The Bigshot Married Himself to the Heiress-Chapter 573 - 614: The Crying Princess

"Paige." Adrian Desmond held Sienna Johnson’s hand as they approached Paige Desmond, introducing them.

"Brother."

Paige got up and looked at Sienna. They were unfamiliar with each other; Paige lived in the Imperial Palace, and its many court rules meant she couldn’t casually go out and about.

"Sienna Johnson, Paige Desmond!" Adrian knew they were acquainted, so he kept the introduction brief.

"Sister-in-law, hello." Paige used formal language to show respect to Sienna.

"Hello."

Paige also had a son, seven months younger than Curly, but she hadn’t brought him today. "Dylan didn’t come?"

Dylan was Paige’s son. He had been frail at birth, so they named him Dylan, hoping he would "stay" with them and not leave.

"He’s with Grandma, so he couldn’t come." Sienna, with her keen perception, caught the fleeting loneliness and sorrow in Paige’s eyes.

Why the loneliness and sorrow? Isn’t she happy? Could it be that the fairytale of a prince and Cinderella doesn’t have a happy ending in real life?

"Next time, I’ll take you to see Dylan," Adrian said to Sienna.

"Okay."

Pauline Briggs knew they were going to pay respects at Adrian’s parents’ graves. Early in the morning, she had been in the kitchen preparing various vegetarian dishes, wine, incense, and flowers.

"It’s getting late. You should go now so you can return early." With the offerings prepared, Pauline urged them.

"Mom, what is all this you’ve prepared? The customs here in Abyanabad might be different from ours." Sienna looked at the pile of things her mother had assembled, wondering if the local customs were indeed the same as those in Sileria City.

Pauline said, "I’ve asked around; it’s the same as in Sileria City. Besides, Adrian is part of the Orienta Diaspora. We’re all Orientals; how different could the customs be?"

"Very different. They even practice polygamy here."

"That’s other families. Didn’t Adrian marry only you? Alright, you all should get going. I hear it’s quite far and you have to take a plane. Come back early, and I’ll cook something delicious for you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Pauline looked at Paige and asked, "Paige, can you stay for dinner tonight?"

"I’ll be staying here for a few days."

Adrian looked at his sister in surprise. Paige met his gaze, offered a faint smile, and then looked away.

「...」

Adrian’s parents were buried in Monom—the peaceful and beautiful Monom.

Compared to the bustling capital of Abyanabad, Iskanmat City, or the prosperous "Petroleum City" of Nanhdim in Amwan District, Monom District seemed somewhat plain and simple, lacking ostentatious cityscapes or grandeur. However, Providence is always fair; while it granted clamor and wealth to the other three districts, it bestowed tranquility and beauty upon Monom.

Monom District is also home to Abyanabad’s largest natural forest park—the Abyanabad National Forest Park (Monom National Park).

Abyanabad National Forest Park is also hailed as the "Lungs of the Earth."

The helicopter flew slowly over a dense canopy, a sea of vibrant green filling their vision.

"Why do Grandpa and Grandma live in such a remote place?" Curly asked.

Sienna couldn’t answer. She, too, wondered why Adrian’s parents were buried in such "deep woods." Visiting required a helicopter, an expense ordinary families certainly couldn’t afford.

Mother and daughter looked at Adrian, awaiting his answer. Adrian stroked his daughter’s head and said, "Because back then, Dad was too poor..."

"Dad, you were very poor before?" Curly asked, her little brow furrowed.

"For a time, yes, very poor."

"Does that mean Dad sometimes didn’t have enough to eat?"

"Yes."

Curly reached out, hugged her father, and gently patted his head, comforting him, "It’s okay, Dad. It’s all in the past. From now on, we’ll eat meat every day."

Paige, sitting nearby, was greatly amused by the little one’s earnestness. "Daughters really are wonderful, so thoughtful. It makes me want to have a daughter too," she said.

Sienna responded, "Then you should have one."

Paige fell silent. She was in the front row, so Sienna couldn’t see her expression. But Sienna sensed she wasn’t pleased and, unsure what she might have said wrong, decided not to speak rashly again.

Adrian gazed out the window at a plane streaking across the sky, leaving a long contrail. Once the trail vanished, there would be no sign it had ever existed.

"Another year has passed..." Adrian sighed, sitting there.

"Yes, another year," Paige murmured. "It’s been twenty-one years since Mom and Dad passed away. I’ve almost forgotten what they looked like."

Adrian’s memory of his parents’ faces was also blurry, and even more so for Paige, his younger sister, who had been just a child at the time.

On the anniversary of their parents’ death, Paige, despite the disapproval of her mother-in-law and husband, always insisted on coming to pay her respects. She would rise early to prepare, dressing in black and even swapping her vibrant red handbag for a white one as a mark of solemnity. She waited for the ordered flowers to be delivered. Holding them, she walked to the parking garage, opened the car door, and carefully placed the flowers flat on the passenger seat. Then, she got into the car, closed the door, turned the key, started the engine, put on dark red sunglasses, placed her hands back on the steering wheel, and drove away from the Imperial Palace. She paid no attention to the scenery outside, no matter how beautiful the streetscape might have been.

The helicopter landed slowly on a flat clearing. Sienna removed her headset, preparing to disembark.

Adrian helped the three of them off the helicopter. Then, with solemn expressions, they entered the cemetery.

Adrian and Paige were clearly overcome with sorrow. Standing there, the grief in their eyes was so palpable that even Sienna felt a pang of sadness watching them.

"Mom, why aren’t there any photos on Grandpa and Grandma’s tombstones?"

"Shhh..." Sienna gently silenced her daughter.

Sienna silently arranged the offerings Pauline had brought. The air was heavy with quiet solemnity.

Paige was heartbroken. If her parents had always been alive, if she had grown up surrounded by abundant love, would she have been so easily swayed by a man’s affection?

Behind the tombstone before her were her parents. They had once been truly alive, right by her side. Now, only cold tombstones remained, devoid of warmth and expression, and her vision had long since blurred with tears.

None of them spoke, standing there in silence. Sienna, too, felt a wave of sadness.

Come to think of it, she and Adrian were quite similar; both had lost their parents’ protection at a very young age.

Paige’s tears flowed ceaselessly. Sienna nudged Adrian. "Paige is crying so hard. You should comfort her."

"Let her cry. She’ll feel better once she’s cried it out."

Later, Adrian led his wife and daughter away, leaving only a bodyguard standing at a discreet distance to protect Paige.

Sienna was utterly puzzled.

The air in the forest was fresh, but the humidity was high. Sienna was wearing black wide-leg pants that day, and their hems, along with her canvas shoes, were damp with dew.