Vincent Grant remained silent. Ignoring her cold expression, he followed her into the dining room.
Old Mrs. Grant forbade Sue from setting a place for him.
Vincent didn’t make a fuss. He picked up Bun’s bowl and dutifully began to feed her.
Bun was hungry, so she didn’t care who was feeding her and began to eat with big mouthfuls.
Old Mrs. Grant didn’t want to upset the child during her meal, so she didn’t try to force him out again, but her expression remained sour.
"When you were doing all that bastardly stuff, no one could talk you out of it. Who are you putting on this show for now?"
"Don’t even think about Faye taking you back. Even if she were willing, I’d be the one to stop her!"
Thinking of the past made Old Mrs. Grant want to stab her grandson to death with her chopsticks.
"Grandma, don’t be angry."
Sophia Shaw comforted her softly.
’It’s undeniable that Vincent is an outstanding man. Even after all the scummy things he did, he still has a certain charm.’
’Especially that subtle hint of a husbandly air he has when feeding a child. That was once the very thing that made my heart pound like thunder, again and again.’
’Now, I still find the sight pleasing to the eye, but my heart no longer flutters.’
"It’s all in the past."
At these words, Vincent’s steady frame suddenly stiffened. He looked up at Sophia.
Sophia, with an air of nonchalance, was already placing some food on Old Mrs. Grant’s plate.
’It’s all in the past.’
’The love was gone from her eyes.’
’There wasn’t even any hatred...’
’His heart felt as if it had been violently thrown into a bottomless pit, never hitting the ground. The panic was absolute!’
"That’s right, it’s all in the past," Old Mrs. Grant chimed in.
"Oh, Faye, Grandma knows plenty of good young men. I’ll set you up with one after dinner!"
Sophia wanted to refuse, but declining in front of Vincent would make it seem like she couldn’t bear to let the marriage go. So, she could only remain silent.
"Grandma, you’re going too far," Vincent said in a low voice.
Old Mrs. Grant completely ignored his protest. "I think Shane is a great choice. He’s upright, hardworking, and an outstanding performer in his unit. Most importantly, he keeps to himself—there hasn’t been a single woman around him for years. None of that nonsense with some long-lost love or shameless goddess, you hear!"
While praising Shane, Old Mrs. Grant didn’t forget to take a jab at Vincent.
"That boy Shane is much more reliable. I’ll call him later. Grandma will arrange a blind date for you two."
"Besides, you two already know each other inside and out."
Sophia: "..."
Vincent: "..."
"Grandma, he’s my brother," Vincent reminded her.
"So what if he’s your brother? Who made a rule that an ex-sister-in-law can’t marry her ex-brother-in-law after a divorce?" Old Mrs. Grant said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Vincent’s heart sank.
After dinner, Old Mrs. Grant actually made the call. "Shane Grant, get back here right now!"
Sophia: "..."
Vincent: "..."
Even though Old Mrs. Grant had called Shane, Sophia didn’t think he would be interested in her, so she didn’t give it much thought.
After the meal, she held Bun in her arms to help them both digest.
Vincent walked over. "Let me."
"No need." Sophia moved away.
"Vincent, our divorce agreement clearly states that I have custody of Bun," she reminded him.
"We can discuss visitation rights, but it’s best you don’t get too close to her."
’Vincent’s affection would just be salt in the wound for Bun later on, when she realizes she doesn’t have a complete family. It would cause more pain than joy.’
"Sophia..."
Vincent’s mouth felt dry.
"What will it take for you to withdraw the divorce?"
"There is nothing that will make me withdraw it!"
On this question, her answer was always decisive.
Holding Bun, Sophia turned and walked away.
Vincent stood forlornly under the tree as if he’d been abandoned, letting the cold wind whip the hem of his clothes about.
In the distance, Shane Grant jumped out of a car. His military uniform was immaculate as he strode forward, service cap in hand.
He met Vincent under the tree.
Shane merely raised an eyebrow languidly and started to walk past him.
Vincent called out in a low voice, "Brother, Grandma called you back to set you up on a blind date with Faye. She’s thin-skinned, so be gentle when you turn her down."
Shane’s charming eyes arched again. He turned back with a meaningful smile. "Vincent, what makes you think I’ll refuse?"
With that, he strode into the house.
When Vincent followed him in, Sophia was sitting awkwardly on the sofa, cringing so hard she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
Old Mrs. Grant’s tone was serious and solemn. "Shane, I’ll only ask you this once. Are you willing to go on a blind date with Faye, and can you take good care of her?"
Shane shot to his feet, his posture ramrod straight as if taking an oath. "I am willing! And I can take good care of her!"
Shane strode over to Sophia, pulled a string of honor medals from his pocket, and pressed them all into her hands. "Faye, these are the achievements I’ve earned recently. It might not be as impressive as you launching a rocket, but I’m willing to swear on these medals that I, Shane Grant, will treat you well for the rest of my life, with no one else in my heart!"
Every word was resolute and powerful.
Vincent rushed in and grabbed him fiercely by the collar. "Brother, shut your mouth!"
The jostling sent the medals in Sophia’s hand scattering to the floor with a CLATTER.
She never expected Shane to say something like that!
Shane looked Vincent straight in the eye and curled his lips into a smile. "Vincent, I knew Sophia before you two ever got married, and I was very taken with her! If she hadn’t ended up marrying you by some twist of fate, I would have found her and done everything in my power to pursue her!"
"So, why wouldn’t I agree to a blind date with her? And why shouldn’t I be allowed to take care of her?"
"And you..." Shane shot back, grabbing Vincent’s collar in return, "you’ve spent six years proving you don’t deserve her, so what are you making a scene for now?"
"If I were you, I’d just get out of the picture cleanly!"
Flames erupted in both men’s eyes, clashing in the air with a fiery CRACKLE!
Seeing them like this, Sophia was finally snapped back to her senses. She worriedly called out to Old Mrs. Grant, "Grandma, please, you have to find a way to break them up."
"Break them up? Why?"
Old Mrs. Grant was much calmer than Sophia.
"If they’re not convinced, let them fight. We’ll talk after they’re done! The Grant Family doesn’t bother with all that whiny, civilized nonsense!"
THUD!
The moment Old Mrs. Grant’s words fell, Shane swung his fist and smashed it into the side of Vincent’s face.
The heavy sound of bone on flesh was sickening to hear.
"Let’s move back a bit, so we don’t get caught in the crossfire." Old Mrs. Grant came over and pulled her out of the immediate vicinity.
The two of them continued to watch from the sidelines.
Sophia: "..."
Shane had been pissed off with Vincent for a long time. Now that he had the chance, he wasn’t about to let it go, raining punch after punch down on him.
Vincent was no slouch in a fight, but he didn’t fight back.
He let Shane beat him up one-sidedly.
After just a few hits, he was knocked to the ground.
Shane hauled him back up, his mouth twisted in anger. "Vincent, you’re so shameless! Trying to win Sophia’s pity at a time like this!"
"When you were hurting her with all your shameless deeds, did you ever stop to think about her suffering?!"
Vincent remained silent.
But Old Mrs. Grant, watching from the side, understood.
’Vincent wasn’t trying to earn pity. He was clearly trying to atone and give Sophia a sense of justice.’
’But her heart has already gone cold. What’s the use of that now?’
Old Mrs. Grant shook her head helplessly and sighed.
A sudden sadness filled her eyes.
It was for Vincent, but also for Shane.
’Others might not see it, but how could she not?’
’Shane has always liked Sophia.’
’Because of her status, he had to suppress those feelings with all his might.’
’She hadn’t called Shane back for no reason.’
’She wanted to give him a chance.’
"That’s enough!" Old Mrs. Grant finally spoke up.
Shane viciously slammed Vincent back to the ground before standing up himself.
His eyes were bloodshot.
He had ached for Sophia for six years, and only today did he dare to openly express his fury.
The frustration in his chest wasn’t relieved by beating up Vincent; instead, it grew even heavier.
How could a simple beating ever make up for all the pain Sophia had suffered?
Shane put his cap back on and walked over to Sophia. "I’ve made my intentions clear. Faye, I like you. You can take your time to decide. I’ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes."
"If you’re willing, we can get married. If you’re not..."
He took a deep breath before saying in a low, hoarse voice, "...just don’t get back with a scumbag!"
With that, he gave her one last deep look and turned to leave.
Old Mrs. Grant was incredibly moved, her eyes welling up. She tapped her cane as she walked over to Vincent.