Secret Billionaire’s Contract Bride: Marrying My Enemy’s Lover

Chapter 31

POV: Adelaide

“Grandma, what are you looking for?” I asked, bemused.

“It’s a surprise,” my grandma chuckled. “If I can find it, that is.”

Grandma frowned, surveying the storage room she’d led me to. From top to bottom, all kinds of junk lay around. I didn’t know what she expected to find in this mess.

“Oh. it’s your grandpa’s uniform,” she mused fondly as she pulled out an old army uniform from one of the boxes. “He served seven years, you know.” The pride in her voice was evident.

“I know, Grandma,” I chuckled. “You’ve told me a million times.”

“Oh, and look! This was your father’s,” she said as she brought out a bubblegum pink onesie, looking sheepish. “The doctors thought he was a girl before he was born, so we bought everything in pink.”

I snorted, hiding my laugh behind my hand. The onesie had in bright white lettering #1 Princess. I bet my dad just loved this.

“Why do you even keep all this junk, Grandma?” I laughed, sitting down on one of the old tables (supposedly mahogany from their old house).

“It’s not junk!” she huffed, sending me a cross look.

I raised an eyebrow and pointed lazily to the box of broken flower pots she’d kept.

“Okay, not everything is junk,” Grandma chuckled. She sighed, sitting down in a dusty rocking chair. There was a distant, melancholy look as she gazed at everything around us.

“It isn’t just objects or things, Adelaide,” Grandma said softly. “All of it has a story. They carry little memories inside of them. pieces of our lives that we pass down to one another. Things we’ve lost, and things we’ve loved. They remind me of times we may forget.”

“Grandma?” I asked, softly, I didn’t quite understand what she was talking about, but I knew it was something important she was trying to tell me.

“Oh!”

She smiled and exclaimed, “I remember where I put it now.”

She got to her feet, a bit unsteady. The floors creaked as she made her way to a black trunk with a lock on it.

“I stored it for safekeeping.” Grandma winked at me. “So 1 might give it to you someday.”

“Give what to me, Grandma?” I asked, making my way over to where she was.

She sighed, sitting on one of the wicker chairs next to the trunk as she handed me a small silver key.

“You’ll know,” was all she said.

Her smile was soft as I took the key from her. Shrugging, I got on my knees, brushing the dust and cobwebs from the old lock. As I did, my breath caught in my throat.

There, on a silver plate right above the lock was a name. But not just any name.

Maclyn. I traced the engraved letters, my eyes wide with wonder. Could it be?

my Grandma tears starting to burn in

up

tus tiramda clunkled, a knowing look in her eye

the lock was rusted and

a click, it came off and I placed it next to me. I glanced at

No I did

trunk was lined with an old floral pattern-most of it faded away but

busille of letters and envelopes all wrapped together with a rubber band. Sure enough. I was right.

I whispered to

“Your mother’

after her death”

“At least, what i uld recover I’m alr

of her things were

stepmother went into a frenzy as she threw away

jewelry, furnitu

and even

photo with

later bammed her

like she had never existed.

mother already, and then | existed. My

emrerase her. Hit wasn’t for

been like she’d

grateful some

saved, any of the

led it out.

photo frame, tucked in the corner, and

swallowed me up as I saw her

than I remembered. She was smiling in the photo, a baby with squishy cheeks being held up

you so much.

fingers trailing past over her face

give you something in her place” Grandina said, quietly “Now, it’s time to do so. Do you

the building tears in my eyes, placing the photo down as I glanced

the other clutter being pushed away as I finally pulled

Despite

ssive size,

placed the box on my lap. My fingers itched to

didn’t like

have before you get married,” Grandma told

of bravery, I swallowed my anxieties and opened the box.

gasped in

a white dress. A beautiful

my feet, allowing the fabric to flow against my body. It was incredibly soft. Off the shoulder with lace and beads decorating

lace was intricate, handstitched lovingly.

beautiful,” I

she said with a rough voice.

sound Grandma made, I looked up. Grandma was smiling, tears in her eyes as she