Chapter 1185

Lily knew her words wouldn't comfort Alexander, but it was better than silence. Alexander held her hand tightly, pulled her onto a nearby bench, and said slowly, "She's old."

Lily was startled.

"I used to think Grandma was always so spirited, always trying to undermine me, helping my uncle, pulling strings behind my back. But I always tolerated it; she's my grandmother, after all," he continued calmly, his gaze distant, lost in recollection. Lily didn't interrupt.

He rarely spoke this openly. "Grandpa, when he was alive, told me that although Grandma had her flaws, her heart was true to him, and she dedicated herself to the family. Those two sentences made me believe that no matter what Grandma did, she would never let the family fall apart."

He paused, sighing. Lily had always known Alexander had a close relationship with his grandfather, the man who had largely shaped him. Therefore, Alexander took his grandfather's words to heart and was exceptionally tolerant of his grandmother. Understanding this, she saw why he'd endured so much. With his power, he could have dealt with things swiftly and efficiently, as with Ralph, for example. He could have easily prevented the family meeting by revealing the truth, but his concern for his grandmother kept him silent. Yet, things had spiraled.

"Grandma must be very sad right now," Lily said, remembering Margaret's love for Ralph and the impact of her revealing the truth. "Is Ralph still refusing to come back?" She'd heard he'd visited without staying. Why had he come? Just to see Margaret?

Alexander shook his head. "His secret's out. Even if he stayed, he couldn't endure the scorn and ridicule unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless the family elders adopt him as Grandma's foster son. That's the only way." He shook his head; he knew the elders wouldn't agree. They'd already made their feelings clear after the meeting. Ralph's actions were unforgivable; forging a DNA report to undermine Alexander was inexcusable, disregarding the turmoil it caused the Russell family. His attempt had failed, but his intentions were enough to warrant expulsion, something Alexander didn't oppose. Every family, like every nation, had its rules; without them, especially in a large family like theirs, chaos would reign.

"The properties in his name are being transferred. As for the money in his accounts, I'll leave it. Consider it benevolence," Alexander explained, smiling. "Although, he's probably not short of money now."

Lily's thoughts drifted. "Oh, right. Didn't you say he's with Heather? Is she hiding him?"

He glanced around, whispering, "She might not actually be Heather."

"Huh?"

Lily wasn't entirely surprised. She'd had doubts about the woman she met at the hotel. Knowing Alexander was investigating, she hadn't pressed the matter. "You mean she's an imposter?"