Chasing The Vengeful Villainous Heiress-Chapter 159: You’re strong, my dear niece

Valerie went silent.

She didn’t need him. She didn’t need his help either.

"I won’t leave my husband." She declared boldly. "I won’t leave him, not when he’s passing through this because of me."

"And he will be in more threats with you around him." He said. "Your unborn child and your husband will both suffer because of the people who want you dead. Come under my wings and I will make them all disappear."

"And in return, I have to give up on my husband? I will never take that option." She slapped his hand and turned to walk away, cleaning her cheeks and sniffing. "I’m staying right here."

Chris went silent. Well, that didn’t go exactly how he imagined. He thought that with all that she was going through, she would finally see that she couldn’t do anything on her own.

"Stewart is but a mere spec to what I am." He suddenly said, provoking Valerie.

"And that spec is where I’ll stay. If you can’t deal with that, go suck on your thumb, old man."

"Ouch. Not the thumb." Chris sighed. It looked like he would have to go with the second plan.

He had to compromise this time and hoped she would accept it because that was the last of his goodwill before thinking of taking her by force.

"Alright, how about this?"

"I said I’m not leaving my husband." Valerie yelled at him, feeling fed up with all his options.

She wouldn’t take any one of his offers if it involved separating from Max. She promised to be by his side, to be by Max’s side through thick and thin.

"And what if this does not include leaving him?" He said and Valerie looked up.

"What are you plotting?"

"I’m burning the last stick, my dear niece. So, think this over."

"What am I thinking through? You haven’t said anything. What do you mean it doesn’t involve separating me from Max?"

She was impatient and also desperate.

At that point, she would do anything to make sure Max was safe and he did not suffer because of her. But... That did not include leaving him. Anything but that. She wanted to be selfish to that extent at least and hoped she would not come to regret it.

So, if there was a method Chris had to keep them safe that did not involve separating them, she would grit her teeth and take his hand.

’Just this once.’ Valerie thought, gritting her teeth as her heart tore in bitter agony. ’Just this once, show me I can trust you... Chris Romaine.’

Chris looked at the determination in Valerie’s eyes and asked,

"My dear niece, do you plan to finally trust me?" He asked, reaching his hand towards her but she looked away, evading his touch.

"I don’t know what you have in mind." She said. "I don’t know your real reason for wanting to protect as you claim but if you try, for once, to hurt my family, I will never forgive you." She glared at him.

"I assure you, your safety is what I crave." Chris said and then muttered. "It’s the least I can do to atone for my sins."

Valerie heard his words.

"What sin?" She asked but he ignored her and walked past her.

He walked towards the ward she came out from. The ward where a screaming Eliana was having her legs looked at by the doctor.

"You’re quite level headed, dear niece." He said. "Given what she has done to you in the past and now, you did not kill her right away. Did you feel merciful?"

"That’s not it." Valerie said. "There are too many eyes. For now, let her grit in pain and suffering." Her fists trembled and she shivered in anger. "But no matter what, it will not make up for what she did." Her eyes grew teary. "It will not make up for the life she stole from me."

Chris watched her in silence. For someone in pain, she was actually quite strong. Was it because of the baby in her womb? Was that why she was holding on so badly and not breaking down?

Valerie was simply sticking to the words Tiana told her.

She said,

’Think of the people you want to protect. If you break down, who will stand strong for them?’ If she collapsed now, who would stand strong for Max, Mariam... She clutched her stomach... Her baby?

Who would stand strong for them if she gave up now?

Then, she felt Chris’s hand on her head. He finally succeeded in patting her and said,

"You’re strong, my dear niece. And it’s something to be proud of."

She looked up at him. At his point... Being comforted by him actually felt relieving. But she wasn’t going to tell him that.

She slapped his hand off and said,

"Well, it’s no thanks to you."

"Haha, I guess so."

"So, what were you referring to when you talked about atoning for your sin?" She asked but once again, he ignored her, dodged the question, and said, 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

"So, do you want to hear my proposition now?" Valerie felt he was hiding something.

But why would he let it slip if he wasn’t going to say anything about it? Was it really just a mindless mutter?

"Grampa Leo should be here soon." Valerie said, and as if on cue, Grampa Leo arrived.

He looked out of breath as he rushed towards them.

He looked at Valerie who bowed her head in shame, biting down on her lip.

"Tell me it’s not true." Grampa Leo said but Valerie could only shake her head.

"No, no." Grampa Leo, with a devastated look pasted on his face, he rushed into the room, only to see his lifeless daughter on the bed, covered from head to toe with a white sheet. "No, this can’t be happening. No." He went to hold her body and cried. "My child, why? You just came back to me. Why? Come back once more. Please. Please." He wept in a loud and bitter voice.

How could he be okay when his daughter, whom he just reunited with, died? How could he move on from this?

He looked at Eliana and hatred filled him. He picked up his cane and started hitting her with it.

"It’s you. It’s you, isn’t it? You killed my daughter. How... How could you?" He kept hitting her with all his might while the guards tried to calm him down.

Eliana yelled,

"Ah! Take this crazy old man away from me."

But no one cared for her. Rather, they were scared Grampa Leo’s blood pressure would rise dangerously and finally managed to stop him and he fell on his knees.

"How could you take her away from me? Tiana, my child. I have failed you again. This father of yours doesn’t deserve to be called your father."

Valerie watched and clutched her arm while biting her lip. It was her fault. It was all her fault.

"Mr. Chris Romaine," she called, and Chris looked away from the scene towards her. "What are your words?" She asked. "What must I do to keep my family near and also keep them safe?" She looked up at him with teary and pleading eyes. "I’ll trust you this once, so please, tell me."