Chapter 169: Chapter 169: The Favorite Granddaughter-in-law Becomes a Stranger

Yvonne Sherman’s eyes lit up after hearing what Joanna Sherman said.

"That’s wonderful! As long as Vincent Grant and Sophia Shaw are divorced, everything else will fall into place!"

"In the future, everything that belongs to Vincent Grant will be yours. You’ll be able to bury that bitch in money!"

Yvonne Sherman had already thought of all sorts of ways to torture Sophia Shaw.

And of course, there was the detestable Yancy Shaw.

She still hadn’t gotten her fill of revenge for all the trouble Yancy Shaw had caused her over the past decade.

Once Vincent Grant became their son-in-law, they could deal with Yancy Shaw however they pleased.

"But what if Sophia Shaw talks?" Yvonne Sherman began to worry again.

Joanna Sherman, however, wasn’t afraid. "The Shaw family still has that frail old woman. You think she’d dare say a word?"

Yvonne Sherman also thought of Old Mrs. Shaw.

That old thing was always going on about family togetherness. Sophia Shaw would never dare let her find out.

"In that case, I’ll tell your father to figure out a way to borrow the money!"

"Thanks, Mom." Joanna hugged Yvonne Sherman.

Yvonne Sherman patted her on the back. "Joanna, you can’t keep acting as rashly as you did today, you understand?"

Her daughter was perfect in every way, except she was too impetuous, lacked patience, and didn’t understand the importance of restraint.

「The next day.」

Chad Jennings found Sophia Shaw, his face dark.

He tossed a card into her hands.

"Two hundred million!"

Sophia Shaw took it and looked down to check the balance.

Watching her hold the card, Chad Jennings felt his heart bleed with pain.

He kept rubbing his chest.

’He wouldn’t even dare borrow two hundred million for his own business.’

Although the lender had given him the money readily out of respect for Vincent Grant, he was the one who had to pay it back.

Over the course of a year, the interest alone would amount to tens of millions.

"Sophia Shaw, how can you be so heartless? Joanna is your own sister, and I’m your own father! How could you ask for so much money right off the bat? Are you trying to drive us to our deaths?"

Sophia Shaw finished checking the balance, her eyes shifting slightly. "Are you dead yet?"

"You... How can you curse us to die!"

"Because you deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

"You... You’re vicious!"

Sophia Shaw ignored Chad Jennings’s fury and his stomping fit, instead calling Yancy Shaw. "Uncle, I’ve transferred two hundred million to you. Take this money and buy a few stocks. I guarantee their value will double."

"Why did you transfer all the money to your uncle?"

Chad Jennings’s heart ached all over again. He had been trying to think of a way to claw that money back.

’Once the money is in Yancy Shaw’s hands, knowing his personality, he won’t give me back a single cent!’

Sophia Shaw raised an eyebrow. "My parents are both dead. Who else would I transfer it to?"

"You..."

With Sophia Shaw cursing him to die every time she opened her mouth, it was impossible for them to have a conversation.

Sophia, finding him annoying, walked a short distance away to read the stock tickers to Yancy Shaw. "The current economy isn’t great," she said into the phone. "Running a brick-and-mortar business is exhausting and not very profitable. It’s better to put the money in the stock market."

"Don’t worry, these stocks were picked by a top professional firm. They’re the same ones Mrs. Sawyer invested in."

When she hung up, Chad Jennings was nowhere to be seen.

Sophia Shaw’s eyes darkened for a moment before she turned and walked into the company building.

On the other side of the strip of greenery where Sophia Shaw had been standing...

Chad Jennings stood up, his face flushed with excitement. He waited until Sophia was out of sight, then quickly jumped into his car and sped away.

Not long after Sophia Shaw got to her office, Leah Evans knocked and entered.

"Boss, my sister just told me you transferred two hundred million to her and told her to buy some stocks. Is that true?"

Sophia Shaw’s lips curved into a slight smile.

"The part about the two hundred million is true, but the stocks are a lie. Please tell my aunt to keep a quarter of the money for herself and give the rest to my uncle for his new project."

"Then why did you read off those stock tickers?"

Sophia Shaw’s gaze darkened.

"That was for Chad Jennings to hear, of course."

—

Now that the divorce was final, she had to give the Grants an explanation.

Sophia Shaw went to Grant Manor in person.

When she handed the divorce certificate to Old Mrs. Grant, the elderly woman held it, remaining silent for a long time.

Knowing the divorce was coming was one thing.

Seeing it finalized was another entirely.

The old woman’s heart filled with an indescribable sense of sorrow and grief.

Sophia Shaw felt a knot in her stomach as well. She stood with her hands clasped, head bowed, and lips pressed tight.

"Sigh..."

In the end, all of Old Mrs. Grant’s reluctance could only be expressed in a single sigh.

What was done could not be undone.

She gently took Sophia Shaw’s hand. "Faye, it’s been hard on you all these years."

Sophia Shaw said nothing.

She couldn’t bring herself to lie and say that it hadn’t been.

A love that was all giving and no receiving was an unspeakable torment, day after day.

Old Mrs. Grant looked at the quiet, gentle young woman before her.

Just a short while ago, she had been her favorite granddaughter-in-law, and now, just like that, she was a stranger. The thought made her eyes well up with tears.

’If only the Grant family’s status wasn’t so sensitive, or if Vincent hadn’t been a businessman, I could have been closer to Sophia, looked after her more... would things have ended up like this?’

Old Mrs. Grant was filled with self-recrimination and guilt. "Grandma has let you down. I didn’t take good care of you."

Sophia Shaw shook her head. "It’s not your fault, Grandma. You’ve been more than good to me."

In any other family, she would have been endlessly condemned for climbing into his bed back then.

But all these years, the Grants had been nothing but accepting and kind to her.

Aside from Vincent and Cedric Grant, no one had ever mistreated her.

"It was my own failure to manage my marriage, and I’ve made you all worry so much."

With tears in her eyes, Old Mrs. Grant squeezed her hand tighter, her voice choked with emotion. "It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault. Grandma knows. I know everything."

Old Mrs. Grant insisted that Sophia Shaw stay for dinner. After the meal, she took her hand again, asking her to stay the night.

"Faye, the next time you visit, you won’t be my granddaughter-in-law anymore. This will be your last night in this house with that title. Please, just stay and keep an old woman company."

The elderly woman’s usually vibrant face looked exceptionally desolate tonight, as if she had aged several years in an instant.

Sophia Shaw was overcome with guilt.

’It’s our fault, the younger generation. We’re such a disappointment, making an old woman like her worry and suffer at her age.’

How could she possibly refuse? "Okay," she answered softly.

The two of them chatted until past nine, when it was time for Old Mrs. Grant to go to bed.

Sophia Shaw offered to leave for her own room.

Old Mrs. Grant didn’t press her to stay. "Alright. You have a lot of work tomorrow. Get some rest."

Sophia Shaw was led to a nearby guest room to rest.

Old Mrs. Grant stood on the veranda, watching Sophia’s figure slowly disappear into the darkness, remaining silent for a long, long time.

A silent, bleak sorrow hung in the air.

Her wrinkled hand trembled uncontrollably.

’Such a wonderful girl... and we let her slip away.’

’It is Vincent’s loss. It is the Grants’ loss.’

"If you’re so reluctant to let her go, why not adopt her as your granddaughter?"

Sue, who was standing behind her, suggested.

In her youth, Sue had been Old Mrs. Grant’s bodyguard. Even after retiring, she had remained by her side.

After so many years together, the two were as close as sisters.

Old Mrs. Grant sighed and shook her head. "You think I don’t want to? But after how badly our family has treated her, how could we have the audacity to ask her to be our granddaughter?"

"I just blame Vincent for not knowing how to cherish her. If he ever finds out how much Faye sacrificed for him, there’s no telling how much he’ll regret it!"

Hearing this, Sue suddenly shivered.

’I almost hope Vincent never has to face that cruel truth.’

Sophia Shaw entered the room.

She and Vincent Grant had stayed in this room on previous visits, so some of her clothes were still here.

Sophia Shaw took out a set of pajamas and went into the bathroom.

As she was washing up, she heard a CLICK from the other side of the door.

Thinking Old Mrs. Grant had sent someone with something for her, Sophia Shaw quickly dried herself, slipped on her pajamas, and walked out.

Standing in the room was a tall, imposing man.