Chapter 1191: Chapter 1191: Only Dating, No Marriage

Griffith Squire squinted slightly, and in an instant, many potential consequences of telling her the truth flashed through his mind, none of which would benefit Leah. He said calmly, "He wasn’t good to you before, anyway, I disagree."

Leah didn’t really expect to marry Richard Shaw, she was just testing Griffith’s opinion. After all, everyone around her knew about the past except her, which seemed rather bizarre.

Since Griffith didn’t speak, it indicated that the situation was more serious than she imagined.

"I understand," Leah nodded, indicating her understanding. In that case, she’d date but not marry. If they wanted to be together, they would; if they wanted to break up, they would. Besides, Casimir Shaw was already grown.

Griffith was both surprised and somewhat gratified to see her so carefree. In Leah’s heart, he was still more important than Richard Shaw, and that was enough.

If this sister of his plunged into a man’s sweet nothings and forgot the hardships they had endured over the years, he would surely vomit blood and die.

After reaching an understanding between the siblings, Griffith took his nephew to bond, and Leah officially let go of her burden, labeling Richard Shaw as a lover, toy boy, and fling.

Richard Shaw left the country for business the next day, and Casimir Shaw stayed at the small villa for a week.

Ignatius Leclair took Benjamin Leclair back to the South Seas and used the little girl to lure Delphine there too.

Faced with such shameless behavior, Leah expressed contempt. However, since she was so laid-back about her own feelings, and seeing Delphine entangled with Ignatius for so many years, she gradually let go of her bias against him. As long as Delphine was happy, that was enough.

After a week, Leah dropped Casimir off at Shaw Mansion, visited Grandma Shaw, and then merrily joined Griffith Squire back in the South Seas for New Year.

The only regret was that her son had to keep Grandma Shaw company; otherwise, she would have taken him to the South Seas.

Richard Shaw returned after a week abroad, only to find everyone had gone to the South Seas. Though his mood was heavy, he said nothing and went straight back to Shaw Mansion.

The old lady, having recuperated over those days, was almost fully recovered. She was wearing reading glasses and chatting by the fireplace with Mrs. Zhao about new designs. A few days ago, Lana Shaw had visited and gifted her an ink painting of orchids, which she loved and now wanted to embroider.

But the old lady, at her age, couldn’t see or move as well and couldn’t handle such detailed work, so she directed while Mrs. Zhao embroidered.

The old lady was still chatting when she saw her grandson return and immediately stood up, smiling, "Finally back. Leah left just last night. If you’d come back a day earlier, you would have seen her."

The man took off his heavy coat, hung it up, and with a trace of cold still on him, he looked at the old lady with a calm, reserved smile and said in a low voice, "Grandma, have you been feeling better these days?"

"Much better, just a little cold, but you all fuss over it." The old lady’s hair was all white, tied in a bun. Despite the underfloor heating and the fireplace in the December weather, she still wore a quilted jacket, fearing the cold.

The last cold had been rather frightening, but seeing the old lady had recovered, Richard Shaw didn’t mention it again and said lightly, "I’ll go change and come down."

Richard Shaw went upstairs, entered the bedroom to change into his loungewear. His clothes and such were still habitually placed in the master bedroom on the second floor, unchanged from before, as if everything had remained the same over the years.

That brief post-marriage time had a massive impact on his later life. Richard Shaw stood in the room for a while, feeling the lingering familiar scent in the air, then went downstairs.

The grandmother and grandson entered the tea room, closed the door, and began a low conversation.

"Grandma, which families were implicated because of the Cox Family back then?" At the time, Richard Shaw was only eight and had no impression of the event.

The old lady, knowing he had something to ask, was surprised to hear it was about this, exclaiming, "Why are you bringing this up after all this time?"

"I learned some news this time. The mastermind behind the explosion eight years ago has not been caught but fled to the United States." Richard Shaw’s expression was somewhat solemn, his voice lowered, "This person is likely related to the Cox Family incident over twenty years ago."

The old lady’s face changed drastically, her withered hands clutching tightly, and she said, "Let me think it over."

The old lady got up and went to her room, took out a well-wrapped notebook from a locked cabinet, and handed it back to Richard Shaw, gripping her grandson’s large hand with some worry. She trembled as she said, "Richard, I recorded everyone involved back then in this notebook. Take it and investigate thoroughly. If there is still someone at large, you must find them out and stop them from harming anyone again."

Looking at the notebook, aged with time, Richard Shaw nodded and said steadily, "Don’t worry, Grandma, the events of eight years ago won’t happen again."

Back then, he was in the light while the enemy hid, completely unaware and suffered for it. Not anymore.

Richard Shaw took the notebook and began cross-checking names, investigating them one by one. Most had been brought to justice over twenty years ago, but he needed to investigate their collateral and associates, like the presence of Griffith Squire.

Thinking of Griffith Squire gave Richard Shaw a headache—a truly exasperating brother-in-law, possibly the most annoying one ever.

Richard Shaw assigned tasks and, after sitting for a while, began to miss Leah. If it weren’t for the pressing matter at hand, he would have already flown to the South Seas to see her.

Once he started thinking about her, he couldn’t stop. He messaged her: "When are you coming back to the Imperial City? Casimir Shaw misses you."

After waiting a long time with no reply, Richard Shaw’s mood turned heavier. Thinking of all the distinguished family sons in the South Seas and Griffith Squire’s interference, he felt the road ahead was long and fraught with little hope.

Leah had just returned to the South Seas and had many things to handle. Although Squire Manor was always guarded and cleaned, they needed to prepare items for the New Year, leaving her no time to reply to Richard Shaw’s message. She glanced at it and forgot, only remembering after dinner, bath, and rest in the evening that she hadn’t responded.

She slowly replied with a message: "I don’t know when I’ll go back."

After a while, the man replied, "I’m outside your house now."

Leah was shocked, immediately getting up to open the window and look out. It was deep night outside; the South Seas had a pleasant climate, much warmer than the Imperial City, but it was still chilly at night.

Had he come to the South Seas just to see her? Just because she hadn’t responded? Leah felt a sweet tingle in her heart, like she was back at seventeen or eighteen, experiencing that sour yet sweet feeling of first love.