Chapter 171
Ava, who had overheard the conversation, let out a heavy sigh, "I really don't like Henry. How did you ever fall for him?"
Victoria was silent for a moment.
She lowered her eyes and softly said, "Grandma, do you believe in love at first sight?"
Ava's face lit up with a nostalgic smile, "Of course I do!
Your grandpa and I fell in love the moment we laid eyes on each other.
Back then, society wasn't as open as it is now.
I snuck out to play and bumped into him.
He was so handsome, and before we knew it, we were inseparable.
There were a lot of twists and turns along the way, but thankfully, we got married and lived happily. "
Her eyes shimmered with both fondness and regret as she spoke about her youth, "Your grandpa didn't keep his promise, though. He said he'd leave this world after me, but he went first. I was devastated and couldn't accept it for the longest time."
Victoria smiled gently, "Do you remember the time I went out to buy something and came back in a daze? I was in trouble that day, and Henry suddenly appeared out of nowhere and saved me."
"Oh, a knight in shining armor. It's hard not to fall in love in a moment like that," Ava remarked with an approving nod.
Victoria sighed, "After that, I used to go and meet him all the time. But during that time, I was allergic to a certain fragrance, and my face broke out in terrible acne. Every time I went to see him, I wore a mask. I was too embarrassed to confess my feelings because of how I looked."
Ava burst into laughter. "I remember! You didn't just have pimples. Your face was puffed up like a pig! Catching sight of you with that face was the best part of my mornings back in the day."
Victoria blinked, speechless.
She thought, "It's really hard to imagine these words coming from a sweet old lady who's nearly 80."
"Alright, I'll stop laughing. Don't give me that look," Ava said, her smile vanishing the moment their eyes locked.
Victoria continued, "Later, I found out his true identity, and then I was taken back to the Hardwick family. And you know the rest......"
She had believed it to be the dawn of joy, but little did she know it was guiding her directly into a cold grave.
"Who hasn't made mistakes when they were young?
" Ava said casually, her eyes reflecting the wisdom that only came after a lifetime of ups and downs.
"Silly girl, don't waste your energy on regrets.
You're still young, and you have the luxury of choice.
Think of it as a chapter you had to live through.
You were destined to fall in love with him once, but now, you understand that the love is gone. "
Victoria was momentarily taken aback, but as she gazed into Ava's smiling eyes, her worries began to melt away.
She thought, "What's the point of regretting something I've already lived through? If I realize I've made a mistake, the best thing to do is to cut my losses and move on. No wonder everyone says Grandma's the wisest in the family!"
Victoria let out a deep sigh, "I should have come to you for advice a long time ago."
Ava snorted, "Who knew you'd be so stubborn? You said you wouldn't contact me, and you really didn't. I shouldn't have let you into my ward earlier. I should've made you cry outside!"
Victoria grinned and threw her arms around Ava, playing the spoiled child. "It's too late for that now. Not only did I come in, but I also held onto you tightly and refused to let go. You can't get rid of me now, even if you try!"
By the time Jude exited the science and technology exhibition, the sky had donned a cloak of grey. No sooner had he settled into his car than the heavens unleashed their burden, sending rain cascading down in relentless torrents.
He was far from pleased, yet he held onto the understanding that pressuring his father was futile. The more he pushed to see his mother, the less likely his father was to consent. He couldn't pinpoint why, but his gut feeling had never led him astray!
As Henry slid into the car, Jude asked, "Dad, do we have anything else on the agenda for tomorrow?"
Henry was engrossed in his tablet, skimming through emails from his special assistant. He checked each one methodically.
"No."
Jude tried to suppress his excitement even though his eyes lit up. "Dad, could we go visit great–grandmother tomorrow?"
Henry's fingers paused on the screen, and he shot Jude a cold stare. "You want to go, right?"
"Don't you want to go?" Jude retorted. "I've had a video chat with her, and she seems really sweet, gentle, and kind, just like Mom.
I really want to meet her, Dad. You should come, too.
Mom's upset and doesn't want to see you, but if you win over great–grandmother and get her on your side, Mom might change her mind about you. "
Jude, though nervous, stood his ground. "Dad, Mom has gotten her memory back, but she still wants to leave you.
At first, I wondered why Mom didn't want me.
I thought about it and realized I hadn't been a good son.
Mom was always so good to me, but I didn't treat her well, and that's why she left.
I'm trying to fix it now. I'm trying to be good to her, and she's being gentle with me again. "
His eyes sparkled with hope. "Dad, if you try to be nice to Mom, she'll be gentle with you again, too, just like before!"
Henry scoffed, a cold sneer curling his lips, "Do you think I treat her badly? I bestowed upon her a title of nobility and a life swathed in luxury. She has the freedom to do as she pleases. Isn't that sufficient?"
Jude's brows knitted together in a slight frown, and in those moments of icy contemplation, his resemblance to Henry was strikingly uncanny.
Each time Henry caught sight of Jude in such a state, it was like peering into a mirror that reflected his own childhood visage.
"You're wrong," Jude said after a moment of contemplation, shaking his head.
"Dad, I think you've got it wrong. Mom doesn't need the title of your wife to command respect from everyone.
She's an incredible photographer. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself, with or without you.
She doesn't require you to give her a life of luxury. "