billion book
Chapter 313
Chapter 313
It took a moment for Roxanne to digest the brutal truth. Life, as she now realized, was trivial in all
aspects but birth and death. All grievances faded into insignificance against the stark backdrop of
mortality.
Chloe, sensing Roxanne's prolonged silence, dialed her number, her voice laced with concern. “Anne,
are you alright?”
Roxanne’s voice was thick with unshed tears. “I’m fine, Chloe. Thanks for looking after Angela today. I'll
pick her up tomorrow.”
Chloe’s heart ached for her friend. “Don’t worry about it. Angela can stay with me as long as you need.
Just focus on Vincent. Fiona’s here to help, okay? We’ve got Angela covered.”
Roxanne suppressed her swirling emotions. “I just want Angela to be with Vincent. He’s old and the last
thing he needs is this kind of heartbreak. Besides, Angela is his only grandchild. It’s just, it’s just so
hard.”
After a pause, Chloe hesitantly asked, “Roxanne, we’ve all seen the news updates about the suspected
plane crash. Do you have any insider info from the airline?”
Roxanne sighed deeply, a sound heavy with sorrow. Chloe knew then that she shouldn’t have brought
it up, not wanting to add to Roxanne's pain.
The next day, Vincent returned from the hospital to the family estate. In just a day, he seemed to have
aged a decade. Previously a spry man in his seventies now looked every bit of his years.
Angela, still unaware of her father's fate, sensed something was amiss. The adults were unusually
quiet, especially Grandpa. Being the intuitive child she was, she tried to cheer him up, fetching fruit and
tea with the earnestness of a caring granddaughter.
She carefully carried a cup of colorful, flower-infused tea to her grandfather, a tea she had made with
cold water in her innocence, unaware that hot water was needed to steep the flavors.
The water in the cup spilled all over her because she was not walking very steadily.
“Grandpa, have some tea,” she offered, her tiny hands shaking, spilling droplets onto her clothes. But it
didn’t matter to her; it was the act of caring that counted.
Vincent’s grief was interrupted by Angela's tender gesture, and he hugged her, tears spilling down his
cheeks.
Angela reached out her chubby little hands, wiping away the tears on his face. “Grandpa, don't cry. I’ll
give you the lollipop I hid secretly. If you eat it, you won't cry anymore, okay?' The adorable kid took out
a lollipop from the bag and handed it to Grandpa. 'Shh, don't tell Mommy, okay? Mommy doesn't allow
me to eat lollipops. She says they'll make holes in my teeth if I eat them.”
Such a cute child!
How could she suddenly lose her dad?
Angela, unfazed by the saltiness of Vincent’s tears, kissed his cheeks repeatedly, hoping to stop his
crying just like her mother did for her.
The sight of their interaction brought a bittersweet smile to Roxanne’s face, as she brought over a
properly steeped tea. “Vincent, I made you some lavender tea to help you sleep. Angela can stay with
you tonight.”
Angela, proud of her own tea-making attempt, pointed to the cup she had brought earlier. Roxanne
praised her daughter’s efforts, despite knowing it was her specialty to make tea with cold water.
Vincent, cradling Angela, could only think of the cruel twist of fate that had taken his son away.
Roxanne, watching the tender scene before her, was filled with regret for not cherishing every moment
with Harrison.
"Roxanne," Vincent said, guilt and sorrow in his eyes, "I'm sorry for pushing you and Harrison together.
It was supposed to be for you to be taken good care of, and now I fear you may never find happiness
without him."
Roxanne shook her head, “Vincent, I’d never regret knowing Harrison. Given another chance, I’d
cherish him and never let small arguments come between us. The past can’t be changed, but I’ll
always hold onto our memories.”
In the quiet estate, as the sun began to set, the realization dawned upon them that the true essence of Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.
life was the health and happiness of loved ones. Everything else was just passing clouds.
Roxanne's sole prayer was that Harrison hadn't boarded that flight, that he was safe, that he could
stand before her, whole and unharmed.
But that was impossible.
The plane had been missing over the ocean airspace for more than twenty hours, likely plummeted into
the watery depths, leaving not even a scrap of wreckage behind.
The chance of finding survivors was next to none.
"I really shouldn't have picked that fight with him," she sobbed, her tears uncontrollable.
"Roxanne, I'm sorry to force you to bare your soul like this." A voice, heavy with guilt yet tinged with an
uncertain authenticity, reached both Vincent and Roxanne's ears.
They turned towards the source and there, defying all odds, stood Harrison, very much alive.