Chasing The Vengeful Villainous Heiress-Chapter 45: The word ’family’

Getting out of the car, Max wore a coat over his police uniform. He didn’t want to attract more attention to her than they would already get.

There was no fun pointing out to the haters that they just got back from the station.

They didn’t go in through the front entrance of the mansion so they didn’t make contact with a lot of people from the mansion, but there were still a few who were at the side mansion and were staring, as well as whispering.

The person who led them was Oscar and because it was Oscar leading them, no one could carelessly approach them.

They got to the room Grandpa Leo usually received his guests (calling him Grandpa Leo from now on).

"Please, wait here for a minute, young master. The master will be here shortly." Oscar said to them and turned to get the master of the house but before he took a step, Grandpa Leo came out with his walking stick going ahead of him, as usual.

"That won’t be necessary. I’m already here." He said and they all turned to look at him.

Valerie was silent as she watched him approaching. She didn’t know what to say or what to expect from him but she wished he was indeed worried as Max said. She wouldn’t be able to handle it if he looked at her with eyes of disgust.

Grandpa Max stopped in front of them and lifted his gaze to scan the two. Then, he said,

"Aye, this grandson of mine is very careless. How can you not tell me that such a huge thing is going on?" He scolded and threatened to hit him with his cane in the air. "Is that how you take care of your wife?"

Max in turn hurried to get behind Valerie and used her as a shield.

"Old man, I didn’t think you’d worry so much." He said whilst laughing. "Besides, your network is wider than mine. How was I to know you didn’t already know?"

"Is that an excuse?"

They bickered and had Valerie in between them. She was experiencing such a thing for the first time so she did not know how to react, but seeing them like this, she wondered if this was how they showed their familiar love.

She knew they were fond of each other and this odd way they acted was their way of showing it but... She shook her head.

"Old man," she called and took his hand. "I’m honestly fine." She said and he looked at her, the patch on her face said otherwise.

But he sighed and respected her unspoken wish to not interfere. If she wanted him to interfere, she would’ve said something.

Regardless, he made sure to land a strike on Max’s behind before clearing his throat and acting like everything was alright.

Seeing what just happened, Valerie finally burst out laughing and they stared at her, stunned.

She couldn’t hold it. What was this? It was so funny. She wasn’t forcing herself to laugh this time and her heart felt warm. What was this? It was unfamiliar and at the same time, oddly familiar

"Yeah, yeah. You’ve succeeded in disgracing me in front of my wife. She’s laughing at me now." Max grumbled but Valerie shook her head all while still laughing.

She just couldn’t stop and he patted her back.

"Hm, let it out so you won’t choke. A good laugh is nice once in a while."

’This is more than a good laugh.’ she said and raised her head, cleaning the tears from the corner of her eyes. She looked up to see Grandpa Leo smiling at her.

"Glad you can still laugh at a time like this." He said and she nodded. "No need to be so rigid when you’re around me." He took her hand in his and covered it with the other. "I did some digging and it turns out that you really did marry this runt. And though I don’t know why, all I know is that you’re family now so learn to let loose in front of us every now and then, okay?"

Valerie was dumbstruck.

The word ’family’ came in strong and though she never had anyone to officially call her family, since she married Max, he was her family now, even if their marriage wasn’t under normal circumstances.

And then there was this old man who knew her very well, more than she knew herself. His presence made her feel she was actually human, like she was a regular person and it made her glad.

She cleaned her eyes.

"Hm? You look so touched." Max chipped in. "You didn’t look like that when I asked you to marry me."

"Oh, would you quit it?" Valerie scolded him and paused. What did she just say to him?

They exchanged stunned glances and then burst out laughing.

Today was really something else, wasn’t it?

"You probably don’t want word to spread that you’re in a relationship. Though your entrance together might’ve already spiked up a few suspicions." He shook his head. "It can’t be helped. I’ll have them prepare a room for you." Grandpa Leo said to Valerie and she nodded, grateful for his effort. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

And though Max did not look satisfied with this, he just had to go ahead with it. Besides, there was still the tale of the uninvited guest. He grinned.

"What is my grandson thinking of now?" Grandpa Leo asked in whispers as they both watched Max grin in delight.

"I have no idea." Valerie whispered back and they both laughed.

"What’s so funny? Let me in on it?" Maximus requested but his grandfather shunned him and told him to stand aside while he talked to his granddaughter-in-law.

Groggily, he went to the side and stood with his beach resting on the wall and his gaze on his phone.

"Dear, I was serious when I said you could rely on me if that brat seems to be unreliable." Grandpa Leo said to her. He had this caring and gentle gaze that made her feel he was indeed concerned about her.

He cared. He really did care and that made her so happy.

The gaze of an elderly who deeply cared... How long has it been? How long has she longed for it?

Max had lived with such gazes of affection all his life and she was jealous. She was still jealous of him but she was also grateful. Though their circumstances weren’t normal, it was still thanks to him that she could enjoy this.

"Don’t worry, for now, I’ll stick with what I have." She said, glancing at Max. "He’s my light. If I hadn’t met him, I don’t think I would’ve ever been able to crawl out of the darkness I was in. He... Saved me." She said.

Grandpa Leo looked at her and understood her expression very well.

"I’m glad you’re not being deceived." He said and this made Valerie feel a little prick in her conscience.

The one who was actually being deceiving was her. She couldn’t tell him that this was a contract and she was just using his grandson, but she was sincere when she said Max was her light.