A Replacement Bride

Chapter 305

Chapter 305

Joaquin cautiously took the notebook from her, and he couldn't help but think it felt as heavy as lead. Still, he masked his sadness and donned a serious expression as he vowed, "Grandma, I've remembered everything you said. I'll protect Kathy and Noah with everything I have. Nothing will happen to them as long as I'm around."

He seldom made any promises throughout the years. Yet, all the things he swore to do were made to Katherine and the old lady in front of him now.

Jennifer nodded in gratification, and her face turned a shade paler while her breathing also turned weaker. Since she couldn't sit up with her own power, he carefully helped her lay back on the bed.

"Don't talk anymore, Grandma. Just wait a little longer, and Kathy will be awake soon. She'll be heartbroken if she can't see you one last time."

"Good child." Jennifer's voice was so soft that he had to lean forward to hear it well. "I know that all of you are good children. It will only break Kathy's heart even more if she sees me leaving. Please, save it. I can't hold on until then, nor do I want to see her cry in front of me. This child may seem like she doesn't care about anything, but she's more emotionally attached than anyone else. This trait of hers is similar to her mother…" Her eyes gradually lost focus as she spoke, and they roamed around the room aimlessly. She had a dazed look on her face as though she was caught in a memory.

"You know what's funny? I fell for Darren exactly because he valued relationships and was a righteous man. Unfortunately, all these years, he's been buried in Kyoland, and it's my fault that I've not visited him. But it's okay. I'll be meeting him soon…"

"Grandma…" Joaquin had always been reserved, but in such a situation, his voice sounded a little hoarse as he tried to blink back his tears.

Jennifer gave him a weak smile and whispered, "Don't be sad, Joaquin. I'm just going to meet that old man, but there's one more thing I need to tell you. After my death, bury me together with Darren. We vowed to share the same bed in life and the same grave in death."

He pursed his trembling lips and locked eyes with her anticipatory gaze. Finally, he remained silent but gave her a firm nod.

Only then did a satisfied smile spread across her face, and she turned her head, staring at Katherine with reluctance in her eyes. Her gaze swept over every inch of her face as she gradually lost her sight.

A long while later, a single tear rolled down from the corner of her eye, and she repeated in an almost inaudible whisper, "I leave Kathy to you…"

Then, her eyes slid to a close and brought a tone of finality with it.

Joaquin felt a lump stuck in his throat as he felt that she looked smaller than she was in life. He swallowed the sadness choking him for a few minutes before finally croaking, "Okay."

Just then, Donald burst in with the herbs in tow. However, when he saw Jennifer on the bed without a trace of life, he felt his eyes going blurry with tears, and he dropped the bag in his hand.

"Jenny… Rest in peace…" he warbled, kneeling next to her bed and resting his head heavily on the headboard, motionless for a long while.

…

Katherine didn't know how long she was unconscious, but she could feel consciousness drifting into a bottomless abyss. So, it took her a long while before she was awake. As she blankly stared at the ceiling, her mind played catch up before she finally realized what had happened.

The next second, she sprang to her feet, rolled off the bed, and wanted to walk out barefooted.

Coincidentally, the door swung open, and Joaquin came in with the medication. "Oh, you're awake, Kathy. Here, drink this medicinal soup first."

Unfortunately, it seemed as though she hadn't heard anything as she looked past him and headed for the door.

When he gazed at her pallid face, he genuinely couldn't bear to see her in this state. Nevertheless, he placed the soup on a small table at the side before quickly grabbing her before she could leave.

"Where are you going? You're not even wearing shoes—"

"I want to see Grandma," she interrupted with an expressionless face.

A terrible suspicion was growing in her heart with every passing second, pushing her to the brink of insanity.

Joaquin pursed his lips at her demand but still held onto her firmly and said in concern, "Drink the soup first. You overexerted yourself and will only feel better after taking this."

She refused to budge as she repeated, "I want to see Grandma." Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Then, as though she sensed his reluctance, she started struggling to break free, but to no avail. It also didn't help that the unease she felt grew as he kept blocking her way. In the end, she fought tooth and nail to shake him off.

"Let me go! Let me go now! I want to see Grandma!"

Perhaps she already knew the outcome, but she still insisted on seeing it with her own two eyes. Soon, her face turned stark white, and she couldn't reign in the rampant emotions running wild in her heart. Thus, she acted out of the norm and utterly lost it, harshly smacking his hand as she wailed, "Why won't you let me see Grandma? What's wrong with her? Release me! What happened to Grandma?"

No matter how she hit him, he didn't loosen his grip even the slightest and merely stared at her with sorrowful eyes. Suddenly, he extended his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

"Kathy, you know that the last thing Grandma wanted was to see you sad."

Kathy was momentarily stunned by his words as her face was smushed against his shoulder. When it finally hit her, her eyes turned bloodshot. Yet, it seemed that she refused to accept reality as she struggled like a mad woman, repeatedly shrieking that she wanted to see Jennifer.

But Joaquin simply held her tighter, wrapping himself around her as his heart broke for her. He didn't break the news to her bluntly because he knew that, with her intelligence, she would understand what he was implying.

Perhaps, her body was failing after exerting itself as she finally came to an abrupt stop after a long while. By the end of it, she was covered in so much sweat that even the hair on her forehead was drenched.

Then, she suddenly raised her hand and clutched the back of Joaquin's shirt as tightly as she could.

"Grandma… Grandma…"

Eventually, she let the tears flow, crying as she never did before. She sobbed like a child who had lost their favorite toy—without restraint so that she could unleash the sorrow in her heart.

Ever since her mother's death, Jennifer was her only kin who unconditionally cared for and loved her besides Keith.

She might not have made it during those years in Fontan if it wasn't because of Jennifer.

In fact, she was anything but strong. She would often feel so weary that all she wanted to do was plop into bed and drift into a never-ending dream.

It was Jennifer who, despite her ailing body, would always be her rock. It was Jennifer who would encourage her and give her the strength she needed to continue.

Alas, the grandmother who only had love to give still left her in the end…

Katherine didn't know how long she cried, but it was so long that she had no more tears left in her, and her voice had turned hoarse. There was no strength left in her body, and her head felt heavy. She could feel that she was close to passing out.

In the meantime, Joaquin continued to hold her until he realized her physical condition and lifted her off the floor. Then, he slipped into bed with her, lay on his side with his head propped up, and hugged her.

"Do you feel better?" he asked in an incredibly gentle voice.

She hid in his embrace and didn't say a word. He sighed helplessly because he knew that there was no way she would be able to feel better after experiencing the death of her closest kin.

Since she didn't want to talk, he simply accompanied her in silence. Half an hour passed, and the soup had turned cold, but that didn't bother him.

Another half an hour went by, and she clutched his shirt tightly, saying suddenly, "What did Grandma say before she left?"

Katherine only realized how terrible she sounded when she finally spoke.

Joaquin frowned slightly and softly said, "She left quite a list." Nonetheless, he was worried that she still couldn't take it, so he asked tentatively, "Would you like to hear them now?"

A few seconds later, she closed her eyes in resignation. When she did, she felt a slight sting due to the sobbing fest earlier. Finally, she nodded.