"I know you hate me," he sighed. "Well, when I found your mother, I brought her home and severed all her ties with you and your father. In order to keep her abduction from coming to light, I didn't allow her to return here and erased all her traces from your life. I even married her to the Rowe family... You deserve to hate me. I don't expect you to forgive me now. I just want you to give me a chance to make it up to you..."
"Oh?" Savannah moved her lips, almost amused. "How are you going to make it up to me? Is it possible to bring my father back so that dad, mom, and I could enjoy the happiness of family again?
"Savannah..." Joanne tugged at her daughter's sleeve.
Raymond, however, was not annoyed at her rude remark. He sighed and said, "yes, I can't give you back a happy family. The only thing I can do now is to make your future better."
With that, he gave a single gesture to his behind.
A man in golden glasses and a black suit came forward from Raymond's back.
"Miss Schultz, I'm Stephens, Mr. Morton's lawyer. Here is his will," he said as he handed Savannah a doc.u.ment. "A few days ago, Mr. Morton added a few terms on the will. He transferred 35% shares of the Morton group to you. That is to say, you will be the top shareholder in the Morton group, and also the only legal heir of the group."
Savannah gasped.
She didn't expect that he would give her the whole Morton group as compensation.
Yes, her mother was Raymond's only daughter, and she was her mother's only child, but after all, there was no outward fellowship between Raymond and her. They even did not live together for a day, and it was their first meeting today... Was Raymond really going to hand over the entire Morton group to her?
"I can't accept it," Savannah said after her first shock.
"You're my granddaughter, and that you have a talent in fashion design. I am very relieved to give the Morton group to you." Raymond's tone was firm.
Savannah was about to refuse again when Joanne patted her on the back of the hand. She seemed to have known his father's decision and supported his idea.
Savannah looked at Raymond and said, "if you want me to forgive you with your company as a gift, please take it back. To me, you are still one of the people who separated my parents. You are my mother's father, and she had to forgive you, but I'm sorry, I can't yet."
"Savannah --" Joanne whispered.
Raymond didn't seem angry. Instead, a sigh of appreciation came to his eyes.
"You do deserve to be my granddaughter," Raymond laughed and said, "Well, you know, I'm happy to hear you say that, and I like your personality of that kind. I believe I can depend on your resolution and good conduct, and I believe you can give the Morton group a bright future. Rest assured, I transferred shares of the group to you, not to say you must forgive me. You can hate me, and I won't blame you. It was my fault."
Anticipation and encouragement in Raymond's eyes somewhat moved Savannah. He possessed a mild and benevolent countenance when he looked at her as if he was only a common old man.
Afraid that Savannah would be unhappy to see him, Raymond gave Stephens a glance and stood up.
"Savannah, nice to see you today. I've got to go." He smiled kindly at Savannah and said.
"Dad, why don't you have dinner with us --" Joanne hesitated.
"Oh, maybe next time." Raymond waved his hand, without looking back, and walked out of the restaurant with his people.
Savannah watched him leaving. His back expressed a feeling of disappointment, and his stride looked jerky.
His silver hair showed that his life had almost completed its span.
For a moment, Savannah's heart softened.
"Savannah," Joanne's voice came softly, "your grandpa was so happy when he heard that you are still alive. He wanted to see you after we met. But he has been getting older and worse over the years, and he was not in good condition at that time. That's why he didn't come to LA until today. He's been feeling guilty about you and your father for so many years. Yes, at first, he was very tough, locked me up at home, and stopped me from going back to you and your father, and even though you are stains on my life. But he was still very painful and regretful when he learned about your death... Especially for you. After all, you're his granddaughter. He didn't dare to say anything for fear that I would be sad, but he secretly set up two tombs for you and your father in the Morton family's cemetery and prayed for you."
Savannah's heart beat violently.
She didn't expect her grandpa to regret it.
He suffered agonies of remorse.
"He was very angry to learn that your father's car accident was made by Granny Rowe. He knew it was a direct cause of our separation. Last month, he sent people to reinvestigate the car accident and found out the police officer who was responsible for that case. He took all those related to the accident to court to get justice for your father. Granny Rowe, still paralyzed in bed, escaped the calamity of imprisonment. But all the others have been severely punished by the law." Joanne said quietly.
Savannah clenched her hands. Her grandpa had done so much...
Joanne stared at her daughter with tears in her eyes.
"I hated your grandfather too, even more than you did. I hate him for taking me away from you, grounding me, and separating me from you. But as a father, he did that to protect me. He blamed himself for my abduction and didn't want me to recall the days after the abduction. As the head of a family, he needs to protect the reputation of the family. He had to be cruel... In fact, I didn't forgive him until I knew he'd been feeling guilty about you and your father."