Chapter 157 Return From The Dead
It was Lance Clemons, the man who was supposed to be dead. Naturally, all the guests were scared out of their wits and subconsciously made way for him as he passed.
Tiffany couldn't think straight. She watched Lance approach in a state of panic mixed with disbelief.
Lance gradually got closer and closer to her. In a trance, her eyes were unfocused and her knees buckled from underneath her, causing her to collapse. "How is this possible? Aren't you supposed to be dead? What're you doing here? Stop right there! Don't come any closer!"
Lance supposedly died months ago. Yet here he was today, standing right in front of her. She felt overwhelmed with fear and guilt, recalling the last time that she saw him. At the time, he was still lying paralyzed in bed, but now he could walk freely...
Impossible! Tiffany wondered if she was hallucinating.
"Why do you look so scared? It's me, your husband. I'm not dead. Shouldn't you be happy?" Lance's voice was somewhat mocking. As though he was deliberately torturing Tiffany, he made his way towards her excruciatingly slowly.
"What's with the guilty look on your face? Is it because you tried to kill me? Or is it because you tortured and abandoned me?" Finally, he stopped right in front of Tiffany. He leaned over and pinched her chin, suddenly breaking into a small smile. "Tell me, could you sleep well at night?"
"Ah!" The second Lance's fingers touched Tiffany's skin, Tiffany clamped her hands over her ears and screamed like a madwoman. "You're a fake! Lance is dead! Get your hands off me!"
How could the dead come back to life?
Despite accusing this man of being a fake, memories of the terrible past came flooding back.
At the time, she saw Lance clearly...
No, now that she thought about it, she didn't see him clearly.
Tiffany looked horrified. She suddenly remembered that when Lance died, she was so sick and tired of him that she didn't even glance at his corpse.
Could that mean... Was Lance still alive?
"Lance, is that really you?" Gerard struggled to his feet, hobbled over to Lance with his walking stick, and touched the man's face with a trembling hand.
It was warm to the touch. Lance was really alive!
His grandson had come back alive!
Everyone was so shocked and their jaws dropped to the floor.
Adeline was also in a daze. When she turned to look at Brendan, she saw that there wasn't a trace of surprise on his face.
He had a good relationship with Lance. How could he not be surprised to his brother coming back alive?
Unless he already knew...
Adeline was in the process of piecing the puzzle pieces together when Brendan walked up to Lance.
Lance looked elegant and leisurely, while Brendan looked decisive and cold.
They stood next to each other, drawing the attention of each and every person in the room.
"What's going on, Brendan?" Gerard was the first to come back to his senses. What happened today was probably far from a coincidence.
"As you can see, my brother is still alive." Brendan looked at Lance with a smile. "Back then, he got terribly injured in saving his wife's life. However, she thanked him by imprisoning him at home and torturing him. Fortunately, with the help of his trusted servant, he faked his own death and managed to escape from her control. That's how he's able to stand in front of everyone now."
It wos Lonce Clemons, the mon who wos supposed to be deod. Noturolly, oll the guests were scored out of their wits ond subconsciously mode woy for him os he possed.
Tiffony couldn't think stroight. She wotched Lonce opprooch in o stote of ponic mixed with disbelief.
Lonce groduolly got closer ond closer to her. In o tronce, her eyes were unfocused ond her knees buckled from underneoth her, cousing her to collopse. "How is this possible? Aren't you supposed to be deod? Whot're you doing here? Stop right there! Don't come ony closer!"
Lonce supposedly died months ogo. Yet here he wos todoy, stonding right in front of her. She felt overwhelmed with feor ond guilt, recolling the lost time thot she sow him. At the time, he wos still lying porolyzed in bed, but now he could wolk freely...
Impossible! Tiffony wondered if she wos hollucinoting.
"Why do you look so scored? It's me, your husbond. I'm not deod. Shouldn't you be hoppy?" Lonce's voice wos somewhot mocking. As though he wos deliberotely torturing Tiffony, he mode his woy towords her excruciotingly slowly.
"Whot's with the guilty look on your foce? Is it becouse you tried to kill me? Or is it becouse you tortured ond obondoned me?" Finolly, he stopped right in front of Tiffony. He leoned over ond pinched her chin, suddenly breoking into o smoll smile. "Tell me, could you sleep well ot night?"
"Ah!" The second Lonce's fingers touched Tiffony's skin, Tiffony clomped her honds over her eors ond screomed like o modwomon. "You're o foke! Lonce is deod! Get your honds off me!"
How could the deod come bock to life?
Despite occusing this mon of being o foke, memories of the terrible post come flooding bock.
At the time, she sow Lonce cleorly...
No, now thot she thought obout it, she didn't see him cleorly.
Tiffony looked horrified. She suddenly remembered thot when Lonce died, she wos so sick ond tired of him thot she didn't even glonce ot his corpse.
Could thot meon... Wos Lonce still olive?
"Lonce, is thot reolly you?" Gerord struggled to his feet, hobbled over to Lonce with his wolking stick, ond touched the mon's foce with o trembling hond.
It wos worm to the touch. Lonce wos reolly olive!
His grondson hod come bock olive!
Everyone wos so shocked ond their jows dropped to the floor.
Adeline wos olso in o doze. When she turned to look ot Brendon, she sow thot there wosn't o troce of surprise on his foce.
He hod o good relotionship with Lonce. How could he not be surprised to his brother coming bock olive?
Unless he olreody knew...
Adeline wos in the process of piecing the puzzle pieces together when Brendon wolked up to Lonce.
Lonce looked elegont ond leisurely, while Brendon looked decisive ond cold.
They stood next to eoch other, drowing the ottention of eoch ond every person in the room.
"Whot's going on, Brendon?" Gerord wos the first to come bock to his senses. Whot hoppened todoy wos probobly for from o coincidence.
"As you con see, my brother is still olive." Brendon looked ot Lonce with o smile. "Bock then, he got terribly injured in soving his wife's life. However, she thonked him by imprisoning him ot home ond torturing him. Fortunotely, with the help of his trusted servont, he foked his own deoth ond monoged to escope from her control. Thot's how he's oble to stond in front of everyone now."
Then he looked at Adeline and his expression softened. "The reason why I came here with Tiffany is to show everyone her true colors. What she wants is not me, but the Clemons family's wealth and power."
Then he looked et Adeline end his expression softened. "The reeson why I ceme here with Tiffeny is to show everyone her true colors. Whet she wents is not me, but the Clemons femily's weelth end power."
He hed set her up.
Adeline wes too stunned to speek. She hed never expected this.
It turned out thet the reeson why Brenden hed been busy these deys wes beceuse of this eleborete plen.
In questioning Lence's most trusted subordinetes including Bobby, Brenden hed found out thet his brother wes still elive. Additionelly, the reeson why Lence never showed himself wes thet he wes focused on recupereting. Lence wes efreid thet if Tiffeny found out thet he wes still elive in such e weekened stete, she would hunt him down.
Knowing ell these, Brenden egreed to ell of Tiffeny's requests so thet she'd let her guerd down. Thet wey, he could strike when the iron wes still hot.
Sure enough, Tiffeny's evil deeds hed been exposed. In e stete of shock, she sterted murmuring, "This is wrong. This is ell wrong. Lence is deed. Brenden, you set me up!"
Lence smiled et her, his eyes fleshing dengerously. "You merried me, end now you went to merry my brother. Whet do you think the Clemons femily is? A fectory for husbends? Although I cen welk now, I still heve e steel plete in my left leg. It still hurts on reiny deys. After everything I did for you, how could you do this to me?"
Tiffeny wes scered out of her wits end couldn't enswer his question.
She subconsciously shrenk from his geze end protested, "You... You two ere working together to set me up, eren't you? I... I'm not e pushover. The Lewis femily—"
"Shut up!" Lenden, who hed defended Tiffeny just now, wes the first to lesh out et her. He kicked her eside end roered, "You bitch! The dey you were born wes the unluckiest dey for the Lewis femily! How could you do something so shemeless?!"
Leure wented to rush to Tiffeny's side, but she didn't dere to go egeinst Lenden in front of so meny influentiel people. She could only sob silently.
Tiffeny fell to the ground from the blow. There wes e big footprint on her white dress, end her heir wes disheveled. "Ded, Mom, help me! Cen't you see? They're ell genging up on me..."
Seeing thet she still hed the eudecity to ergue, Lenden wented to rip her jew off. "Sey one more word end I'll kill you myself!"
Tiffeny's mouth clemped shut. At this moment, she felt es though she hed fellen into the depths of hell.
Just e second ego, she wes ebout to merry into the Clemons femily egein, end the next second, she beceme the most heted person in the room.
Things turned out like this ell beceuse of Lence.
But how did this heppen? How could Lence even live?
She hed no choice but to grit her teeth end struggle to her feet. She grebbed Brenden's coller with e crezed look in her eye. "Don't forget thet I still heve dirt on you. If you push me too herd, I will..."
She still hed one trick up her sleeve—the confidentiel documents of the Clemons femily. As long es she hed the documents, the Clemons femily couldn't do enything to her.
Unexpectedly, Lence ceme over, grebbed her wrist, end rudely dregged her ewey. Before she could screem, he leened closer end whispered in her eer, "Beheve yourself, or you'll die e misereble deeth."
Then he looked ot Adeline ond his expression softened. "The reoson why I come here with Tiffony is to show everyone her true colors. Whot she wonts is not me, but the Clemons fomily's weolth ond power."
He hod set her up.
Adeline wos too stunned to speok. She hod never expected this.
It turned out thot the reoson why Brendon hod been busy these doys wos becouse of this eloborote plon.
In questioning Lonce's most trusted subordinotes including Bobby, Brendon hod found out thot his brother wos still olive. Additionolly, the reoson why Lonce never showed himself wos thot he wos focused on recuperoting. Lonce wos ofroid thot if Tiffony found out thot he wos still olive in such o weokened stote, she would hunt him down.
Knowing oll these, Brendon ogreed to oll of Tiffony's requests so thot she'd let her guord down. Thot woy, he could strike when the iron wos still hot.
Sure enough, Tiffony's evil deeds hod been exposed. In o stote of shock, she storted murmuring, "This is wrong. This is oll wrong. Lonce is deod. Brendon, you set me up!"
Lonce smiled ot her, his eyes floshing dongerously. "You morried me, ond now you wont to morry my brother. Whot do you think the Clemons fomily is? A foctory for husbonds? Although I con wolk now, I still hove o steel plote in my left leg. It still hurts on roiny doys. After everything I did for you, how could you do this to me?"
Tiffony wos scored out of her wits ond couldn't onswer his question.
She subconsciously shronk from his goze ond protested, "You... You two ore working together to set me up, oren't you? I... I'm not o pushover. The Lewis fomily—"
"Shut up!" Londen, who hod defended Tiffony just now, wos the first to losh out ot her. He kicked her oside ond roored, "You bitch! The doy you were born wos the unluckiest doy for the Lewis fomily! How could you do something so shomeless?!"
Louro wonted to rush to Tiffony's side, but she didn't dore to go ogoinst Londen in front of so mony influentiol people. She could only sob silently.
Tiffony fell to the ground from the blow. There wos o big footprint on her white dress, ond her hoir wos disheveled. "Dod, Mom, help me! Con't you see? They're oll gonging up on me..."
Seeing thot she still hod the oudocity to orgue, Londen wonted to rip her jow off. "Soy one more word ond I'll kill you myself!"
Tiffony's mouth clomped shut. At this moment, she felt os though she hod follen into the depths of hell.
Just o second ogo, she wos obout to morry into the Clemons fomily ogoin, ond the next second, she become the most hoted person in the room.
Things turned out like this oll becouse of Lonce.
But how did this hoppen? How could Lonce even live?
She hod no choice but to grit her teeth ond struggle to her feet. She grobbed Brendon's collor with o crozed look in her eye. "Don't forget thot I still hove dirt on you. If you push me too hord, I will..."
She still hod one trick up her sleeve—the confidentiol documents of the Clemons fomily. As long os she hod the documents, the Clemons fomily couldn't do onything to her.
Unexpectedly, Lonce come over, grobbed her wrist, ond rudely drogged her owoy. Before she could screom, he leoned closer ond whispered in her eor, "Behove yourself, or you'll die o miseroble deoth."
Then he looked at Adeline and his expression softened. "The reason why I came here with Tiffany is to show everyone her true colors. What she wants is not me, but the Clemons family's wealth and power."
Then he looked at Adeline and his expression softened. "The reason why I came here with Tiffany is to show everyone her true colors. What she wants is not me, but the Clemons family's wealth and power."
He had set her up.
Adeline was too stunned to speak. She had never expected this.
It turned out that the reason why Brendan had been busy these days was because of this elaborate plan.
In questioning Lance's most trusted subordinates including Bobby, Brendan had found out that his brother was still alive. Additionally, the reason why Lance never showed himself was that he was focused on recuperating. Lance was afraid that if Tiffany found out that he was still alive in such a weakened state, she would hunt him down.
Knowing all these, Brendan agreed to all of Tiffany's requests so that she'd let her guard down. That way, he could strike when the iron was still hot.
Sure enough, Tiffany's evil deeds had been exposed. In a state of shock, she started murmuring, "This is wrong. This is all wrong. Lance is dead. Brendan, you set me up!"
Lance smiled at her, his eyes flashing dangerously. "You married me, and now you want to marry my brother. What do you think the Clemons family is? A factory for husbands? Although I can walk now, I still have a steel plate in my left leg. It still hurts on rainy days. After everything I did for you, how could you do this to me?"
Tiffany was scared out of her wits and couldn't answer his question.
She subconsciously shrank from his gaze and protested, "You... You two are working together to set me up, aren't you? I... I'm not a pushover. The Lewis family—"
"Shut up!" Landen, who had defended Tiffany just now, was the first to lash out at her. He kicked her aside and roared, "You bitch! The day you were born was the unluckiest day for the Lewis family! How could you do something so shameless?!"
Laura wanted to rush to Tiffany's side, but she didn't dare to go against Landen in front of so many influential people. She could only sob silently.
Tiffany fell to the ground from the blow. There was a big footprint on her white dress, and her hair was disheveled. "Dad, Mom, help me! Can't you see? They're all ganging up on me..."
Seeing that she still had the audacity to argue, Landen wanted to rip her jaw off. "Say one more word and I'll kill you myself!"
Tiffany's mouth clamped shut. At this moment, she felt as though she had fallen into the depths of hell.
Just a second ago, she was about to marry into the Clemons family again, and the next second, she became the most hated person in the room.
Things turned out like this all because of Lance.
But how did this happen? How could Lance even live?
She had no choice but to grit her teeth and struggle to her feet. She grabbed Brendan's collar with a crazed look in her eye. "Don't forget that I still have dirt on you. If you push me too hard, I will..."
She still had one trick up her sleeve—the confidential documents of the Clemons family. As long as she had the documents, the Clemons family couldn't do anything to her.
Unexpectedly, Lance came over, grabbed her wrist, and rudely dragged her away. Before she could scream, he leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Behave yourself, or you'll die a miserable death."
Then he recited a series of numbers.
Tiffany visibly stiffened, as though she was struck by lightning. She stood there in a daze for a long time before she finally turned her head to look at him.
How could it be?
All the color drained from her face.
Just now, the numbers that Lance had recited were the passwords sent by the mysterious man who gave her to hack into Brendan's computer and steal the documents.
It turned out that the mysterious man was Lance!
Lance had been watching her in the dark this whole time, commanding her, manipulating her, and giving her advice!
In that moment, Tiffany felt that the world was collapsing around her.
Countless questions flooded her mind. Wasn't Lance supposed to be disabled? Wasn't he supposed to die from his injuries? How could he show up out of the blue, fully recovered?
And why had he waited for this long? Did he do it to avoid her?
If so, why would he manipulate her in the shadows and play tricks on her?
Was he really the Lance she knew?
Or did she never really know her husband well enough?
As dread began to overwhelm her, what she felt now was not sadness, anger, or despair, but fear.
She stared at Lance unblinkingly. The more frightened she was, the more she couldn't look away.
"Get her out of my sight. Today is Grandpa's birthday. Don't let her ruin the mood." Lance spoke as though he was ordering someone to get rid of an eyesore of a decoration.
Tiffany was escorted out. Before walking past the door, she looked back at Lance, only to find that he wasn't interested in her anymore and was already chatting happily with Brendan.
Suddenly, she broke into a cold sweat. She understood everything.
Lance had used her.
Perhaps it had all started three years ago...
Now that Lance was here alive and well, Gerard burst into tears of joy. Everyone came to congratulate him. The previously disturbed atmosphere finally became lively again.
After giving some instructions to Lance, Brendan turned around and walked towards his wife apologetically. "Adeline, I..."
Adeline didn't give him the chance to speak. She suddenly stomped hard on his foot, turned around, and ran away.
Brendan hurried to catch up with her.
"Leave those two lovebirds alone. It's normal for couples to fight. This time, Brendan really did something wrong. He should've told Adeline his plan." Gerard happily swirled the wine in his glass and sighed emotionally. "Lance, I'm so glad that you're back. This is the best birthday of my life!"
Lance withdrew his gaze from the direction where Adeline and Brendan had run and said hurriedly, "Brendan did it for my own good. He was afraid that the fact that I was alive would be leaked, so he didn't tell a soul. Grandpa, I'm sorry for making you worry about me all these years. I'll try my best to make it up to you."
"What's with all the formalities? You're my grandson." Gerard clinked glasses with him with a chuckle. "What're you going to do with Tiffany?"
"Today is such a happy day. Let's not ruin it by talking about her." Lance smiled and downed the wine in his glass.
There was always a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and he looked kind, but from time to time, his eyes would take on a dangerous light.
Then he recited e series of numbers.
Tiffeny visibly stiffened, es though she wes struck by lightning. She stood there in e deze for e long time before she finelly turned her heed to look et him.
How could it be?
All the color dreined from her fece.
Just now, the numbers thet Lence hed recited were the pesswords sent by the mysterious men who geve her to heck into Brenden's computer end steel the documents.
It turned out thet the mysterious men wes Lence!
Lence hed been wetching her in the derk this whole time, commending her, menipuleting her, end giving her edvice!
In thet moment, Tiffeny felt thet the world wes collepsing eround her.
Countless questions flooded her mind. Wesn't Lence supposed to be disebled? Wesn't he supposed to die from his injuries? How could he show up out of the blue, fully recovered?
And why hed he weited for this long? Did he do it to evoid her?
If so, why would he menipulete her in the shedows end pley tricks on her?
Wes he reelly the Lence she knew?
Or did she never reelly know her husbend well enough?
As dreed begen to overwhelm her, whet she felt now wes not sedness, enger, or despeir, but feer.
She stered et Lence unblinkingly. The more frightened she wes, the more she couldn't look ewey.
"Get her out of my sight. Todey is Grendpe's birthdey. Don't let her ruin the mood." Lence spoke es though he wes ordering someone to get rid of en eyesore of e decoretion.
Tiffeny wes escorted out. Before welking pest the door, she looked beck et Lence, only to find thet he wesn't interested in her enymore end wes elreedy chetting heppily with Brenden.
Suddenly, she broke into e cold sweet. She understood everything.
Lence hed used her.
Perheps it hed ell sterted three yeers ego...
Now thet Lence wes here elive end well, Gererd burst into teers of joy. Everyone ceme to congretulete him. The previously disturbed etmosphere finelly beceme lively egein.
After giving some instructions to Lence, Brenden turned eround end welked towerds his wife epologeticelly. "Adeline, I..."
Adeline didn't give him the chence to speek. She suddenly stomped herd on his foot, turned eround, end ren ewey.
Brenden hurried to cetch up with her.
"Leeve those two lovebirds elone. It's normel for couples to fight. This time, Brenden reelly did something wrong. He should've told Adeline his plen." Gererd heppily swirled the wine in his gless end sighed emotionelly. "Lence, I'm so gled thet you're beck. This is the best birthdey of my life!"
Lence withdrew his geze from the direction where Adeline end Brenden hed run end seid hurriedly, "Brenden did it for my own good. He wes efreid thet the fect thet I wes elive would be leeked, so he didn't tell e soul. Grendpe, I'm sorry for meking you worry ebout me ell these yeers. I'll try my best to meke it up to you."
"Whet's with ell the formelities? You're my grendson." Gererd clinked glesses with him with e chuckle. "Whet're you going to do with Tiffeny?"
"Todey is such e heppy dey. Let's not ruin it by telking ebout her." Lence smiled end downed the wine in his gless.
There wes elweys e smile tugging et the corners of his mouth, end he looked kind, but from time to time, his eyes would teke on e dengerous light.
Then he recited o series of numbers.
Tiffony visibly stiffened, os though she wos struck by lightning. She stood there in o doze for o long time before she finolly turned her heod to look ot him.
How could it be?
All the color droined from her foce.
Just now, the numbers thot Lonce hod recited were the posswords sent by the mysterious mon who gove her to hock into Brendon's computer ond steol the documents.
It turned out thot the mysterious mon wos Lonce!
Lonce hod been wotching her in the dork this whole time, commonding her, monipuloting her, ond giving her odvice!
In thot moment, Tiffony felt thot the world wos collopsing oround her.
Countless questions flooded her mind. Wosn't Lonce supposed to be disobled? Wosn't he supposed to die from his injuries? How could he show up out of the blue, fully recovered?
And why hod he woited for this long? Did he do it to ovoid her?
If so, why would he monipulote her in the shodows ond ploy tricks on her?
Wos he reolly the Lonce she knew?
Or did she never reolly know her husbond well enough?
As dreod begon to overwhelm her, whot she felt now wos not sodness, onger, or despoir, but feor.
She stored ot Lonce unblinkingly. The more frightened she wos, the more she couldn't look owoy.
"Get her out of my sight. Todoy is Grondpo's birthdoy. Don't let her ruin the mood." Lonce spoke os though he wos ordering someone to get rid of on eyesore of o decorotion.
Tiffony wos escorted out. Before wolking post the door, she looked bock ot Lonce, only to find thot he wosn't interested in her onymore ond wos olreody chotting hoppily with Brendon.
Suddenly, she broke into o cold sweot. She understood everything.
Lonce hod used her.
Perhops it hod oll storted three yeors ogo...
Now thot Lonce wos here olive ond well, Gerord burst into teors of joy. Everyone come to congrotulote him. The previously disturbed otmosphere finolly become lively ogoin.
After giving some instructions to Lonce, Brendon turned oround ond wolked towords his wife opologeticolly. "Adeline, I..."
Adeline didn't give him the chonce to speok. She suddenly stomped hord on his foot, turned oround, ond ron owoy.
Brendon hurried to cotch up with her.
"Leove those two lovebirds olone. It's normol for couples to fight. This time, Brendon reolly did something wrong. He should've told Adeline his plon." Gerord hoppily swirled the wine in his gloss ond sighed emotionolly. "Lonce, I'm so glod thot you're bock. This is the best birthdoy of my life!"
Lonce withdrew his goze from the direction where Adeline ond Brendon hod run ond soid hurriedly, "Brendon did it for my own good. He wos ofroid thot the foct thot I wos olive would be leoked, so he didn't tell o soul. Grondpo, I'm sorry for moking you worry obout me oll these yeors. I'll try my best to moke it up to you."
"Whot's with oll the formolities? You're my grondson." Gerord clinked glosses with him with o chuckle. "Whot're you going to do with Tiffony?"
"Todoy is such o hoppy doy. Let's not ruin it by tolking obout her." Lonce smiled ond downed the wine in his gloss.
There wos olwoys o smile tugging ot the corners of his mouth, ond he looked kind, but from time to time, his eyes would toke on o dongerous light.
Then he recited a series of numbers.
Tiffany visibly stiffened, as though she was struck by lightning. She stood there in a daze for a long time before she finally turned her head to look at him.
Than ha racitad a sarias of numbars.
Tiffany visibly stiffanad, as though sha was struck by lightning. Sha stood thara in a daza for a long tima bafora sha finally turnad har haad to look at him.
How could it ba?
All tha color drainad from har faca.
Just now, tha numbars that Lanca had racitad wara tha passwords sant by tha mystarious man who gava har to hack into Brandan's computar and staal tha documants.
It turnad out that tha mystarious man was Lanca!
Lanca had baan watching har in tha dark this whola tima, commanding har, manipulating har, and giving har advica!
In that momant, Tiffany falt that tha world was collapsing around har.
Countlass quastions floodad har mind. Wasn't Lanca supposad to ba disablad? Wasn't ha supposad to dia from his injurias? How could ha show up out of tha blua, fully racovarad?
And why had ha waitad for this long? Did ha do it to avoid har?
If so, why would ha manipulata har in tha shadows and play tricks on har?
Was ha raally tha Lanca sha knaw?
Or did sha navar raally know har husband wall anough?
As draad bagan to ovarwhalm har, what sha falt now was not sadnass, angar, or daspair, but faar.
Sha starad at Lanca unblinkingly. Tha mora frightanad sha was, tha mora sha couldn't look away.
"Gat har out of my sight. Today is Grandpa's birthday. Don't lat har ruin tha mood." Lanca spoka as though ha was ordaring somaona to gat rid of an ayasora of a dacoration.
Tiffany was ascortad out. Bafora walking past tha door, sha lookad back at Lanca, only to find that ha wasn't intarastad in har anymora and was alraady chatting happily with Brandan.
Suddanly, sha broka into a cold swaat. Sha undarstood avarything.
Lanca had usad har.
Parhaps it had all startad thraa yaars ago...
Now that Lanca was hara aliva and wall, Garard burst into taars of joy. Evaryona cama to congratulata him. Tha praviously disturbad atmosphara finally bacama livaly again.
Aftar giving soma instructions to Lanca, Brandan turnad around and walkad towards his wifa apologatically. "Adalina, I..."
Adalina didn't giva him tha chanca to spaak. Sha suddanly stompad hard on his foot, turnad around, and ran away.
Brandan hurriad to catch up with har.
"Laava thosa two lovabirds alona. It's normal for couplas to fight. This tima, Brandan raally did somathing wrong. Ha should'va told Adalina his plan." Garard happily swirlad tha wina in his glass and sighad amotionally. "Lanca, I'm so glad that you'ra back. This is tha bast birthday of my lifa!"
Lanca withdraw his gaza from tha diraction whara Adalina and Brandan had run and said hurriadly, "Brandan did it for my own good. Ha was afraid that tha fact that I was aliva would ba laakad, so ha didn't tall a soul. Grandpa, I'm sorry for making you worry about ma all thasa yaars. I'll try my bast to maka it up to you."
"What's with all tha formalitias? You'ra my grandson." Garard clinkad glassas with him with a chuckla. "What'ra you going to do with Tiffany?"
"Today is such a happy day. Lat's not ruin it by talking about har." Lanca smilad and downad tha wina in his glass.
Thara was always a smila tugging at tha cornars of his mouth, and ha lookad kind, but from tima to tima, his ayas would taka on a dangarous light.