Chapter 59

Originally, Julia had attended the event to give her daughter a taste of the wider world, but the evening flipped expectations-everyone else walked away humbled.

Grace's reputation underwent a dramatic

transformation.

Few had ever imagined that Julia would welcome someone so remarkable into her family.

For many, the experience shattered old assumptions.

Even back at home, Julia found herself questioning if any of it had truly happened.

Grace felt almost too extraordinary to be real.

Later that night, Rodger returned, only to be swept up in Julia's animated retelling, her excitement impossible to contain.

Although Rodger prided himself on staying calm and collected, he had to confess-even he had underestimated Grace's talents.

The following morning, a quiet breakfast was interrupted by a sudden call from the Holden estate.

The urgency in the butler's voice was impossible to ignore. Clearly, something was very wrong.

Breakfast ended in a rush as the family scrambled to the estate.

Stepping into the living room, they were met with a thick,almost tangible sense of dread.

Eliana sat motionless on the couch, eyes swollen and lost in thought. Anyone could see she was in distress.

Rodger's concern took over as he hurried to her side."Eliana, are you all right? You look so pale."

As soon as she heard him, Eliana dissolved into tears,unable to hold back any longer.

"Rodger... I... I'm dying... It's stomach cancer. The doctors say it's late stage!"

A heavy silence filled the room, disbelief etching itself onto every face.

The unthinkable had happened; Grace's warning had come true.

Eliana's condition was as dire as Grace had once said.

The news hit Rodger so hard he had to steady himself,the shock nearly knocking him off balance.

Without hesitation, Julia rushed to Eliana's side, her hands trembling as she tried to steady her. "How could this be possible? Did the doctors actually confirm it?"

Tears streaming down her face, Eliana pulled a bundle of medical papers from her bag. "It showed up in my latest check-up... The doctor warned me...it's already spreading everywhere..."

Her fingers trembled as she pointed to the ominous shadows on the CT scan report-there was no denying the dark shapes. "Without immediate treatment,they said I might not have more than a few months..."

Claire dropped to her knees, clutching her mother's hand in disbelief. "No, Mom, that can't be true! You don't have cancer... I refuse to believe it!"

Her entire body quivered, barely holding herself together. The thought of losing her mother left her frozen with fear, unable to imagine what tomorrow might bring.

From the very start, the Robertson family had never fully embraced her. After Claire was born, Eliana's health never recovered, and her dreams of another child slipped away.

Every specialist she'd seen offered nothing but disappointment. Yet, her husband longed for a son to carry their name. As years passed, he slowly disappeared from their lives, hardly ever coming home or acknowledging her and Claire.

Hushed voices always lingered behind Eliana's back,but she forced herself to ignore the gossip and soldier on.

There was nothing she could do to change things-and revealing her broken marriage to her own family was out of the question. Pride ran deep in every Holden. Becoming a family punchline was never an option.

Back then, the weight of her secrets nearly crushed her. She found herself seeking solace in drink, night after night. Maybe that was what truly broke her health.

For years, she kept up a flawless image, smiling through the pain, never letting anyone glimpse the sadness inside.

Now, faced with this diagnosis, the mnask was slipping away for good.

A heavy silence pressed down on everyone in the room.

Ethel's knuckles turned white as she gripped her cane,her face drained of all color.

Rodger managed to gather himself first, saying in a steady, reassuring tone, "Eliana, don't give up hope.I'll find the finest doctors across the country. We'll fight this together."

A defeated look crossed Eliana's face as she shook her head. "It's no use, Rodger. The reports don't lie-it's already advanced. I've seen every leading specialist I could find... They all said the same thing.There's little hope left for me."

Returning to Ethel's side had only one goal in her mind:to carve out a brighter path for Claire's future. Nothing else held any real importance for her anymore.

All hope had faded from her heart long ago.

Without missing a beat, Julia wrapped her in reassurance. "Eliana, don't let despair get the best of you. Treatments have advanced so much-if things don't work out here, we'll seek help overseas. I have connections with Dr. Jerry Morrison. He's recognized everywhere as a leader in oncology."

"No," said Grace, her tone unwavering and honest."Dr.Jerry Morrison might be famous, but he can't reverse this."

At that, Gianna pounced, her voice edged with accusation. "Dr. Morrison's reputation is second to none. So you're saying Aunt Eliana's situation is hopeless?"

Those words dripped with malice, setting the room on edge. Sure enough, Claire's anger boiled over. She shot upright, stabbing a finger at Grace, her voice shaking with fury. "Grace, what's wrong with you? you are so vicious. How could you wish this on my mother?"

Darkness swept over Julia's features, her patience running thin. Rodger, too, stiffened,worry clouding his face.

"Claire, that's enough," Julia said, her words slicing through the chaos. "If anyone dares insult my daughter again-no matter who it is-we'll walk away from all of this. We're here to support each other, not to tear anyone down."

Standing up for what mattered most, Julia never hesitated when it came to protecting her own.

To her, Grace was irreplaceable; she would never stand by and let others hurl insults at her. Besides,Grace had spoken nothing but the truth. If not for her,Eliana might still be in the dark about her illness.

Strangely, Grace's good intentions had only earned her scorn.

Julia had always looked the other way out of compassion for Eliana and understanding of Rodger's family ties, but Claire had crossed an unspoken line.

Humiliation directed at Grace would never be tolerated. Not a single sound echoed through the room as Julia's anger settled over them.

Known for her warmth, Julia rarely raised her voice.Now,though,her fierce defense left everyone feeling small.