Chapter 475 475

"I know that you're a vulnerable old woman who made many wrong choices in your life, but please… don't make the wrong choice for this one!" Shailene started imploring, but she believed that her plan worked because Dorothea didn't try to argue with her anymore.

Instead, Dorothea kept silent. Her hand was still holding the door handle, and her shoulder drooped. She looked like a vulnerable old woman in her late 50s, something that she tried hard to never show.

Shailene couldn't see the old woman's face right now, but she believed that Dorothea must've been shaken to the core.

"Dorothea, being sad is alright. But you cannot let your sadness influence your decision. Chloe— that manipulative bitch will try to guilt trip you, and you should not give in!"

"Enough, Shailene!" Dorothea yelled. "I heard you enough. You don't need to keep trying."

"T—Then, what's your decision? You shouldn't try to connect or relate to Chloe. She is not the same as you. You're so much better than her," Shailene said. "Believe me, Dorothea. My heart aches for you. Instead of connecting with Chloe, you should keep talking to me instead. You don't even need to pay, I just want to help you."

"It's not about money," Dorothea said. "If I can use money to pay for my happiness, I'd give all the money I have." Dorothea looked over her shoulder to check on Shailene before nodding, "Thank you for your help. I hope I made the right decision this time. Good night."

Dorothea finally walked out of Shailene's apartment.

Shailene stared at the door for a while until she took a deep breath. She went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water to calm herself down and wiped the sweat on her forehead.

"Damn, that was intense," she murmured. "I didn't expect to be put in such a tough situation.

Shailene started reflecting on everything she had said to Dorothea, including revealing the big secret she had been holding the whole time.

And she thought…

It was all justified and correct.

"I want her to know that we're on the same team," Shailene murmured. "We can work together, so she can make things right for her family, especially Vernon. She needs to know that Vincent is unsalvageable, but she can connect to Vernon instead."

"He could be an ass sometimes, but he still had that kindness in him," Shailene said. "And after all this has been resolved, I hope Dorothea can see that Vernon and I are meant to be together. At least they should know that I'm fighting for what's right and what's the best for all of us."

"Unlike Chloe, that woman…." Shailene shook her head. "What a vicious bitch, ruining two brothers at the same time, even went as far as manipulating an old, vulnerable woman like Dorothea."

"I have to save Vernon from her clutch."

**

Dorothea walked slowly through the corridor. Her steps faltered many times, and she had to lean on the wall to keep moving forward.

Her shoulder drooped, unlike the usual Dorothea, who had her chest puffed out in pride. Now she really looked like her age.

A woman in her late 50s was depressed, lonely, and feeling that the world was unfair to her.

Dorothea entered the elevator and stood still until her tears broke like a dam, streaming down her cheeks and falling to the floor.

Her body trembled as she still couldn't believe the cold hard truth.

That her family was ruined, and there was no way to fix it.

Vaughn and Vincent were the same monsters. They were the worst kind of man that always plagued Dorothea's mind. They always came into her dreams and turned any kind of dream she had into a nightmare.

Vernon— she was way too estranged from her second son, and she knew that it was her fault.

She abused him as a child because she wasn't as obedient and good as his Big brother. She didn't know if it was the effect of heroin and alcohol, she took it back then, or maybe she was just a horrible human in the first place.

But all the abuse she did to Vernon made her feel way too guilty. She didn't even try to smile at Vernon since she knew that Vernon despised her.

So she masked her sadness and guilt by despising him back.

She was depressed, and nothing could heal her broken heart. No matter how much money she had from her bastard's late husband, she still couldn't be happy.

"I thought I could finally find someone I can connect with…." Dorothea murmured. "But Chloe, why? Why did you find Vernon? Was it really just a coincidence, or you've been targeting him the whole time so you can ruin his life and Vincent's too?"

"Is this your way to avenge all your grudges on me? Is this the punishment that I deserved?" Dorothea continued running with her own conclusion. "I know I'm a terrible person. But I'm trying to get better, so please, don't hurt me like this. I might die…."

Dorothea walked out of the apartment and entered her car. The driver said nothing as he noticed Madam Gray was crying.

The driver often witnessed Madam Dorothea Gray crying or staring emptily at the rows of New York high rise buildings. She said nothing, but she had a deep sadness in her.

Unfortunately, as much as he wanted to comfort the old lady, he felt it wasn't his place to do that.

The driver waited until Madam Gray stopped crying and asked carefully, "Where do you want to go, Madam?"

Dorothea wiped the tears that kept falling and muttered with a hoarse voice, "To Phoenix Tower, get me a room if there is an empty apartment for rent. If there's no apartment for rent, go to any hotel near that building."

The driver paused for a moment, "To Mr. Phoenix Gray's tower, Madam?" he asked, just in case he misheard it. As much as he remembered, Madam Gray never liked her second son, so to rent an apartment owned by him felt strange for the driver.