Chapter 219

Vincent stared straight at Danica, his tone colder than winter. "All these years, you have never once shown up for my father's death anniversary. Now, the moment your family runs into trouble, you appear without delay. This is nothing short of disrespecting his memory."

Erica chimed in, trying to ease the tension, "Vincent, we're all family. Don't be so harsh. Danica was just anxious and let her emotions get the better of her."

He cut the conversation short. "I've said my piece. You can leave now."

Taking Hannah by the hand, Vincent guided her past them toward a worn gravestone.

Danica's voice erupted behind him. "You're really just going to walk away from your own mother?"

Vincent stayed silent and never looked back.

Danica almost protested again, but Erica quickly stopped her with a shake of the head. They finally left the cemetery.

Vincent dropped to one knee and carefully brushed the dust from the grave.

Hannah clung to her cane, a storm of questions in her mind. After a moment's pause, she remarked,"YOU parents-"

But she swallowed the rest, knowing it was pointless. Vincent never opened up about this stuff.

He kept his eyes on his father's gravestone and said nothing.

Just as she expected, he stayed quiet. She didn't feel surprised at all.

Then, out of the blue, Vincent broke the silence, his voice low as he kept looking at the gravestone."M parents' reunion was nothing more than a shotgun marriage. As far back as I can remember, there was neve any love between them."

Memories darkened his mood. "When I was sixteen, the company was slammed by a smear campaign. My father was bedridden. Mom fired everyone, letting him miss the critical window for treatment. He died of a heart attack. She's why he's gone, but she didn't even show up for his funeral."

A strange calm stayed in his voice.

A wave of sadness washed over Hannah. Even though Vincent spoke simply, the weight of his parents' failed marriage was impossible to ignore. Everything about their relationship had led to disaster. She could not help but ask, "If there wasn't any love between them, what made them get married at all?"

That question lingered in her mind, along with another-maybe loveless marriages were just how things worked for the Jones family. But she kept that thought to herself.

Vincent's tone grew quieter. "The Jones family always cared more about appearances than anything else."

Hannah bowed her head, questions piling up in her mind. What about her? Vincent never loved her,and they didn't have a child before marriage, yet he'd dated and married her. But they had already split up, so maybe the reason was meaningless now.

Still, eight years was no small