2024-09-10 08:20:13Shock rippled through the room as they heard the voice. A guest of the Washington family? Eyes turned to Tedmond, widening in disbelief.
To be a guest of the Washington family meant that Tedmond was a big shot or potentially related to them. Even some of the Washingtons' relatives had tried to get in but were always denied entrance.
How could someone like Tedmond be allowed?
“Are you sure it’s the right person?” Gregory questioned. Despite shivering, he couldn’t help but ask.
“How dare you ask me that?” the person on the other end bellowed. “If I lose my job, you're going to regret it! You’d better let that fellow into the ward, or else!”
Gregory was taken aback by the mention of his boss losing his job. As the call ended, he hurriedly bowed to Tedmond, terrified that he might lose the position he had worked so hard for.
“I’m sorry for not recognizing you, sir,” he apologized. “I’ll walk you to the room,” he added, raising his head to look at Tedmond. “Let’s get—”
“No need,” Tedmond cut him off, disgusted by how quickly Gregory had changed his attitude once he realized Tedmond was a guest. “I can find it myself, just like I intended to do before.”
The phone call had confirmed that everything was real, but Tedmond still needed an explanation for all this.
“Sir!” Gregory called out, but Tedmond ignored him and walked off to find the ward.
The women were equally stunned, unable to speak. They just watched Tedmond leave, clinging to the thin hope that they wouldn’t get fired.
Minutes later, Tedmond’s eyes lingered on the sign above the ward that read Room 509. The door was slightly open, and he could see the window but not the hospital bed. He hesitated, wondering if it was right to enter without knocking.
“You’re here,” a familiar voice said.
Tedmond’s head snapped down to see the little girl he had saved earlier peering up at him. She had changed into different clothes and was holding a teddy bear in her hand.
“My grandpa wants to see you before he…” she trailed off softly. “You have to come in quickly.”
Tedmond nodded and followed her into the ward. The first thing that greeted him was the stare of a middle-aged man in glasses and a frail old man lying on the hospital bed.
“Hello,” Tedmond said, swallowing hard. He had no idea what else to say. “I got a call from you and noticed my account had been credited, and you mentioned I’m the heir of the Washington family. What’s going on?”
The man in glasses bowed slightly. “I’m Thomas, the Washington family’s butler. You’ll get your answers soon.” Gesturing to the old man on the bed, he sighed. “This is Mr. Jeffrey Washington, the head of the family.”
Tedmond stepped closer until he could see the old man clearly, the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“Hello, Mr. Washington,” Tedmond said politely, controlling his curiosity.
Jeffrey didn’t look well, as if he was about to take his final breath, just as his granddaughter had hinted earlier. Tedmond realized the girl was indeed the Washington family’s granddaughter.
Jeffrey managed a smile. “Ted…” he called weakly. “I’ve finally found my heir. Welcome back, grandson.”
“What’s going on?” Tedmond asked, shooting Thomas a questioning look. “Why is he calling me his grandson?”
His question went unanswered as the life support machine began beeping, and the room filled with tension. The beeping quickened, and Tedmond froze. Thomas immediately sprang into action, pressing a button by the bedside.
“We need a doctor! Now!” Thomas shouted, his voice steady but urgent.
A nurse rushed in moments later, her expression shifting to concern as she assessed the situation. “His condition’s worsening,” she muttered, checking the machines. “We need to stabilize him.”
“Where’s the doctor?” Tedmond asked, glancing between Thomas and the nurse. He felt the weight of the situation crashing down on him—he had no idea what was happening, but it seemed he was now part of something much larger than he had ever expected.
“Dr. Howard is on his way,” the nurse replied quickly, turning back to the patient and adjusting the machines.
Jeffrey’s breathing grew more labored, and the little girl clutched her teddy bear tighter, standing silently by her grandfather's side, her eyes filled with worry.
Moments later, a tall man in a white coat stormed into the room. “Step aside!” he ordered, moving swiftly to the bedside. His hands flew over the equipment, exchanging rapid words with the nurse.
Tedmond stood helpless, watching as the doctor and nurse worked to stabilize Jeffrey. Every second felt like an eternity, and the feeling building in his chest intensified.
Jeffrey’s breathing became increasingly shallow, and the beeping from the machine slowed. Dr. Howard glanced at the nurse, and they exchanged a look that told Tedmond all he needed to know.
Despite their best efforts, it was too late.
The doctor shook his head, his face grim as he checked the old man’s pulse one last time. The room fell silent, except for the soft whimpering of the little girl clutching her grandfather’s hand.
“I’m sorry,” Dr. Howard finally said, his voice low. “He’s gone.”
Tedmond stood there, disbelief washing over him. The man who had just called him his grandson—who had somehow linked him to this mysterious fortune—was now dead.
The little girl let out a soft sob, and Thomas closed his eyes, his expression unreadable as he whispered, “Rest in peace, Mr. Washington.”
Tedmond, unsure of what to feel, watched as the nurse gently covered the old man’s body with a sheet. It was surreal—a few minutes ago, Jeffrey Washington had been calling him “grandson,” and now he was gone. The answers Tedmond had hoped for had died with him.
“What now?” Tedmond whispered, his voice barely audible.
Thomas, though visibly shaken, straightened and turned toward Tedmond. “Mr. Washington made his decision before he passed. You are now the heir to the Washington family’s legacy, Tedmond. It’s up to you to carry it forward.”
Tedmond stared at him in shock, the weight of those words crashing down on him. How could this be happening? Just hours ago, he had nothing—and now he was the heir to a family he didn’t even know.
“What… what does that even mean?” Tedmond stammered, the enormity of the situation closing in on him.
“It means,” Thomas replied solemnly, “that everything Mr. Washington owned now belongs to you. The fortune, the businesses, the responsibilities—it’s all yours.”
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CHAPTER 750
A week had passed, and Millicent had mastered the art of being a ghost. She had calculated every movement, every breath, to ensure her path never crossed with Harold’s. She volunteered for the most grueling shifts in the laundry room, where the steam was so thick it acted as a veil, and she stayed tucked in the corner of the kitchen, peeling vegetables until her fingers were raw.As long as she was surrounded by the other staff and the clatter of copper pots, she felt a sliver of safety. But the walls of Griffin Manor were beginning to feel like they were closing in."Mill! Grab the list. We’re heading to the market," Martha called out, jingling the van keys.Millicent’s heart did a nervous skip. Going out was a double-edged sword. It meant a few hours away from Harold’s heavy, searching gaze, but it also meant being under the watchful eye of Martha, a woman who had been with the Griffins for twenty years and saw everything.As they drove into the city, Millicent stared out the wi
CHAPTER 749
The first thing Millicent felt was the vibration: a low, rhythmic hum that rattled her bones and made the pounding in her head flare into a blinding white heat.She opened her eyes and realized she was back in the basement. The furnace was roaring nearby, casting a flickering orange light against the stone walls. She was lying on her cot, still dressed in her maid’s uniform, but her shoes had been removed.Then she saw them.Stacked neatly on the wooden chair beside her bed were the shopping bags from the boutique. The emerald silk peaked out from the top, a silent, shimmering witness to the horror of the afternoon.The memory hit her like a physical blow: the screeching tires, the reckless speed, the cold threat in Harold’s eyes, and finally, the weight of his mouth against hers while she was too weak to fight.Millicent bolted upright, her stomach rolling. She barely made it to the small utility sink in the corner of the room before she was doubled over, retching. Her stomach co
CHAPTER 748
Seeing the look on Harold’s face, Millicent flinched."Don't you dare take that tone with me!" he hissed. His voice echoed through the quiet boutique as the shop assistants tactfully vanished into the back rooms. "I pulled you out of the dirt! You were fighting animals for bread, Mill! You would be dead if it weren't for me. You think you’re too good for me? You’re a nameless stray in a maid’s uniform!"He grabbed her arm, his fingers digging into her skin like talons. "I gave you a life, and I can take it away just as easily. Now, take the bags and get in the car. Not another word."Millicent stumbled toward the sedan, her vision blurred by hot, stinging tears. The warmth of Griffin Manor was gone. She realized then that she hadn't been rescued; she had simply been collected.**The air inside the car felt like it was thickening, turning into a suffocating fog of fear and betrayal. Millicent gripped the edge of her seat, her knuckles white. She looked at the man beside her, the
CHAPTER 747
When Millicent was led down to the basement, she didn't complain. To her, the room was a palace. As the heat radiated through the brick walls, she let out a long, shaky sigh of relief. It was warm, so much warmer than the oil-slicked highway or the freezing marsh. She curled up on the small cot that night, feeling safe for the first time since her world had turned to static.The days turned into weeks. Millicent became an indispensable ghost within Griffin Manor: efficient, silent, and surprisingly talented. When the head cook fell ill one afternoon, Millicent stepped in to finish the dinner."Where did you learn to cook like this?" Evelyn asked, actually finishing her plate."I don't know, Madam," Millicent replied with a small smile. "My hands just seemed to know what to do."But as the months passed, the atmosphere began to shift. Harold’s presence became more frequent in the rooms she was cleaning. He would appear in the library while she was dusting, his gaze heavy and un
CHAPTER 746
Standing just a few feet away, looking awkward and filthy against the backdrop of a thousand-dollar Persian rug, was Millicent. Evelyn’s smile didn’t just fade; it vanished, replaced by an icy mask of suspicion. She pulled her silk robe tighter, her eyes raking over Millicent’s matted hair and dirt-streaked skin with visible loathing."Harold," Evelyn demanded, her voice dropping an octave, "who, or what… is this? And why is it standing in our foyer?"Harold cleared his throat, his hand remaining protectively near Millicent’s shoulder. "She was wandering near the highway, Evelyn. I found her in a state no human being should endure. Since you’ve been complaining for weeks about the incompetence of the domestic staff, I thought I’d bring her back to fill the vacancy."He gestured between the two women. "Evelyn, this is Mill. Mill, this is my wife, Evelyn Griffin."Evelyn didn’t move. "A maid? Harold, she looks like she crawled out of a swamp. We have standards. We can’t just pick up
CHAPTER 745
Millicent’s mind screamed: Run! Danger!The memory of the man in the sedan was still scorched into her brain. She hit the cold brick of the grocery store wall, clutching the moldy bread like a treasure."No," she rasped, her voice cracking. "Go away."Harold didn't move. He simply stood there, his presence like a sturdy oak in a storm. "The animals will be back the moment I leave," he said gently. "And that bread will make you sicker than the hunger will."He saw her eyes darting toward the street, searching for an exit. "I have a daughter about your age," Harold said, a lie to settle her nerves. "I wouldn't want her eating from a bin. Just one meal, little one. If you want to leave after that, I will drive you wherever you want to go. My word as a gentleman."Something about that word, gentleman, felt like it belonged to the world she had forgotten. She looked at his hand again. It was clean, the nails trimmed, the skin unmarred. Slowly, she let the moldy bread drop into the dir
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