Tangled Temptations novel Chapter 242

Griffin came over and stood at the entrance of the grand hall, his heart pounding in his chest. His voice shook as he talked to Parker, "Are you really cutting ties with me, Parker?"

Parker looked at him, his face pale and sickly. His heart ached for his old friend, but he knew what he had to do. As the patriarch of the Horigan family, he had responsibilities to his daughter, Eloise, and his granddaughter, Linda. They couldn't afford to have any more attachments with the Lynch family. It would be the greatest injustice to his daughter and granddaughter.

With a heavy heart, Parker nodded, "Yes, Griffin. Our friendship ends here."

Griffin's hand trembled on the doorknob, his body swaying. He couldn't believe that their relationship had come to this. Was he really such a failure? Why couldn't he hold onto the people he cared about?

As Griffin voiced his self-doubt, Parker replied solemnly, "As a man, you need to know when to cut ties. If you had chased after Louise when she misunderstood all those years ago, we wouldn't be in this situation now. You loved one woman but felt guilty towards another, and your mistakes piled up. You wanted to acknowledge Eloise as your daughter, but you were so greedy that you want to have her and Joan be sisters. Griffin, you're a fool."

Griffin's face turned deathly pale. His eyes flickered to Eloise and the little girl by her side, Linda. At least he got to see them one last time.

Just before he left, he asked in a shaky voice, "Eloise, could you call me 'Dad' just once?"

Eloise stared at him calmly. She was never one to beat around the bush, and rejected him gently, "Mr. Lynch, take care."

Griffin's face went even paler. He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a small, beautiful trinket. It was a glass figurine he had bought for Linda. His trembling hands dropped it, and the sharp shards cut Linda's delicate leg. Bright red blood seeped out slowly.

Harvey swiftly picked Linda up and pressed a tissue against her leg. He whispered to Eloise, "There's a coagulant in her bag."

Eloise quickly found it and gave it to Linda. The little girl whimpered in Harvey's arms, scared of the sight of her own blood. She complained in a soft, pitiful voice, asking her dad to make it stop hurting.

Harvey comforted her, his eyes soft and gentle. But his irritation towards Griffin was clear.

Griffin was taken aback. He hadn't meant for this to happen. He just wanted to give the child a toy.

Parker was pained to see his granddaughter in distress. He said calmly, "I don't blame you, Griffin. Just leave. Don't bother Eloise anymore. She's suffered enough. Let her live a peaceful life."

Griffin left in a daze. As he walked out the door, Jane couldn't help but grumble, "It's just a small cut, no need to make such a fuss. The look Harvey gave you, it was like he wanted to eat you alive."

Diana added, "That child is too spoiled."

Griffin didn't respond.

...

Back in the grand hall of the Horigan family.

Once Griffin had left, Parker picked up Linda, showering her with kisses and words of comfort, "Does it still hurt, my little Linda?"

"It hurts!" Linda's small face scrunched up in discomfort, "Blow on it, Grandpa."

Parker, a man of great stature and power, gently blew on her small hand, trying to ease her pain. The little girl finally smiled. Parker held his granddaughter close, turning to Eloise, "She looks so much like you! And she has the same temperament as Harvey!" He said this with a beaming smile, clearly proud of his family.

Eloise smiled softly. But inside, she was worried. Harvey squeezed her hand, whispering, "Linda has AB-negative blood and a clotting disorder. I can't give her a blood transfusion because we're directly related, and her blood type is rare. We have to be extra careful with her."

He didn't need to elaborate. Eloise understood. Between the two of them, someone would have to sacrifice their career to take care of Linda. She nodded quietly.

Pauline, feeling that the topic was becoming too heavy, decided to change the subject. She suggested that Eloise join her for tea in the small drawing room.

The grand hall was left to the men. Parker, with Linda on his lap, asked his son, "What are your plans, Harvey? Are you going to let my precious Linda grow up without a proper family?"

Harvey chuckled, "Dad, these things take time, don't they? I can't just drag Eloise to the city hall right now. We're living together and it's going well."

Linda piped up, "Mama sleeps with me!"

Harvey sighed in exasperation.

Parker glared at him, "And you're okay with this?"