DAMIEN’S POV

Grandpa George suddenly sighed deeply from his chair.

The sound immediately pulled everyone’s attention back toward him.

For the first time tonight, I noticed how tired he truly looked.

His hands trembled slightly against the blanket covering his lap, and the once powerful Alpha aura surrounding him had weakened over the past year. Watching him slowly lose pieces of himself had been painful for the entire family.

But tonight...he looked very fragile.

“I went to see another doctor this morning,” he said quietly.

The room became still.

Sophia straightened slightly beside me.

“What did the doctor say?” she asked softly.

Grandpa laughed weakly. “The same thing all doctors say when they don’t want to upset old people.”

My chest tightened immediately. I already knew where this conversation was heading.

Sophia looked worried now too.

Grandpa George slowly leaned back into his chair while staring toward the fireplace quietly. “My health is getting worse.”

The words hit everyone in the room hard. Even the servants nearby became quieter.

My wolf growled inside me. I controlled him and myself too.

For several seconds, nobody spoke.

Then Sophia finally broke the silence first. “Grandpa...”

He waved his hand dismissively.

“No need pretending otherwise,” he interrupted gently. “I’m old, not stupid.”

The honesty in his voice hurt badly. Even with his memory problems, Grandpa George still understood certain truths clearly. He forgot names sometimes, forgot faces occasionally but he remembered enough to know his body was failing him.

Grandpa George looked between both of us before speaking again.

“So I’ve decided something.”

I frowned “What?”

“I’ll stay here permanently now.”

That surprised me a bit.

He usually preferred living at the countryside villa. The quieter environment helped reduce stress on his condition.

But now...he wanted to stay here?

“With family,” he added softly.

The room became emotional again after those words.

Sophia looked at the ground.

And suddenly, I felt guilty. Because Grandpa still believed we were a happy married couple.

He still looked at Sophia and me with warmth and pride like nothing between us had changed.

Grandpa George looked directly at Sophia next.

“You’ll both spend more time with me now.”

Sophia hesitated beside me and I noticed immediately.

“I’d like that,” I answered first before she could struggle through a response

Finally, Sophia forced a small smile.

“Of course, Grandpa.” She said.

Grandpa George seemed satisfied. He relaxed deeper into the chair while sipping tea slowly.

Soon, Tasha returned from the kitchen. She looked furious already.

Her expression hardened again the second she saw Sophia calmly sitting beside Grandpa now.

“We’ve started preparing the Beef Wellington,” Tasha said stiffly.

Grandpa nodded “Good.”

Tasha clenched her jaw.

Grandpa suddenly looked toward me again. “Damien.”

I turned to him “Yes, Grandpa?”

“That tutor girl upstairs? She shouldn’t stay too late. Ashley needs rest.”

I understood his meaning.

He didn’t like unfamiliar people constantly inside the manor while his condition worsened. Too much activity and confusion frustrated him lately.

And more importantly... If Grandpa suddenly remembered pieces of the truth later and realized Tiffany’s actual relationship with me, the emotional shock could seriously affect his health.

I couldn’t risk that.

“Understood,” I answered quietly.

Tasha crossed her arms “You want me to send Tiffany away?”

Grandpa frowned “Why are you asking like it’s difficult?”

I sighed softly before standing up.

“Tasha,” I said calmly. “Please go upstairs and tell Tiffany it’s getting late.”

The second the words left my mouth, I could see the resentment on her face. She knew exactly what was happening. I was protecting Tiffany’s identity again.

Tasha looked at me bitterly. “You could tell her yourself.”

“She’s with Ashley.”

“So?”

“So please just do it.”

For several seconds, I genuinely thought she might refuse completely. But eventually, she turned toward the stairs without another word.

The tension she left behind remained thick afterward.

Grandpa George watched her leave before suddenly sighing.

“That woman stomps around like she’s fighting the floor.” 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

I closed my eyes briefly. Sophia nearly choked on her tea beside me.

My wolf actually looked amused for once too.

Grandpa continued grumbling. “And she nearly dropped the tray earlier, completely clumsy.”

Sophia quickly looked away toward the fireplace, but I still caught the tiny twitch on her lips.

“She’s just stressed,” I defended quietly.

Grandpa huffed. “Everyone claims stress nowadays.”

A few minutes later, Tiffany finally came downstairs.

Ashley followed slowly behind her wearing a cardigan over her pajamas. The second Ashley noticed Sophia sitting beside Grandpa George, her expression changed a bit.

“Hi mom” Ashley muttered to Sophia.

“Hi darling” Sophia responded.

Tiffany walked downstairs gracefully while holding Ashley’s arm. She looked calm and elegant as always, though I noticed the annoyance hidden behind her smile.

She clearly didn’t appreciate being dismissed early.

“Leaving already?” Grandpa George asked.

Tiffany smiled politely. “I don’t want to disturb the family.”

Grandpa nodded approvingly again. “Very thoughtful.”

The praise pleased her. Ashley looked sad when she heard that.

“Do you have to go?” she asked quietly.

Tiffany gently squeezed her hand. “You need rest.”

Tasha reappeared beside Tiffany shortly afterward carrying her purse aggressively.

“Ready?” she asked coldly.

Tiffany nodded. The second both women reached the entrance hallway, I followed behind them quietly.

Mostly because I already knew Tasha wanted to explode the second we left Grandpa’s hearing range.

And unfortunately... I was right.

The moment we stepped outside the living room. Tasha turned to me furiously.

“Alpha, I cannot believe you allowed that tonight.”

I rubbed my forehead tiredly already. “Tasha-”

“She humiliated me deliberately.”

“She’s upset,” I answered calmly.

“She’s cruel,” Tasha corrected bitterly.

I stayed silent. At this moment, I didn’t even know what to say.

Eventually, both women finally left together.

The second their car disappeared through the gates, I was exhausted.

But unfortunately...the night still wasn’t over. I had to talk to Ashley.

-

Ashley sat quietly on her bed when I entered her room later that night.

The television played softly nearby, though she clearly wasn’t watching it. Her expression looked troubled the second she saw me walking inside alone.

Immediately, she understood.

“Tiffany left.” She muttered.

I closed the door quietly behind me before nodding.

Ashley’s face fell instantly. “Why?”

I walked closer slowly. “Grandpa’s staying here long-term now.”

“So?”

“He can’t handle confusion or emotional stress right now.”

Ashley looked frustrated immediately. “That’s unfair.”

“I know.”

“No, you don’t,” she snapped emotionally. “She was finally making me feel better again.”

I felt guilty again. I knew Tiffany genuinely had been helping Ashley emotionally lately.

Still... Grandpa was important.

“For now, it’s temporary,” I said.

Ashley looked close to tears now. “This is because of mom isn’t it?”

I frowned. “No.”

“But she clearly hates Tiffany.”

“That’s enough, Ashley.”

The firmness in my voice shocked her quiet instantly.

I rubbed my forehead tiredly afterward. Everything felt too heavy tonight, too complicated.

And somewhere deep inside myself...

I couldn’t stop thinking about how empty Sophia’s eyes looked earlier beside Grandpa George

.