Imprisoned While Pregnant, She's Back for Payback novel Chapter 490

Chapter 490: That Makes You My Granddaughter, Too

Olivia offered Tess a gentle, heartfelt smile, though her eyes glistened with the threat of tears that hadn’t quite fallen yet. The warmth in her expression contrasted with the moisture that shimmered just beneath the surface.

Tess looked visibly surprised, caught off guard by Olivia’s sudden declaration, but Olivia pressed on with quiet determination.

“Tess,” Olivia began softly, “your grandmother was my sister. Since you are her granddaughter, that means you are my granddaughter as well.”

Her voice was tender, filled with a deep affection as she regarded Tess with a loving gaze. The room felt charged with emotion, the air thick with unspoken connections and family ties.

Tess still seemed a little dazed, struggling to fully grasp the meaning behind Olivia’s words. Just then, Violet approached with a bright smile, gently patting Tess on the shoulder. “From now on, you’ll have to call me Grandma whenever we meet,” she said playfully.

Once Violet finished, Olivia looked up at Tess, her eyes shining with hope and anticipation.

The resemblance between Tess and her grandmother was unmistakable—so strong, in fact, that Olivia had been taken aback when she first laid eyes on her. It was as if a piece of the past had come alive in the present.

“Grandma,” Tess finally said, the word slipping out naturally as she nodded slightly, as if confirming a new reality.

Hearing Tess call her “Grandma,” Olivia’s emotions nearly overwhelmed her, tears threatening to spill over. “Good girl!” she exclaimed softly, her voice thick with emotion.

Benjamin hobbled forward, leaning on his cane, and gave the tip of Tess’s shoe a light, teasing tap.

Sensing something unusual, Tess looked up and met Benjamin’s eyes.

He remained silent, but his expression spoke volumes—as if silently asking, “You called her Grandma, but what about me?”

“Grandpa,” Tess responded without hesitation this time.

Once she had begun, the words came more easily. Calling them Grandma and Grandpa felt natural, as if a missing piece had finally fallen into place.

Benjamin’s stern, icy expression from earlier that morning softened immediately. He reached into his pocket and pulled a ring from one of his fingers.

“Since your Grandma has already given you a gift,” he said with a grin, “I can’t be left behind.”

He carefully slipped the ring into Tess’s palm.

Tess tried to refuse, unsure if she should accept such a personal gift, but Violet was quicker, wrapping Tess’s fingers gently around the ring. “Think of this as your official first present from Grandpa. Go ahead and take it.”

“Violet’s right,” Olivia chimed in. “We’re family now. There’s no need for formalities. Just accept it.”

Abel, standing nearby, spoke quietly to Tess, “They haven’t seen you in so long. It’s only right they give you something.”

Violet overheard his comment and arched a curious eyebrow. Without hesitation, she slipped between them, nudging Abel aside with a playful smirk.

Abel’s face flickered with mild annoyance, but Violet was quick to speak first. “I heard Tess is still single. We’re still at Ember Villa, and there are cameras everywhere. Why are you sticking so close to her?”

She shot Abel a pointed sideways glance.

“What was that?” Violet’s eyes narrowed sharply.

Abel quickly masked his frustration with a smile. “Nothing at all.”

Tess, standing closest, caught every word.

Though everyone was teasing Abel, Tess couldn’t help but replay his words over and over in her mind. She stared at him for a moment, then spun on her heel and deliberately stomped down on his toe.

Abel winced at the sudden sharp pain, turning to look at Tess in confusion. Seeing her barely suppressing a laugh, he couldn’t help but smile back, though he quickly hid it behind a cough.

“Grandma, Grandma, Aunt Violet,” Tess said nervously, meeting Violet’s gaze. “Lyra and Raven are still waiting outside. If we don’t go soon, they’ll start to worry.”

Violet exchanged a knowing look with Abel but said nothing. “Let’s go,” she agreed.

As soon as they stepped outside, Raven poked her head out of the car window. “What took you so long?”

She tapped her watch with a grin. “It’s almost time to eat.”

“Sorry,” Lyra apologized with a warm smile, pulling Raven back inside the car. “She’s just blunt and a bit reckless sometimes.”

After all, the elders before them deserved respect.

The Larsons didn’t mind Raven’s bluntness at all. In fact, they agreed to head to the nearest restaurant in Aetheris for a meal together, ready to savor the moment of family reunion.