Chapter 19
As the golden light of late autumn wrapped the Lopez Estate in a soft, glowing haze, Bella’s car rolled to a stop at the front gates.}
She stepped out, graceful as ever, balancing a carefully wrapped gift in one hand. With the other, she tossed her car keys to a waiting security guard. “Don’t bother with the garage–I’ll be heading home later,” she said offhandedly.”
The guard nodded and drove off as Bella climbed the steps, the chill of pine–scented air swirling around her. She pushed open the carved mahogany door. Inside, the crystal chandelier flooded the dining room with warm light. Her aunt Miranda–the Lopez family’s matriarch–was just setting the last dish on the table, steam rising from a pot of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall soup. Hearing Bella’s footsteps, Miranda spun around, her pearl earrings catching the firelight as she smiled.“]
“Just in time! Come eat with us,” she called.
Bella smiled in return, handed her gift to a maid, and headed to wash her hands.
When she came back, her mom, Candace, was waiting with a steaming bowl of ginger tea. “It’s freezing out, and you’re dressed so thin. Aren’t you afraid of catching a cold?” Candace fussed, worry clear in her voice. She hovered until Bella finished the tea.
Miranda watched them with an approving smile. “Put your coat on after dinner, okay? Don’t let yourself get sick.“}
Bella nodded, and at last, they let her sit down.
As the table was set and silverware laid out, Grandpa Lopez appeared, leaning on his walking stick carved with a dragon’s head. “Let’s begin,” he said, and only then did anyone dare pick up their chopsticks.
Family meals at the Lopez house were serious business–no one spoke unless necessary, and only the quiet clink of dishes filled the air. Bella, especially, kept her head down, barely saying a word around her grandfather.
52 2 2 2 2 2 2
After dinner, Bella’s parents were called to Grandpa’s study. Miranda noticed the worry on Bella’s face, squeezed her hand, and led her to a sofa in the comer.
“Don’t worry, honey. Grandpa won’t do anything to your parents. They’re still his son and daughter–in–law,” Miranda soothed.}
Bella let out a silent sigh, her shoulders relaxing a bit. Every visit to the old house was the same–her grandfather always had words for her parents.
No matter how many times Bella tried to explain that the problems in her marriage were her own fault, not her parents‘, Grandpa refused to see it that way.
With the Lopez family’s influence, Bella never had to marry into the Rangel family. But her parents insisted, and so she married Sean. Grandpa was furious. He’d always supported Bella marrying for love, even agreeing to Brent. When he found out about the arranged marriage, he’d flown in from France, scolding her parents and making it clear that the Lopez family would never need to join with the Rangels, no matter how hard things got.
But her parents were stubborn. They insisted the marriage with Sean was necessary. No one could change anyone’s mind. Grandpa tried to take Bella away, but her parents refused–only they understood the difference between Sean and Brent.
So Grandpa returned to France and stopped meddling in their affairs.
In the end, Bella’s family suffered under Sean. They were hurt and lost a lot. Eventually, they moved to France, and after Bella and her parents admitted they were wrong, Grandpa forgave them.
When he heard how much Sean had hurt Bella, Grandpa wanted to get revenge. But Bella, thinking back on everything, decided maybe all her pain was just karma. She and Sean were even now; neither owed the other anything.
After Bella talked to him, Grandpa dropped his revenge plans. He just warned them not to have anything to do with Sean ever again.§
At every family dinner, Grandpa would bring it up, reminding Bella’s parents they had to be careful–Bella didn’t need to marry again, but she could never get hurt like that a second time.
Bella’s parents always accepted Grandpa’s scolding, knowing they were at fault. Bella felt guilty, but her parents said it was what they deserved. If only they’d been honest from the start, none of this would have happened.
That night, thanks to Grandpa and Aunt Miranda’s gentle persuasion, Bella and her parents stayed over at the old family house once
