Mary was on the cusp of her 80th birthday, a milestone that seemed both monumental and just another day in her long life of ups and downs.

She had lived through storms and even stirred up a few herself.

Reaching this age, she was as crafty and sharp as they come.

Mary had a knack for playing her family like a chessboard, always staying several moves ahead.

From manipulating the press to force Maddox and Jennifer to adopt Leanne, to orchestrating moral dilemmas that led to Leanne's marriage to Curtis, Mary was always in control.

was Leanne, the adopted granddaughter from outside the

usual mix of stubbornness and evasion, but in front of Leanne, she often found

out to Leanne with a warmth that belied her usual demeanor. "How was your day out? Did Curtis feed you too much? Your

hand hanging and her smile fading into a look

back tears, Leanne confronted her, "What really happened to

talk about that. Can't

more painful than any harsh word could ever be. As she tried to hold back her tears, they broke through, streaming down her

kidnapped us... I never forgot the mark on his hand. Hanley was the one who killed my

struggling to remain standing, finally collapsed onto the couch. The truth hovered before Leanne, fragile as a thin sheet of paper, piercing

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