Please Me Daddy (Gracie) novel Chapter 189

We were wrong to begin with

Grace

I slowly opened the door and stepped inside the room.

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Bright light immediately spilled over me, it was nothing like the gloomy, lifeless space I remembered from before. For a moment, I just stood there, blinking as my eyes adjusted, taking in the change. The walls were no longer bare, colorful drawings were taped everywhere, it was uneven and messy, but full of life. Crayons lay scattered on the small table, and the bed was neatly made, stuffed with a few plush toys that definitely hadn’t been there the last time I came. The room finally looked like what it was supposed to be all along, a little girl’s room.

Hannah looked up when she heard the door open.

She lifted her drawing excitedly, her small hands holding it high.

“Genesis, look-” she started, her voice bright, then she saw me. Her words stopped mid–sentence. She froze, staring at me with wide eyes, her body completely still as if she wasn’t sure whether I was real or not.

Instinctively, I touched my face.

Right. I wasn’t wearing my glasses or my wig.

I swallowed softly and smiled at her.

“Hi, Hannah,” I said gently. “It’s me, Gr-”

I didn’t even get to finish my sentence.

Hannah suddenly jumped off the bed and ran straight toward me, her small arms wrapping tightly around my legs as if she was afraid I might disappear if she let go.

“Grace!” she cried. “It’s you!”

I froze, shocked by the sudden contact, my heart skipping a beat as I looked down at her. For a second, my mind went completely blank before I finally snapped out of it, knelt down immediately, and wrapped my arms around her, holding her close.

“Yes, It’s me, Grace.” I pulled back just enough to look at her face. “How are you, Hannah?”

She beamed up at me, her smile wide and proud.

“I’ve been good,” she said quickly. “I’ve been eating well too. Everyone says I’m a good girl.”

I brushed my hand gently through her hair, smoothing it back. “They’re right. You’re a very good girl.”

Her smile grew even brighter, like those words were something she had been waiting to hear for a long time. She reached for my hand and tugged it excitedly.

“I drew a lot of drawings,” she said. “Let me show you, Grace!”

I nodded and let her pull me toward the bed.

There were stacks of drawings spread across it, messy lines and bold colors overlapping each other. I sat down and gently lifted Hannah, settling her beside me before picking up the drawings one by one. They were clumsy but adorable.

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He wong to begin with

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I laughed softly as I went through them. “Wow. These are so good. You’re really talented, Hannah.” She flushed at the praise, ducking her head shyly. I picked up the next drawing, and paused.

It was a messy picture of a woman wearing glasses.

I blinked, then raised an eyebrow, pointing to myself.

“Is… is that me?”

Hannah nodded quickly, her fingers twisting together. “Y–yes,” she said nervously. “Is it good?”

A soft laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly.

“Yes. It’s perfect.”

She smiled, clearly relieved, her body relaxing against mine.

I continued flipping through the drawings, my smile still lingering, until I reached the last one. My hands stilled as I looked at the drawing of four people.

A man, a woman, and a child stood together in the front, their hands connected. Behind them, slightly apart, stood another woman.

I stared at the drawing in my hands for a long moment before slowly lifting my gaze to Hannah, my fingers tightening around the paper.

My lips parted slightly, then pressed together again as my thoughts pulled in two different directions, my mind urging me to ask questions while my heart refused to cooperate. I knew I should ask her what happened in the past, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I couldn’t be the one to pull her back into memories she might not be ready to face, not when she had only just started smiling again.

I let out a quiet sigh and ran a hand through my hair, forcing myself to relax.

Hannah tilted her head, watching me closely with those observant eyes that felt far too knowing for a child her age. “What is it?” she asked softly.

I shook my head and offered her a gentle smile, hoping it looked convincing enough.

“Nothing,” I said. “I’m just happy to see your drawings.‘

Her face immediately brightened at that, pride shining through her expression.

“Thank you, Grace. Everyone says I’m very talented.”

I chuckled and lightly touched her cheek, my thumb brushing over her soft skin. “Is that so?”

She nodded eagerly, clearly pleased with herself, and I couldn’t help smiling back at her. Hannah was such a good child, and all I wanted in that moment was for her to always stay like this.

The feeling in my chest was unfamiliar yet strong, and it scared me a little how deeply I wanted to protect her, and how natural it felt, like something maternal I hadn’t known existed inside me.

Hannah suddenly yawned, rubbing her eyes with small fists.

“You’re sleepy. You should take a nap. I’ll visit you tomorrow.”

She quickly reached out and held my hand, her grip surprisingly firm.

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WWE Wrong to begin with

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“Promise?” she asked.

“I promise,” I replied without hesitation, nodding firmly.

That seemed to satisfy her. She smiled and lay back down, finally releasing my hand. I stood up quietly, making sure she was comfortable before turning toward the door, but just as I was about to leave, small fingers wrapped around my hand again, stopping me.

I paused and looked back. “What is it, Hannah?”

She picked up the family drawing and carefully placed it into my hand. “Here, Grace.”

I stared at the paper, confused. Out of all the drawings she could have given me, this was the one she chose. I wanted to ask why, but before I could say anything, her eyes were already closed, as if she had already drifted off to sleep.

I sighed softly and accepted it.

Leaning down, I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“Goodnight, Hannah.”

I stepped out of the room and quietly closed the door behind me.

Outside, Apollo was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets while Genesis stood beside him, speaking in a low voice. They both turned when they saw me, and I met their gazes before shaking my head slightly.

Genesis smiled at me in that knowing way of hers, as if to say it was fine, that I had done enough.

Apollo pushed off the wall and walked toward me, and before I could even open my mouth, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into him, holding me close. I blinked in surprise, instinctively glancing at Genesis, but she only watched us with an amused expression, clearly unbothered.

I hugged Apollo back, my arms sliding around his neck as I leaned into his warmth, letting myself breathe him in. Then my eyes drifted back down to the drawing still clutched in my hand.

I stared at it again, and suddenly everything clicked into place and my breath caught in my throat. My eyes widened as realization crashed into me.

I gasped.

Apollo immediately pulled back, his brows furrowing as concern flashed across his face. “What is it?”

My fingers trembled as I tightened my hold on the paper.

“I know,” I said, my voice low. “I know why she gave me this. We were wrong to begin with.”

Genesis frowned slightly. “Wrong about what?”

“Wrong about the gender. The person who started all of this wasn’t a man.” I turned to Apollo, meeting his eyes.

“It was a woman, Apollo.”

My precious doughter

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My precious daughter

Grace

I splashed water onto my face and braced my hands against the sink, breathing slowly as droplets. My hair clung messily to my cheeks, water dripping down my chin and soaking into the collar of my shirt, my eyes looking far more restless than it should be.

God.

Everything had changed. Things I never expected had unraveled so quickly that I still couldn’t wrap my head around it.

Just like others, when I thought about the person who started all of this, the first image that came to my mind was a man, not a woman. It wasn’t because I believed men controlled everything, or that they were smarter, or more capable. I had always believed intelligence had nothing to do with gender, anyone could be brilliant, and anyone could be cruel. A man was simply the first image I thought of, the easiest assumption to make.

And that was exactly what made the real culprit even more dangerous.

Because no one ever suspected a woman of being the mastermind behind everything, she was able to move freely, playing her games without fear of being caught too soon. If Hannah hadn’t finally found the courage to speak up, the games would have only escalated. She would have grown even more reckless, and more confident. But now it didn’t matter anymore. Man or woman, it made no difference to me. Whoever she was, she had crossed a line she could never erase.

She had killed Hannah’s parents, and she had treated Apollo’s life like a chessboard, moving pieces around for her

own amusement.

I clenched my jaw, staring at myself as the resolve settled deep in my chest. I would never allow anyone to play with the lives of the people I cared about. To protect them, I had to do something, even if it meant stepping into something dangerous myself. 1

I turned off the tap, wiped the water from my face with my sleeves, and exhaled slowly before heading toward the door. But the moment I stepped out, I bumped straight into someone.

“I’m sorry,” I started to say, instinctively stepping back.

“I’m sorry,” the woman said at the same time.

I froze.

That voice, why did it sound so familiar?

I lifted my head, my brows knitting together, but before I could get a clear look at her face, she had already turned and slipped into one of the restroom stalls. I stood there for a moment, staring at the closed doors.

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Maybe I was overthinking it. Maybe my nerves were just getting the better of me.

Shaking my head, I walked out of the bathroom and glanced around at the hospital hallway. I had excused myself earlier after telling Apollo and Genesis about my discovery, my nerves too frayed to sit through whatever conversation they needed to have.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. There was no point spiraling now. I needed to focus.

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Aprons chor

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I needed to think about Hannah.

She would be discharged soon, and I still didn’t know what would happen to her after that. When I asked Genesis, she said Hannah might be taken to an orphanage. Even though Genesis promised she would be taken care of, that answer didn’t sit right with me at all. The thought of Hannah being sent somewhere unfamiliar, alone after everything she had lost, made my chest ache.

The orphanage wasn’t the most terrible place in the world, but I had grown up there, so I knew better than most how deeply it could shape a child. Some children survived it just fine. Others learned how to smile while feeling painfully alone. And right now, Hannah didn’t need that kind of environment. She needed warmth, consistency, and people who would love her without conditions.

The thought followed me down the hallway, growing louder with every step.

What if… she could stay with me? With Eleanor, Wyatt, and the kids? With Apollo?

I wasn’t sure. I hadn’t thought it through properly, or talked to them yet, and I knew it wasn’t something to decide lightly. Still, the possibility alone made my chest flutter with excitement. Before I could stop myself, I smiled, already imagining Hannah sitting at the table, crayons scattered everywhere, her small hands stained with color.

Tomorrow, I’ll buy her new crayons, since she loves drawing.

Lost in thought, I walked forward, turning a corner without looking, and collided into another person.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

“Oh my God-!” the woman gasped, stumbling backward.

Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed her shoulder to steady her. She still lost her balance, but instead of hitting the floor fully, she fell onto my hand, the impact softened. I felt a sharp sting shoot through my palm, causing me to whine in pain.

“Oh my goddess, are you okay, dear? You-” The woman stopped mid–sentence. And so did I.

When I lifted my head and looked at her properly, my breath caught in my throat.

In my arms was an older woman who looked exactly like me.

The same eyes. The same nose. The same curve of the lips. It was as if someone had taken my reflection and aged it gracefully by a few decades. My eyes widened slightly, shock rippling through me, and I could tell from her expression that she felt the same way. Her mouth was parted, her eyes trembling as they moved over my face, studying me in disbelief.

“W–what is this?” she whispered, her voice shaking. “How is this possible?”

I blinked, just as confused, my mind struggling to catch up with what my eyes were seeing.

Her hand slowly lifted, hovering in the air as if she was afraid to touch me, afraid I might disappear if she did. Her fingers trembled, reaching toward my face, until a deep male voice cut through the moment.

“Mom?”

I snapped out of my daze, my heart dropping as I stood up. I looked at the woman again before gently helping her up. I offered her my hand, and she stared at it for a second before taking it, her grip firm, almost desperate, as if holding onto me was the only thing anchoring her to reality.

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My precious daughter

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I licked my dry lips, unease crawling up my spine, and turned around.

Standing there, hands tucked casually into his pockets, a doctor’s coat draped neatly over his tall frame, was none other than Ryan Jones. His gaze shifted from me to the woman beside me, his expression unreadable before his lips curved slightly.

“Well,” he said calmly, tilting his head, “what an unexpected turn. We meet again, Miss Grace.”

I looked at him, my head spinning. This was already far too much for one day. I didn’t want to meet any of the Joneses again. For some reason, every time I did, it felt strange, like seeing them might uncover something I wasn’t ready to face. I was about to nod politely and leave when suddenly, a hand clamped around mine.

I flinched.

The woman tightened her grip, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she looked at me, her voice breaking completely.

“M–my daughter,” she cried softly. “Oh God… I’ve finally found you. My precious daughter.”

I froze.

Every sound around me faded, my heartbeat roaring in my ears.

… What did she just say?