Hitched & Hitched Again: A Comedy of Marital Mayhem

Chapter 1430

That night, the realization finally hit him.

Survival of the fittest, he thought. If you're not strong enough, you have to learn when to back down.

At his age, keeping his head down was just part of staying alive.

So that night, clutching the puzzle box in his small hands, he knelt in front of Gideon for the first time and called him, "Grandpa."

He begged Gideon to let him bury the puzzle with his father.

Gideon, dressed in a sharp suit and sipping his Earl Grey in the armchair, looked down at him for a long, icy second before finally snapping,

"Fine. You can put it in. But from now on, you do as I say.

If the press ever interviews you, you do not show any resentment toward me or the Bradford family.

And tomorrow at your father's funeral, you will not mention your mother-not just tomorrow, but ever. No matter where you are, you keep her name out of your mouth. Wipe her from your memory.

Remember this: you're a Bradford now. You have nothing to do with that woman Elizabeth."

As a child, he was powerless against Gideon's authority.

He shook with hatred, but in the end, he had no choice but to obey.

Only then did Gideon finally allow the puzzle to be placed into the coffin, to rest with his father.

eighth-generation virus, he found himself remembering every detail of his parents' lives-especially that

back to the puzzle

his father died, he'd mentioned

toys growing up, but that was the only

impossible not to

left any clues about the virus,

and pulled himself back

of everyone. Instead,

and kept clearing out the

it was

the minister's instruct

ashes from Elysia, and placed

et to Kendricks

s

side, eyes all around the gravesite grew

was respect for

awe

for over twenty

their lives hadn't been perfect. Maybe there

their love had

life, together in death-never

blessings from family and the prayers of the priests, the

lay their most

with Elizabeth's name added and a

the Bradford