When Grandma Carter saw the sweet smile on Eleanor's face and realized she wasn't upset, her heart finally settled. She kindly beckoned Eleanor over.
"Great-grandma, I'm sorry for making you wait. I got carried away playing and lost track of time."
Eleanor rushed into Old Lady Carter's arms, affectionate yet obedient.
Having only met twice, Eleanor had already won Old Lady Carter's heart.
Old Lady Carter held Eleanor's waist, stroking her slender arms, full of concern. "My dear, I didn't wait long. I was just afraid you might fall."
Eleanor knew that Old Lady Carter cared for her and didn't feel impatient at all. She got up and sat on the chair next to Old Lady Carter.
With an animated expression and a childish voice, she said, "Great-grandma, I won't fall. I saw my Grandma, and Grandma likes me."
Old Lady Carter was momentarily taken aback by Eleanor's words, but then she became happy again.
Her daughter-in-law had a tough life too. Since her wayward son had been driven out of the house, her daughter-in-law had shut herself off.
"Elle, in the future, spend more time with your grandma," Old Lady Carter advised.
"Hehe, Great-grandma, Mommy already said we can stay in the old mansion. So, I'll come to see Grandma after school," Eleanor sat on the chair, swinging her short legs, sharing this good news.
Old Lady Carter's eyes of satisfaction shifted from Eleanor to Alessia. Her expression seemed to boast, "See, my judgment was right. I found a granddaughter-in-law who is considerate and likable."
Dominic sat opposite Old Lady Carter, observing her every move.
He frowned for a moment, then quickly relaxed.
Suppressing the rebellious feeling that had once been controlled by Old Lady Carter, he picked up his spoon and fork, picked up a piece of fish, carefully removed the bones, and put it in Alessia's plate.
Dominic serving someone else food was a first in everyone's memory, even Eleanor hadn't experienced such treatment.
Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Dominic in astonishment.
"Daddy, you're only giving food to Mommy. It looks like you only love Mommy," Christian pretended to be angry, crossing his arms and acting jealous.
Eleanor looked at Dominic expectantly, wanting to know what he would say next.
Christopher maintained his cool expression, keeping his gaze fixed on Dominic's face.
Alessia stared at the piece of fish in her bowl, feeling like it wasn't just a piece of fish but a bomb, making her uneasy.
Didn't she already make everything clear? What could make Dominic misunderstand now?
Alessia tried to recall, about to change the subject, when she heard Dominic clear his throat, seeming somewhat awkward as he spoke.
"If you want some, Daddy can give you some, but you can't envy what's in Mommy's plate, and you can't compete with Mommy," he said.
"Wow, it looks like Daddy really loves Mommy," Christian, the expert at livening up the atmosphere, heard the indulgence in Dominic's words and applauded happily, almost jumping up.
Dominic didn't refute; instead, he picked up the fish again, carefully removed the bones, and put them into Eleanor, Christian, and Christopher's plates one by one.
Alessia watched as her three children, who were completely absorbed in their loving parents, sat quietly, each enjoying their dinner. She had several times wanted to speak up but couldn't bring herself to clarify.
Dominic generously served Alessia several more times.
He watched Alessia quietly eating her food, his lips curling up slightly.
Surely, Alessia could see his sincerity in serving her food in front of everyone.
As for letting go...
Dominic looked up at Old Lady Carter and hesitated before speaking, "Grandma, next weekend, I'll play cards with you."
Alessia, who had been concentrating on her meal, looked up at the sound of his voice.
Old Lady Carter also froze for a moment, her eyes showing joy.
But she was still somewhat unsure, thinking she might have misheard. She confirmed again, "Dom, did you say you'll play cards with me? Are you sure?"
Her favorite pastime was playing cards. When Dominic was young, he used to stick to her and play cards with her, but at some point, he had changed, growing distant, and had never played cards with her again.
With the passing of her husband, their relationship had become even more icy. She had thought that Dominic would never play cards with her again in this lifetime.
She hadn't expected happiness to come so suddenly.
"I'm sure," Dominic pinched his brow, his facial lines tightened, clearly embarrassed and reluctant to bring up the topic again.
Old Lady Carter's eyes welled up with tears of joy, but she quickly regained her composure. Despite her old age, her wise eyes scanned Alessia and Dominic.
She set down her spoon and stood up, facing Dominic. "Come upstairs with me."
Old Lady Carter's legs had already regained some strength after taking a few doses of the medicine Alessia had prepared for her. She could now walk slowly on her own.
Dominic seemed to understand what Old Lady Carter wanted to talk about. He got up without hesitation, following her upstairs effortlessly, as if nothing could faze him now that he had everything figured out.
Upstairs, in the room.
Dominic stood tall in front of Old Lady Carter, dressed impeccably. Old Lady Carter's clear gaze fell upon him.
It had been so long since she had taken a good look at her grandson. The grandson she had raised had grown up to be handsome and excellent, resembling his grandfather in his younger days.
Old Lady Carter's thoughts drifted away for a moment before being brought back. She got straight to the point. "You seem different tonight. What are your thoughts on Alessia now?"
"She really likes me," Dominic's eyes flickered as he awkwardly tugged at the collar of his white shirt, finally uttering a few words with a touch of arrogance.
Old Lady Carter was stunned.
Dominic didn't see anything wrong with what he had said.
Old Lady Carter looked at her grandson, exuding confidence from head to toe, and felt a headache coming on.
Her grandson was her responsibility too, having shaped his character into what it was now. She needed to bear some responsibility for it.
She took a sip of water to moisten her throat, deciding to clarify the issue first before finding a more effective solution.
In summary, Old Lady Carter said, "So you want to reconcile?"
Dominic touched his nose, coughed lightly, and replied awkwardly, "It's what the children want."
Fine, she understood.
Admitting that he wanted to reconcile himself was so difficult? How stubborn he was.
Old Lady Carter almost facepalmed, analyzing, "Fine, I understand all your thoughts. You regret it, don't you? Alessia is a good girl. I am happy that you finally recognize her strengths."
Dominic's expression darkened when Old Lady Carter mentioned his regret, but it softened again when she praised Alessia.
Listening to Old Lady Carter's analysis, his mood gradually improved. But just then, Old Lady Carter threw in a 'but.'
"But, I think you've got it wrong. When Alessia came back this time, I felt that she had truly let go of you. So if you want to win Alessia back, you have to work hard."
His arrogant facade was completely shattered.
No wonder she was his grandmother. Dominic felt a little embarrassed but didn't deny it. His brow furrowed into a frown.
He pursed his lips, hands casually slipped into his pockets, looking cool enough to attract attention. Taking a deep breath, as if unwilling to let go, he accepted his fate. "How do I win her back then?"
"With sincerity," Old Lady Carter was relieved that Dominic had taken the initiative to ask this question.
But she had a question that had been lingering in her heart for a long time.
Part of it was because she couldn't find a good opportunity, and part of it was because of her pride.
Today, Dominic had agreed to play cards with her next weekend, as if a breach had been made in the city wall, all the worries and emotions disappeared, and she just wanted to ask clearly.
"Dom, Grandma wants to know, why did you distance yourself from me in the first place?"
As she mentioned this past, Old Lady Carter's eyes reddened again.
She had always been a strong person, so when it came to her own family, she couldn't adapt to the role of a qualified elder so quickly.
***