Graham grew silent. After a long minute, he sighed and asked, "You think I never should've married Rowena, don't you?"Jenny said nothing. Yes, she did feel that way. Graham shouldn't have married that woman even though he couldn't be with Jenny's mother. Couldn't he have waited until he had what it took to go back for her mother?If Graham's feelings for her mother weren't gone, why would he marry Rowena Glass and even have a child with her?"After your mother was taken away all those years ago, I decided to amass my power and get her back, but not without making sure you were settled somewhere safe. The former patriarch then urged me to marry, and Rowena offered her hand in marriage. I wanted to borrow her family's strength to secure ours, that's all. I never thought about having another child with her." He sighed again. "But I underestimated Rowena's ambition. She got me drunk and conceived my child without my consent, wanting to use that as a pawn against me. But I'm telling you
Alec was surprised to see Graham, too, but swiftly calmed down. "Mr. Walter," he greeted gently. Graham huffed. "You can stop the act."He didn't like Alec one bit, not only because of his restlessness with Jenny but also what he did to Jolene in Bardoff City. If it weren't for Jenny's sake, he would've taken action against Alec already.Alec wasn't upset with the man's attitude. "I have to be polite, sir. You're Jenny's father, after all."With that, he walked into the house and went straight to the kitchen. It wasn't his first time there. He knew his way around after countless times of cooking for Jenny.Seeing his familiarity, Graham was left speechless. It looked like his daughter had spent a lot of time with this man. "Didn't you say you two weren't together?" he asked Jenny. "Yeah." Jenny nodded. "We're not together.""Don't worry, sir. We're just friends." Alec said after poking his head out from the doorway.Just friends? Did they take him for a fool? What kind of fri
Jenny gauged Graham's expression, anxious for his response. "So now you know. What happened isn't Alec's fault. No one likes the idea of marrying a complete stranger or having it happen to them.""Then why does he like you now?" Graham huffed, still upset that Jenny was defending Alec. Jenny really didn't know how to answer that. After a long while, she said, "Fate, most likely."Graham just about choked on his own spit. "Fate? Misfortune, more like!" he thought. "Whatever it is, I still don't think you two are compatible," Graham insisted. Alec had many good aspects about him, but in the end, he still mistreated his daughter. That was something Graham couldn't forgive.Jenny hadn't intended to change his perspective, just tell him the truth. "You don't have to worry about me anymore. I can take care of myself." She had chosen her words carefully so Graham wouldn't get angry. "You should worry about Jolene instead. She's not a kid anymore. It's time you found a nice prospect f
Jenny said nothing, knowing Jolene would never agree to it, for now, at least. She believed she deserved better, like James, for example. Unfortunately for her, James didn't feel the same.Just then, Alec started placing the food on the table. Jenny got up to help him. "Rest a while. I'm gonna go help Alec."She had said her piece to Graham. All that could be done now was for the man to make a decision. Someone as intelligent as he was bound to come up with a win-win solution."It's alright," Alec said when Jenny entered the kitchen. "I can handle this myself. Go sit.""I've been sitting all day." Jenny quipped, taking the platter of brisket from Alec's hands. She set it on the table, then went back to the kitchen. Alec had already started making another dish."You don't need to make so much food. What if we can't finish it all?" Jenny was worried Alec might tire himself out. There were already five different courses on the table, and still, he wasn't stopping.She knew he wanted
Graham really didn't know how Alec could be so confident about it, but he didn't pursue things further. What happened to Alec was none of his business. All he had to do was persuade Jenny not to continue being with him lest she get in trouble.But Jenny didn't mind. She asked curiously, "The family business has started stagnating too, right?"Graham frowned. He didn't like where this was going."Why don't you consider buying over the Glass' business?" Jenny suggested.If that happened, Alec wouldn't have to worry about being troubled by them, nor would Rowena be a threat to Jenny any longer.Graham shook his head. "Things aren't that simple, Jenny. The Glass family is one of the Ten Elites in Bardoff City. Our family isn't capable of taking them on."They might even get themselves in serious trouble."What if you work together with Alec? If you need further help, the Windsors can step in too. I'm sure they'd be interested in his venture." The fall of the Glass family only meant
They did not stop embracing until footsteps sounded from behind them. Seeing Alec still in the hallway, Graham frowned. "What are you still doing here?""I'm just about to leave." Alec nodded slightly and smiled at Jenny before taking out his house keys and unlocking the condo across from Jenny's."Goodnight," he greeted the father and daughter, then went inside.Jenny turned to go back into her place when she noticed how grumpy her father looked. "Are…you okay?""He lives here?" Graham asked sternly. Why else would the heir to Parrington's top family be living there except to stay close to his daughter? Graham fumed at the thought.Jenny hurriedly explained, "He's lived here long before I have."She was telling the truth too. Alec had lived in the neighboring apartment even during the two years of their marriage.Graham snorted. "She's defending him again," he thought."Alright, why don't you get some rest?" Jenny went up to her father with a smile, hand gently wrapping around
After settling her resignation matters, Jenny left the admin office. She spotted Morgan and her colleagues gazing at her sadly from afar. With a smile, she went up to them and said, "Join me for dinner tonight. My treat.""Of course, I'm coming," Morgan beamed along with the others. They weren't as close with Jenny as Morgan was, but obviously, none of them were glad that things would be returning to what they were without Jenny.After they left, Morgan held Jenny's hand and whined, "Are you really going to quit, Jenny? No second thoughts?""None." Jenny shrugged. "I have too many things to take care of in Bardoff. So I have to leave.""You are recognized by the Walter family now, after all." She had found out what had happened from the news. The social gap between her and Jenny never felt farther than now."It's nothing to do with that. I'm still me. Being accepted by a family that shares my surname won't change me into a new person." She wasn't leaving because of the Walters inf
But Jenny's patients didn't give her room to refuse. They turned and left, leaving her with all the gifts and items on the floor. Jenny sniffled, feeling touched to the core as she gazed at them.It further strengthened her will to continue being a doctor to help others. Focusing on her business and becoming heir to her family would make her richer, but this couldn't top the satisfaction and pride being a doctor gave her.Jenny ended up distributing the gifts to several other colleagues throughout the hospital. She hadn't been the patients' sole helper, after all.After leaving the hospital, Jenny went to find Zack. She nearly thought she had mistaken him for someone else when they met.Was this bespectacled, suited man really her brother?"Jenny!" he greeted warmly. When he smiled, Jenny finally saw that this was indeed her brother."You've changed so much, Zack. I nearly didn't recognize you!""I'm now one of the upper class in Parrington, so of course, I have to dress the par