Chapter 78
Shawn sounded less like the top cardiac surgeon in the city and more like one of those cheerful old guys dancing in the park with Lucy and the neighborhood grannies. And his comments were straight-up wild.
“Come on, Dr. Gordon,” Valeria said, trying to stay polite. “My daughter’s six.”
Shawn adjusted his glasses and waved her off. “Totally normal. What, you think I’m old- fashioned? I’m pretty open-minded. If you two really are seeing each other, I’d be happy for him. It’s rare for Sebastian to bring up anyone.”
That was the first time Sebastian had ever asked Shawn to do surgery for a little girl.
A knock at the door cut Valeria off mid-sentence. She then took Selena to get a cardiac
ultrasound.
To save time, Valeria had booked an appointment with the head of the ultrasound department through a private booking service, skipping the long lines. They didn’t have to wait long.
As they neared the exam room, a woman stepped out.
Valeria froze for a split second before quickly composing herself.
But Selena had already recognized the woman. She greeted her sweetly, “Mrs. Grant Sr., hello.”
Martha was there for a routine check-up. Nothing serious-just her usual condition. She was accompanied by Avery and another well-dressed middle-aged woman.
As soon as she saw Selena, Martha’s face lit up.
“Lenny! What are you doing here, sweetie? Are you not feeling well?”
Selena tilted her head, looking at Valeria, seeking permission to answer.
Valeria, with her lips pressed into a thin line, wasn’t looking at Martha. Her eyes were locked on the woman beside her.
She recognized Avery from the Grant residence. But the other woman, who was impeccably dressed, polished, and cold, was Wendy.
Valeria would never forget her. The way she’d looked at her years ago—like something stuck to the bottom of her shoe. Like trash.
That look made her feel small.
Valeria hadn’t seen Wendy at the Grant residence lately.
She’d heard that Sebastian’s eldest brother and his wife had been in Inkko with their daughter,
preparing for her concert.
Gabriella, a Bronny College graduate, had debuted five years ago and was now hailed as the most elegant violinist of the 21st century.
This time, it was her fifth-year world tour. The Grant couple, not wanting Gabriella to go through it alone, put their work with Grant Group on hold to support her as she prepared for the performances.
Gabriella’s next stop would be Slate City. The tickets to her concert hadn’t even gone on sale yet, and fans were already buzzing with excitement.
Valeria dug her nails into her palm, then forced a small smile as she explained Selena’s heart
condition.
When Martha heard that, she felt a deep ache in her chest for Selena and immediately offered to introduce them to a good doctor.
Valeria’s ears buzzed faintly. She could feel Wendy’s gaze brushing over her own face.
Wendy’s tone remained distant, polite, and detached. It was obvious she hadn’t recognized her as the Jane from all those years ago.
“Mom’s surgery back then was done by Dr. Gordon. I’ll ask him about it later when we’re in his office,” Wendy said while supporting Martha.
She didn’t quite understand why Martha was so concerned about a stranger who looked so plain and dressed so modestly, especially when it came to Selena.
But Wendy didn’t question Martha’s unusual concern. As a daughter-in-law, it wasn’t her place to comment.
Then, Valeria took Selena to the ultrasound room.
After they came out, Martha and Wendy were still waiting outside. Maybe in those ten or so minutes, Wendy had learned that Selena was in the same class as Leo. Her expression was still polite and distant, but now there was a slight trace of warmth.
The group walked together toward the doctor’s office.
Wendy gave Valeria a once-over as she said, “You look really young. I wouldn’t have guessed your daughter was already this big.”
Valeria responded with the same polite smile, though even swallowing felt physically difficult. “You look really young, too.”
When they got to the doctor’s office, they picked up a follow-up number and sat down.
Wendy wasn’t too fond of Martha’s insistence on going through the usual process. They
Chapter
clearly had the status to skip the line, but Martha still insisted on following the rules like any regular patient.
Still, she said nothing about it. She simply helped Martha into a seat.
The wait felt long and uneventful, filled with occasional small talk. Valeria murmured back. Then, out of nowhere, Avery chimed in, “Mrs. Grant, you and Ms. Neal have such lovely noses -both so straight and delicate. Even the little mole on the tip is in the exact same spot!”
