Chapter  48

MICHAEL'S POV

The puzzled silence after those words shot out of Grandpa’s mouth remained; deep lines cut across my forehead.

I was trying to make sense of the whole sudden discovery.

How could they possibly know about Isabella?

Not a word about her or her family had slipped from my mouth when I last argued with them.

My eyes darted around the room, searching for answers in the faces of the others in the room, particularly that of my parents, who were also peering back at me with the same measure of curiosity as a bunch of strangers.

Grandfather stood directly in front of me, his gaze sharp and unflinching.

Dad leaned forward slightly, a deep frown creasing his forehead, while Mom’s eyes narrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line, a questioning mask.

Grandmother sat still beside Grandpa, her hands tightly clasped in her lap; she was folding and unfolding it.

“Why did you wait for so long, son?”

Grandpa’s voice came again, but it was a bit calmer this time; there was an ed