7

Joseph turned healthy-looking once I was around in the ward. His face lit up.

"Amara! I'm glad you've come, Grandpa!"

I changed hats within a matter of seconds and sat respectfully alongside Joseph.

"How do you feel now, Grandpa? Any pain?"

"Yes, now that I get to see you, I am so much better!"

Joseph grasped my hand and inquired worriedly, "Amara, this punk informed me that you two are divorced. Is that true?"

"Yes, Grandpa. We are divorced." My eyelashes shook, and my heart was empty.

"Kalus, you fool! Why would you divorce such a fine wife?! Amara is the best there is!" Joseph fought to sit up, and he glared at Kalus.

Kalus feared his grandfather's health and dared not respond.

Grandfather, please don't be angry. I didn't wish to follow this marriage, and Kalus agreed, I said in a soothing voice to calm Joseph down, stroking the back of the old man.

This caught Kalus off guard because I didn't protest to his grandfather or bring out his grandfather to retaliate to him.

He thought, 'Was she trying to use a strange way of winning my heart and saving our marriage? Was she thinking that I would get attracted to her?'

"Amara, did your parents use to bully you at home? Was Zera harsh to you?" Joseph asked, distressed.

"No, Grandpa. Kalus and I are just differing in opinions. We don't love each other, so it is in our best interest that we separate ourselves.

My shining eyes could have held a little sadness. "Blame Kalus not. We have had three wonderful years of memories, and that is sufficient. I have no regrets."

Kalus scowled as the bouquet of emotions washed over him.

He couldn't recall that he had just one good memory with me. Even for their marriage they did not have a wedding. They made haste just for the marriage licence on insistence of Joseph. Then I stayed in Tideview Manor in a small trunk. That's it, I was his wife for three years.

Was I really having good memories with him? I must have said the same thing.

"Amara… Did I make a mistake?"

Joseph's eyes welled up with tears as he let out a sorrowful sigh. "I wanted you to be happy so much. That's why I kept insisting that the two of you marry. I didn't expect this punk to be so insolent! I'm so sorry… "

"Don't say that, Grandpa. All things happen for a reason. I've let the past go entirely."

I let go of 13 years of obsession. God alone knew how painful it was for me.

Kalus wanted to divorce me. If I continued nagging him, I would end up losing my pride. I didn't want to become a bitter woman in order to capture the heart of a man.

"Matt, get me the birthday present that I prepared for my granddaughter-in-law!"

Matt quickly pulled on some white gloves and retrieved an exquisite red velvet jewelry box.

He opened the box to reveal an exquisite emerald-green jade bracelet.

I was appraisals trained, so I could tell with a glance that this jade was an antique and over a hundred years old.

"Grandpa, isn't this Grandma's…?" Kalus was amazed at the bracelet.

"Oh yes, this is the bracelet I used to give to your grandmother when we first started dating. It is a heirloom that was passed from great-grandfather."

While Joseph was talking, he took the bracelet and checked it in the light. As he continued talking, his eyes softened when he said, "Your grandmother told me that this was her favorite jade bracelet from all her collection. She wished that I would give this bracelet to my beloved granddaughter-in-law. Now that your grandmother passed away, I wish to present this to my beloved girl, Amara. Only she should have this treasure.".

No, Grandpa! That is too expensive. Anyway, I am not Kalus's wife anymore." I panicked and declined.

"Although you and Kalus have already separated, you are the only granddaughter-in-law whom I will ever know!"

When Joseph saw my declination, he immediately pretended to get angry and shouted, "Fine. Since you don't want it, I'll break it!

No, no! I quickly caught Joseph's extended hand. My heart shook with fear. "I'll take it, Grandpa! Thank you."

"That's my girl!" Joseph fastened the bracelet on my wrist.

I had smooth and pale skin. The semi-transparent emerald-green gemstone highlighted my skin even more.

Kalus never paid attention to my hands. Now that he was looking at the bracelet, he saw that my skin was pale and tender. It wasn't dulled by the bracelet in any way. My hand really was lovely.

"Overlord, what did you give Amara for her birthday?" Joseph demanded angrily.

"Grandpa, Kalus gave me a memorable gift," I continued.

Kalus clenched his fists in secret and pressed his thin lips so tightly that they whitened.

On my birthday, he did give me a great "gift"—the divorce papers.

Kalus thought, 'Amara is really good at teasing me!'

"Amara, you and Kalus are really through? You two can't make up?" Joseph still wouldn't give up.

"Grandpa…" I gently grasped Joseph's wrinkled hand. "If you love me, you should support me and let me live the way I want."

"Sigh! Now that it has reached this point, there is nothing I can do. I only have one small request. Please wait until after my 80th birthday to finalize the divorce. It's only a minor delay…" Joseph made every effort to have me stick around because he was terribly reluctant to part with such a smart granddaughter-in-law.

"Grandpa, this is improper." Kalus scowled and was stern.

Why is it inappropriate? Is it only appropriate if you bring that Lydia girl over to me and force me to acknowledge her as my granddaughter-in-law at my 80th birthday party?! Lydia and Zera think that they can do whatever they want because they've got you and your father whipped! They can dream on!

Joseph was angry enough to pound the bed. "If you still respect me as your granddad and you want me to live for another two years, you'd better keep away from that bitch! I will never accept her as my granddaughter-in-law!"

Out in the passage, Lydia started pacing up and down nervously. She gripped her jaws and stamped on the floor viciously.

"Do not walk like that! I am getting dizziness just from watching you move."

Zera massaged her temples and shook her head. "You have to be more patient. You know Joseph doesn't like you. How long will he be able to make the decisions when he already has one foot in the grave? You just have to tolerate him for a little while and keep Kalus's heart.".

"Yeah, but if that old man doesn't pass away, I won't be able to marry Kalus because that old fart will never acknowledge me as a member of the Mike family!" Lydia immediately covered her mouth and glanced in all directions nervously when she caught herself having a slip of the tongue.

"Then, he also did not accept me, but what could he do? Finally, I still married Gregory."

Zera liked her just-done manicure. "Humans are emotional creatures. Kalus is his grandson, so as long as Kalus is persistent about you, you don't have to mind what that old man says."

Lydia thought over what her aunt had said and finally settled down.

Just then, the ward door opened.

Matt sent Kalus and me away.

Lydia quickly hid her scheming face and stepped forward, appearing demure.

She was astonished to see me with the jade bracelet on my wrist. She could not keep her eyes away from it, it was so lovely. It was prettier than the supposed family heirloom she was wearing now.

I did not have this bracelet with me when I came into the ward. Who could have bestowed this upon me if not that old man?

Lydia envied me that much that she could not even think properly. She came up with something unkind suddenly. She placed herself in front of me and performed a fake slip.

"Ah!"

Lydia was attempting to pretend as though she had slipped and tripped over me and then could jerk out my bracelet and break it.

But I narrowed my gaze and sidestepped Lydia tastefully, and so she got a hard landing on the ground.

There came a sudden sharp clink sound.

Lydia's bracelet had split into two parts.