“Of course not! Even if you weren’t her granddaughter, I’d still like you just as much!” Grace quickly explained. “Don’t think I’m making this up–I mean every word!”
“Don’t worry, Grandma, I was just teasing you!” Suzy hugged her gently. “It’s late. Let’s get some rest.”
“Alright, Suzy. I truly hope you find happiness in the days ahead.”
“I will,” Suzy said softly.
Once Grace had fallen asleep, Suzy quietly left her room. As soon as she stepped out, she ran into Dylan.
“I had some supper prepared. Would you like to eat something?“.
Suzy realized she was indeed a bit hungry. “Sure.”
Her easy agreement gave Dylan a spark of hope. Sharing a meal with Suzy, something he had only dared to imagine in the past, now felt like a dream come true.
What Dylan didn’t realize was that Suzy was simply hungry, with no deeper meaning behind her acceptance.
While Dylan ate in high spirits, barely able to contain his excitement, Suzy ate as casually as she would any other meal.
When they finished, Suzy stood up. “I should get going. Let Grandma know for me. Things with my dad are still uncertain, and I can’t stay away for too long.”
Her explanation made Dylan’s heart race even faster. Of course, I’ll let her know.”
The fact that Suzy had offered an explanation at all felt like a breakthrough. It showed she was starting to care about his feelings—or so Dylan believed.
The more he thought about it, the more excited he became. But then something unexpected happened.
Whether it was from the excitement or something else, Dylan suddenly felt an intense heat spreading through his body.
It wasn’t just warmth–it was a suffocating, burning sensation that seemed to originate from deep within. His throat was dry, and his body felt as if it were crawling with invisible insects.
This feeling…
It was exactly like that night three years ago.
Suzy noticed something was wrong and asked, “What’s happening to you?”
“No, nothing. Just feeling a little tired. I won’t walk you out. Take your time, and let me know when you get home,” Dylan said, brushing off Suzy’s concern. He didn’t want her to think he had planned anything intentionally.
Thinking back, he realized the issue couldn’t have been the food–they had both eaten the same meal, and Suzy seemed fine. The problem had to be with the coffee he drank earlier, the one brought to him by the housekeeper.
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At the time, she’d mentioned it was sent by Grace, and he hadn’t thought twice before drinking it.
But now he wondered–was it really Grace’s idea, or had the housekeeper acted on her own?
+25 BONUS
The latter seemed more likely. Grace would never do anything that might harm Suzy. The housekeeper probably meant well, trying to help speed things along between him and Suzy.
Just as he was lost in thought, the housekeeper came down the stairs. Seeing Dylan alone, she immediately looked worried. “Where’s Mrs. Wright?”
“Mrs. Lane, was it Grandma who asked you to put something in the coffee, or…?”
“It was me!” the housekeeper blurted out nervously. “When I saw that Mrs. Wright seemed to be warming up to you, I thought it was the perfect chance to push things along. If you two could finally break through that last barrier, Madam Grace wouldn’t have to worry so much.
“She never pressures you two, but I know deep down, she wants you to reconcile more than anyone else.”
“I don’t want to force Suzy into anything she doesn’t want.”
The housekeeper looked distressed. “But I don’t have an antidote!”
Before Dylan could respond, she bolted toward the door. “If you’re too embarrassed to ask Mrs. Wright, I’ll go find her for you!”
