up Samuel being taken away by the police. He immediately started blaming Aurora, saying she shouldn’t have called the cops, and then turned on Grandma Grace, complaining she was always partial to Aurora and had spoiled her into a reckless, unruly adult.
Grandma Grace shot him a glare, her tone sharp. “You and your wife dote on your two children, but Aurora? You never cared about her. So what if I’m a little biased? Someone had to look out for her.”
Fiona’s face tightened with annoyance. She shot Aurora a venomous look before speaking in a voice dripping with sarcasm.
“Oh, she’s perfectly capable. She never needed us to get involved.”
“And yet, she can’t even handle her own problems at work. Instead, she blames Samuel for everything.” Follow current novels on ~net
In Fiona’s mind, her son could do no wrong.
“And anyway, we’re family. Since when does a sister send her own brother to
prison? What would people think if they heard about this? It’s an embarrassment.”
“Are you finished?” Aurora cut her off, her eyes cold. “Do you not realize Grandma’s health can’t handle all this stress at her age?”
Fiona’s expression darkened. “Is that any way to speak to your elders?”
Aurora shot back, “And what makes you an elder to me?”
“I’m your mother,” Fiona snapped.
“Really? Since when? Did you ever actually raise me? What right do you have to call yourself my mother?”
Truth be told, Aurora had never felt much affection for the Quinn family, and Fiona had always made things harder for Grandma Grace. Now, with Grandma barely awake, they couldn’t even let her rest before starting in about Samuel.
Aurora had reached her limit.
“Did you really think you could just throw some money my way and call that raising a child?”
Raising a child takes heart and effort things money can’t buy.
Besides, she’d grown up healthy and strong thanks to Grandma Grace’s care. Fiona had nothing to do with it.
She didn’t have the right to act superior or demand Aurora’s respect.
Fiona’s face blanched with fury, her chest heaving. “Aurora, you ungrateful brat! If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I’d have pretended I never had a daughter.”
“Enough.” Grandma Grace’s voice was firm, protective as she squeezed Aurora’s hand. “How can you say such things to your own child?”
Aurora barely reacted. She’d heard it all before.
Eleanor, her voice trembling, pleaded, “Grandma, if you and Aurora have a problem, take it out on me. Please, don’t let Samuel go to jail.”
Grandma Grace shot her a scathing look. “You’re no better than your brother.”
Jordan pressed his hand to his forehead in frustration. “Mom, Samuel’s your grandson—the only boy in the family. Are you honestly willing to see him behind bars?”
“If he broke the law, he needs to answer for it. He’s a man-shouldn’t he have the spine to take responsibility?” Grandma Grace’s voice was clear and uncompromising. She cared about what was right, not about gender.
She’d made up her mind to support Aurora this time.
Last time, she’d let Aurora down. She wouldn’t repeat that mistake.
Jordan’s face turned ashen. “I see how it is. You all just want this family to fall apart.”
“I work myself to the bone out there, and you just sit at home enjoying the easy life-”
“Who are you calling lazy?” Grandma Grace’s anger flared.
Her husband had died young, and for twenty years she’d held the family together, struggling every day to make ends meet. Now her own son was accusing her of idleness-she felt hurt and betrayed.
“You fail to raise your children right, they mess up, and somehow it’s my fault?”
Jordan had always been proud of Samuel and Eleanor-good-looking, well- mannered, always praised by others. But Grandma Grace had never seemed impressed.
He lashed out, voice thick with sarcasm. “Oh, you did a great job, all right-raising someone who has no respect for her elders or her own siblings. Truly impressive, Mom.”