Chapter 181: Dimitri’s gift (Part 2)
Anne stared at him, surprised. She hadn’t imagined that Dimitri would have thought of gifting her something. Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the box.
Nestled inside was a beautiful cyan-green jade bangle. It was clearly precious, possibly antique.
Her breath hitched. "This is... It’s too expensive," she said, startled, and quickly closed the lid, trying to return it. "I can’t accept this. I’m afraid I’ll break it."
But Dimitri gently pushed the box back into her hands, his fingers wrapping around hers. "No. It belongs to you now. I bought this years ago to give it to Gervis’s wife—your mother-in-law. But I never had the courage. I was afraid of stirring up trouble with my wife."
Guilt flickered in his eyes. "I wasn’t a good father. I didn’t stand up for Gervis. I wasn’t there for his wife when she needed support. I failed them." His voice thickened with age and regret. "But I don’t want to make the same mistake with Augustine. I want to be by his side, and yours, while I still can."
He squeezed her hand. "This is more than a gift—it’s my blessing. Don’t refuse it."
Anne’s eyes shimmered with tears. She couldn’t deny his sincerity. "Thank you, Grandpa," she whispered.
She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around him. Dimitri, stiff for a second, eventually returned the embrace, his heart heavy. But he pulled back quickly.
He cleared his throat and composed himself, hiding his emotions. "Uh, I have something for Augustine as well," he said briskly, blinking away the moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes.
He turned toward the butler, who had been standing silently in the corner of the room. "Bring the file," Dimitri instructed.
With a slight bow, the butler walked over to the side table and opened a drawer, retrieving a thin file. He stepped forward and handed it to Dimitri.