Free Web NovelChapter 299: Chapter 299: A Six-Year Dream
"Vincent Grant?"
Sophia Shaw had never considered that possibility.
Young Master Croft, who had been about to leave, froze mid-step.
’The money came from Vincent Grant?’
’So my old man sent me over here just to get something for nothing?’
Young Master Croft’s heart instantly shattered into a million pieces.
Before Sophia Shaw could respond to Levin Sawyer, the door was slammed open with a BANG.
Young Master Croft shot in like a cannonball, snatched the check from the table, and declared, "I’ll have my dad replace it!" freewёbnoνel.com
Before Sophia Shaw and Levin Sawyer could react, he vanished again like a cannonball.
Sophia Shaw: "..."
Levin Sawyer: "..."
"Faye," Levin Sawyer said as another thought suddenly occurred to him. He was just about to speak.
Sophia Shaw’s phone rang.
It was Yancy Shaw.
"Bun and Chloe are turning one soon. Your grandma has spoken—she wants a big celebration, a lively party for the whole family. Faye, you don’t have any objections, do you?"
"Of course not."
Her grandmother had a hard life, and Sophia Shaw couldn’t bear to go against her wishes.
Besides, Bun’s first birthday was a major event, and she wanted to celebrate it properly too.
"Great. I’ve set the date for tomorrow. You don’t have to prepare anything, just bring Bun."
"You got it."
Even though Yancy Shaw had arranged everything, Sophia Shaw still decided to take Bun shopping for a few new outfits and to get birthday presents for the two little ones.
After hanging up, she said to Levin Sawyer, "Sorry, Senior Brother, I have to skip out of work today. See you."
Levin Sawyer watched Sophia Shaw’s rapidly retreating figure and ran a hand through his dark hair.
He had something important to tell her.
’Oh well,’ he thought. ’Bun’s birthday is more important.’
The next day, Sophia Shaw arrived at the birthday party venue with a newly dressed-up Bun.
Yancy Shaw had chosen a five-star hotel with a magnificent view for the party.
Despite the hasty preparations, an incredibly heartwarming scene had been set up on the hotel’s lush green lawn, adorned with lots of photos of Chloe and Bun.
Bun was wearing a puffy pink dress, and because of the cold, Sophia Shaw had put a small padded jacket on her underneath.
She looked just like a roly-poly little doll, indescribably pink, tender, and cute.
With her hair in two little pigtails, she grinned at a photo of herself, babbling nonstop.
The little one’s language skills were developing quickly; she could already say some simple sentences.
She wasn’t the least bit shy about greeting everyone who passed by, pointing at her own picture and shouting, "Pwetty, pwetty pwincess, pwincess pwetty."
Faced with such a confident little social butterfly, Sophia Shaw was truly speechless.
Sophia Shaw had thought the celebration would be small, so she was a little startled when she saw the numerous cars parked outside and the people streaming into the five-star hotel.
"Faye."
June Evans came over to greet them warmly, holding Chloe in her arms.
It had been a while, and Chloe had grown much taller. Dressed in a little shirt and suit with a red bow tie, he was as handsome as a little prince.
He nestled quietly in June Evans’s arms, and only when he saw Bun did a smile blossom on his handsome, aloof little face.
"Auntie," Sophia Shaw said, walking inside with June Evans. "Why are there so many people invited?"
June Evans laughed. "Invited? They all came without an invitation."
"Our family has a rocket genius now. Everyone is practically beating down our door."
Pride was evident in June Evans’s eyes and at the corners of her smile.
The things she regretted least in her life were marrying Yancy Shaw and unconditionally accepting Sophia Shaw back then.
Then she sighed.
"It hasn’t even been that long. Nine months ago, at the kids’ 100-day celebration, we had to beg people to come, and they still wouldn’t show up. Our house was completely deserted."
To June Evans, everything from nine months ago felt like a dream.
Sophia Shaw said nothing.
For her, it was also like a dream.
A dream that had lasted six years.
"Alright, let’s not talk about unpleasant things. I’ll take you to see Grandma. She’s missed you so much."
The hotel had provided a private lounge for the host family, and Grandma was sitting inside.
She was surrounded by a circle of socialites and wealthy ladies.
June Evans shook her head helplessly. Knowing that Grandma preferred peace and quiet, she politely asked the women to leave.
The chatter from the socialites had given Grandma a headache, but she cheered up the moment she saw Sophia Shaw.
"Faye, Bun, you’re finally here."
The old woman took Sophia Shaw’s hand, stroking it over and over.
Then she reached out to stroke Bun.
Bun’s cheek was brushed by the lines on the old woman’s hand. She didn’t get upset; instead, she grabbed her hand and started babbling again.
Her little mouth sweetly called out, "Great-grandma."
"Oh, what a sweet talker." Grandma was pleasantly surprised that the one-year-old could greet her so clearly.
When Grandma smiled, Bun got even more excited, a jumble of words she knew and words she didn’t tumbling out of her mouth.
June Evans couldn’t stop laughing. "This little mouth of hers is noisier than that whole circle of socialites."
Grandma lovingly hugged the little one. "It’s alright, it’s alright. Great-grandma likes it."
"No matter how noisy my little great-granddaughter gets, Great-grandma will always love it."
Sophia Shaw was also at a loss for words over her chatty daughter. It didn’t seem to run in the family, and she had no idea where Bun had learned this skill.
Fortunately, Grandma liked it.
The group chatted for a while before Yancy Shaw came to get them.
He was wearing a suit. His graying hair hadn’t been permed or dyed, but a stylist had given him a very nice haircut.
Perhaps it was because good fortune lifts the spirits, but he looked at least ten years younger than usual.
No one dared to cause trouble for him anymore, and Yancy Shaw’s business was flourishing.
"Uncle," Sophia Shaw called out.
Yancy Shaw looked at his niece, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "I’ve heard about your recent projects. You’ve done an excellent job. Faye, you are the pride of the Shaw family, the pride of Cathan, and also..."
Yancy Shaw trailed off, his eyes turning red.
Sophia Shaw knew what he wanted to say.
If her mother, Brianna Shaw, were still alive, she would have been happier than anyone.
Fearing it would upset Grandma, the two of them never spoke of it aloud. But the discomfort over what had happened to her mother remained stuck in their chests, a heavy, suffocating weight.
"Let’s go out," Yancy Shaw said, changing the subject.
As they walked out, the atmosphere at the party had become somewhat delicate.
A large vehicle had pulled up outside at some point, and Joel Hale was unloading boxes from it one by one.
They were from Vincent Grant.
As in previous years, he had never been stingy when it came to the Shaw family’s events.
What was different this time was that he himself had come.
Vincent Grant arrived with Cedric Grant. The father and son were dressed in suits of the same color scheme, which created a clever contrast with the pink dress Bun was wearing. At a glance, they looked like a single family.
Sophia Shaw then suddenly remembered that after she had dressed Bun, she couldn’t resist posting a picture to her social media feed.
’So...’
"Grandma, Uncle, Auntie," Vincent Grant greeted them respectfully and politely.
Cedric Grant followed suit, calling, "Great-grandma, Great-uncle, Great-aunt."
The smiles on Yancy Shaw’s and June Evans’s faces faded considerably. Even Grandma’s expression turned subtle; she was clearly not as happy as before.
Yancy Shaw had already told Grandma about Sophia Shaw’s divorce, little by little, and Grandma had already accepted the outcome.
