Chapter 1296:
Karen stared at her, unsure what to make of it. Why did her mother suddenly show concern for her grandfather? Was this for real? Ever since Gerald handed the company over to Wesley and stopped funding the residents of Plum Mansion, Zoie had done nothing but complain about him. This was the first time her words had sounded anything close to sympathetic.
Karen couldn’t fathom what her mother was getting at. “I often visit Grandpa to keep him company.”
Zoie blinked. “Still, Hillside Manor is enormous. It’s too quiet. That house needs people in it. It feels like a shell now.”
Karen, still unsure, couldn’t figure out where her mother was going with this.
Zoie didn’t bother easing into it. “If we all moved into Hillside Manor, that place wouldn’t feel so cold. Your father and I could look after your grandfather properly. Don’t you agree?”
Karen didn’t hesitate. “But Grandpa doesn’t want you and Dad there.”
Zoie gently slipped her arm through Karen’s, her voice quieter now. “That may have been true before. But things can change. With you in the picture—if you’re willing to help—we could move in together as a family. Don’t you want to see your dad and grandfather finally getting along and sharing a peaceful home?”
Karen did want that. More than anything. But she knew how firmly her grandfather held to his ways. When he dug in his heels, no one could move him. The thought of bridging the rift between him and her parents seemed more like a fantasy than a real possibility.
Still, buried beneath her doubt, Karen clung to a flicker of hope. “So what are you thinking?”
Zoie had been waiting for this moment, and without hesitation, she took out a bottle she had prepared earlier. Smiling softly, she said, “Give this to your grandfather and then lead him outside.”
Karen looked at the small white bottle with suspicion. “What is this?” she asked, turning it over in her hand. It looked like medicine of some sort, and with Gerald’s health already shaky, she wasn’t comfortable giving him something without knowing exactly what it was.
Karen carefully poured a bit into her palm and examined it. “Mom, are you sure this is safe?”
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“It’s just something to help him sleep for a little while,” Zoie explained. “It’s not dangerous. Slip it to him when you get a chance, and then bring him to the gate. Your dad and I will make up a reason to visit Hillside Manor and ‘happen’ to be there to save him. After that, he won’t turn us away anymore.”
Karen bit her lip, unsure, and stayed silent. She did want her family back together, but this plan just didn’t sit right with her. Her grandfather had always been kind to her. Giving him something to knock him out felt wrong—like she was betraying his trust.
Seeing her daughter’s hesitation, Zoie’s eyes welled up with tears. She spoke, her voice full of emotion. “Karen, your grandpa isn’t in good shape. Do you really want him to pass away with regrets? I’m doing this for all of us.” Her tears seemed real; her face was full of worry. “Gerald misunderstood me. Don’t you trust me, Karen? When have I ever lied to you? After consuming this, he’ll only sleep for a bit, and once that’s over, we can live together again. Your dad and I will take care of him—every single day.”
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