Jane couldn''t hold it in anymore. Her voice rose, sharp and trembling. "How could you do this?"


    Reese just stood there, heart twisting. Even now, he was still thinking of her. Even on his deathbed, she was on his mind.


    "And... I want Reese to be recognized as... my own... Make sure Sebastian remembers... he can''t ever hurt her again... from now on, she''s..."


    His breathing turned ragged, each word a struggle. His chest heaved, eyes locked on the doorway, as if willing someone to appear. The hand that had been holding Reese''s went ck, falling to the bed.


    Suddenly, the heart monitor spiked, then dropped into a thin, t line. The rm red through the ICU, sharp and unforgiving.


    "Dad!" Jane shrieked, lunging to the bedside and seizing his hand. "Don''t go! You have to finish what you''re saying! Seb''s almost here! Please, just a little longer!"


    She shook him, tears streaming down her face, but Mr. Ratcliff''s eyes were closed for good now, his expression still tinged with regret for all he''d left unsaid.


    The military doctor rushed in, immediately starting CPR. After more than ten minutes of trying everything, he finally stopped, shaking his head.


    "I''m sorry. He''s gone."


    Jane dropped to the floor, sobbing, but beneath it all was panic. Mr. Ratcliff was gone, and he''d left shares to both Reese and Matthew. What would the other shareholders think of the Ratcliff family now?


    Reese inheriting Ratcliff shares was a done deal, and Jane couldn''t let her take them and walk away. No way.


    Reese just stood there, staring at the bed, at the old man who would never open his eyes again. Atst, her tears spilled over.


    She remembered how he''d always stood up for her, the words he''d just tried to say. The ache in her chest was sharp, raw.


    Slowly, she knelt and bowed three times, forehead pressed to the cold floor, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Thank you, Grandpa."


    Jane watched, rolling her eyes because she was sure Reese was just putting on an act for those shares.


    Wiping her tears away, Jane straightened up and walked out of the room. She pulled herself together, putting on her dy of the house" face. She turned to the security team. "Start making arrangements for the funeral. Bring Robbie up. He should say goodbye to his great-grandfather.


    "And call Sebastian again. Tell him he needs to get here now."


    Reese stepped out of the room, the recorder clutched tight in her hand. With this recording, no one could pin Mr. Ratcliff''s death on her.


    She watched the security guard bring Robbie over. She really didn''t want to see her son right now, so she stepped aside to let him into the room to pay his respects.


    Standing outside, Reese took onest look at Mr. Ratcliff, then closed her eyes and turned to leave, only for Jane to grab her arm.


    Jane''s face had changed. No more usations, no more sarcasm. She was smiling, a soft smile Reese hadn''t seen since marrying into the Ratcliff family.


    "Reese, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have med you. I can''t believe Robbie lied. But whatever happened, Sebastian trusts you...


    "I pushed him to call the police. Maybe... maybe you could think twice about the divorce?


    "I''m begging you.


    "If you stay, you can have whatever you want. You can take over all the family finances from now on."


    Robbie came out of the room and


    heard this. His eyes shed with et


    guilt. So great-grandpa had already


    cleared


    Mom''s name But


    Mom''same why was


    Grandma suddenly being so nice?


    Jane pressed on, "It was my fault before. I promise, I''ll never let you get hurt again.


    "Think about it, you own twenty percent of Ratcliff Global now. No one in this family will dare treat you badly."


    Robbie''s eyes went wide. Great-grandpa had left Mom so many shares? No wonder Grandma didn''t want her and Dad to get divorced anymore.


    He bit his lip, shuffled up to Reese, and tugged at her sleeve, careful and small.


    "Mom, I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it. I just didn''t want you and Dad to get divorced, so I said you hurt Grandpa...


    "When things got out of control, I wanted to tell the truth, but I was scared Dad would get mad, so I kept quiet."


    He looked up at her, tears shining in his eyes, voice desperate. "Please, Mom, don''t get divorced. I promise


    I''ll be good


    wont make you angry


    ever again."


    Jane jumped in, "That''s right, Reese. Robbie is apologizing. For the sake of the


    child, can''t you and Sebastian just work it out?"


    She nced at Robbie, then leaned


    in close to Reese, lowering her voice.


    "If you stay, I''ll go to the police


    myself and make sure Leslie goes to


    jail she''ll never show her


    face


    around here again, never bother Sebastian.


    "And I''ll throw you and Sebastian the biggest wedding this city''s ever seen.


    Everyone will know you''re the real Mrs. Ratcliff."


    Reese looked at the two of them, putting on their performance, and suddenly let


    out a chuckle, cold, sharp, and utterly mocking.


    "Do you two even hear yourselves? Isn''t this all just a little ridiculous?"