It Doesn’t Matter Anymore novel Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Lucas left quickly.

Old Mr. Shannon stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, watching Lucas open the passenger door for Jennie

He watched the car disappear down the road.

“Darling.”

His wife’s voice came from behind.

Old Mr. Shannon didn’t turn around. His brows were furrowed deeply as he said in a low voice, “Luke said Liora’s gone back to Hawai

Old Mrs. Shannon paused for a moment before replying, “She hasn’t been back for years…but that’s where she grew up, after all

The old man turned to look at his wife.

They exchanged a glance and fell into a brief, wordless silence.

Then the old woman spoke, “Maybe Liora just needed closure. Maybe she’s finally let go…it could be a good thing.”

She glanced at her husband’s tightly knitted brows and sighed, “Right now, we’ve got a more urgent problem to deal with for Liora.”

Old Mr. Shannon frowned. “What is it?”

“You didn’t notice? Jennie’s pregnant.” She was a woman of experience.

Even though Jennie tried to hide it, she had noticed something was off from the very beginning.

After observing her all evening, she was nearly certain.

“What?!”Old Mr. Shannon roared.

Even the servants in the distance flinched.

“Keep your voice down!”she hissed, then stared coldly out the window, toward where Lucas had driven off.

“That shameless, ignorant bitch…she really thinks she can secure her place just by getting pregnant? No subtlety, no tact, and already parading that belly right in front of me. You saw it-Liora didn’t come tonight. She’s heartbroken.”

She gave another snort. “Her child? It cannot be born.”

“Agreed.”

Old Mr. Shannon’s voice was firm.

Back then, he’d shown mercy to another woman carrying a Chandler child.

The result? His own daughter went mad and burned herself alive.

Even though he’d tried to raise Lucas to be a better man, Chandler men all carried the same dirty blood.

Since history seemed ready to repeat itself, this time he and his wife would make sure their granddaughter-in-law was protected-no matter th

cost

Lucas drove Jennie back to her home

A small villa in a high-end gated community, guarded by former armed mercenaries.

Lucas had spared no effort to protect Jennie’s safety.

“Luke…about tonight…”

“You’re just too naïve to see through the games played in families like mine. I get it. “Lucas’s voice was calm as he glanced at Jennie But don’t ever pull something like this again.”

In his heart, Lucas felt both relief and disappointment.

Relief that Liora didn’t show up tonight-God knows what she would’ve done if she had.

But disappointment…too.

Because part of him had hoped Liora would do something.

Because only when you care, do you lose control.

He hadn’t even realized it himself: he was hoping Liora would lose control for him again.

Jennie shrank back, feigning guilt. “I won’t. I know I shouldn’t have shown up tonight. It’s a good thing Liora didn’t come, or else…”

“Go get some rest.”

Lucas cut her off. He hated when Jennie brought up Liora.

Jennie didn’t move. She reached out and grabbed his sleeve. “Luke…the forecast says there’s a thunderstorm tonight. I…I’m scared. Could you

stay with me?”

Thunderstorms?

Liora was afraid of the dark. And thunder.

So afraid, that sometimes she’d get a fever from the panic.

If it’s storming in New York, what about Hawaii?

Jennie’s teary face blurred in his vision-replaced by Liora’s: curled up like a kitten, eyes clenched shut, brow tightly furrowed, face pale.

“I’ll stay until you fall asleep,”Lucas said softly.

It was late.

In the master bedroom, Jennie lay in a warm bed.

Lucas sat on a sofa by the window.

Only a small lamp lit the room.

Outside, wind howled and thunder rumbled.

“Luke!”

Lucas put down his phone and walked to her

Trn here Don’t be afraid. Just sleep.

Tears welled in Jennie’s eyes as she reached for him.

Lucas instinctively stepped back

Jennie froze

“Sleep. “His voice was soft.

Jennie knew: push too hard, and it would all backfire.

So she lay back down obediently.

Crystalshore

With the help of neighbors, the wake was quickly arranged.

Olivia had been cremated. Her urn sat solemnly before her memorial portrait.

She had a son, but when Liora tried to reach him, his number had been disconnected.

So it was Liora who stayed the night in mourning.

Everyone knew: she’d gone up the hill last night to see Sebastian.

When she returned, she was soaking wet, her hair dripping, her eyes swollen from crying.

No one said a word.

They brewed her ginger beer, helped her into a hot bath, brought her fresh clothes.

The old lady’s daughter-in-law even dried her hair for her.

Liora signed her thanks.

They had all watched her grow up.

Though mute, she had always been bright and kind.

Always the first to help, always cheerful, always running across the island.

Everyone loved her.

When people made good food, they’d save her a portion.

When buying new clothes for their own children, they’d get her a set too.

But in just a few years…

What had happened to that cheerful little girl?

The woman who dried her hair wept silently.

Chapter 86

Liora gently wiped her tears.

“If you’re not happy out there…just come home, “the woman choked. “Olivia may be gone, but we’re all still here

Liora smiled and nodded.

She’d been gone too long.

It was time to come home-

Back to Mom, and back to Seb.

It thundered in Hawaii too.

While Lucas guarded his childhood sweetheart in New York,

Liora knelt alone at her adoptive mother’s wake, wearing mourning black.

The old lady consulted ancient calendars and found that today was the only suitable date in the next six months to bury Olivia.

So at dawn,

The islanders-and those who had once received Olivia’s kindness-came to pay respects.

Those who had known Liora turned away, blinking back sighs and tears.

Such a wonderful girl.

Now even more stunning, but fragile like she’d shatter in the wind.

It made people ache just to look at her.

Once the wake ended,

Olivia’s ashes were buried at Crystalshore Cemetery.

Time was short.

The gravestone would take a while to be finished.

Olivia had prepared her memorial photo long ago.

Liora handed it to the stonemason, along with another photo:

A bright, handsome young man with a dazzling smile-

Sebastian.