I Left With My Daughter

The day of old Don’s memorial mass was bitterly cold.

Cecilia arrived at the estate early. She checked every detail herself, from the wreaths and the guest list to the arrangements for the family luncheon in the afternoon.

No matter how badly her marriage with Lyon had fallen apart, the old Don had treated her well. She wanted to see this farewell done with dignity.

Just before the ceremony began, engines roared outside.

Lyon had returned.

He was not alone.

Gianna stepped out of the car wearing an overly formal black dress. She linked her arm with his and walked slowly toward the estate. Her expression was composed. She looked like a woman who already had one foot inside the Melville family.

Cecilia glanced at her and said nothing.

During the entire mass, she hardly spoke to Lyon.

The priest read the eulogy at the front while family members laid flowers one by one. Margaret’s expression was tense from beginning to end.

After the mass, everyone moved to the side room for the memorial luncheon.

The table was filled with traditional Cicilian dishes and cold cuts. The atmosphere should have been restrained and solemn. Gianna’s presence, however, made it awkward.

Finally, Lyon’s aunt, Elizabeth Melville, set down her knife and fork. She said with a cold face, “Lyon, you know what kind of occasion this is. Bringing a woman from outside to a family memorial is an embarrassment to everyone, isn’t it?”

Her words silenced the entire room.

Gianna pressed her lips together. Her eyes quickly turned teary.

She hesitated for a moment, then pulled a prenatal test report from her bag. Her voice trembled as she said, “I know I shouldn’t have come. But this child in my belly is part of the Melville bloodline. I just wanted him to know what his grandfather was like.”

The words “bloodline” changed everyone’s expressions.

Some frowned, some exchanged glances, and most instinctively looked at Cecilia.

Even Lyon froze for a moment. He clearly did not know about this.

Gianna looked up at him with a pleading face. “I wanted to tell you in private, Don Melville. I didn’t want to force you. I only want the child to grow up knowing who his grandfather was.”

Margaret clenched her napkin tightly.

Elizabeth’s face turned red with anger. “Cecilia and Isabella are here! If you want to act crazy, at least pick another day!”

Lyon was silent for a few seconds. He did not deny anything. He said coldly, “Since she’s pregnant, her coming to the memorial mass doesn’t break any rules.”

His words cut through the room like a knife and stripped away the last layer of restraint.

In the past few years, Lyon had come across women trying to have his child through their own tricks. He had always spent money to make them disappear.

He had said that no other woman could bear his child. No matter how messy things got, Isabella remained the only child of the Melville family.

But Gianna was pregnant, and Lyon had admitted the child was his.

If this had happened before, Cecilia might have smashed a glass or overturned the table.

But she remained seated. She felt surprisingly calm.

Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, but Cecilia stood and beat her to it.

“Today is the old Don’s memorial,” she said indifferently. “Let’s not ruin this solemn occasion.”

She reached for Isabella’s hand.

Isabella wore a little black dress. She looked around at the adults with wide, innocent eyes. She did not understand what was happening, but she could feel the tension in the room. She quietly let her hand slip into Cecilia’s.

Cecilia looked at Margaret. “Madre, I’ll take Isabella back home then. I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Margaret’s lips moved. Her eyes shone with awkwardness and apology. She whispered, “Go ahead.”

Cecilia nodded and led Isabella toward the door.

When she passed Lyon, it seemed he wanted to reach out and stop her. But in the end, he only frowned and said, “Cecilia…”

She did not look back.

Lyon stood frozen. He looked at her straight and determined back and felt a strange unease.

But he pushed that down almost immediately.

Cecilia had loved him for so many years. She would not leave him easily.