Filed to story: The Regretful Billionaire: An Unpredicted Reunion
You Didn’t Bring Any House Gifts?
The next day, Danika and Eustace spent their time sorting things out. Danika brought Graham to Orchid Village to pay their respects to her grandfather and inform him that she had returned to her family.
Even though Horace wasn’t related to her by blood, she still viewed him as her biological grandfather. The old man had raised her to become the person she was today. Not even Graham could compare.
Good thing Graham knew that too. He hadn’t forced Danika to stop referring to the old man as her grandpa, nor did he make her pay respects to his father.
In fact, Graham’s father was the one who forced Graham and Danika’s mother to separate. For that reason, Danika would never recognize him as family, even if she cared about the Zellwegers.
Graham paid his respects to Horace as well, gently touching the gravestone.
“Thank you for taking care of my Danika, sir. She’s a fine young woman today, all because of you. I can never thank you enough.”
Afterward, Danika brought Graham to David Wilkins’ home. David hurriedly invited them inside, showing the utmost hospitality to Graham.Sure, he didn’t know who this man was, but based on his attire, he could guess he came from a wealthy family.
“Uncle David,’ Danika greeted kindly, then noticed that Hannah and Felicity were nowhere to be seen. Felicity had been arrested prior and left in detention for a few days. She should have been bailed out by now, as Danika never filed a legal suit against her.
“They’re out right now,” David explained.
Embarrassed, Danika said, “Uncle, about what happened to Felicity…”
“You did nothing wrong. It was all her.” David nodded. He wasn’t educated, but he knew the basics of right and wrong.
Danika relaxed, knowing her uncle wasn’t angry at her. Besides her grandfather and her uncle, she didn’t value relations with anyone else in the village
“Mr. Wilkins, right? A pleasure to meet you,” Graham greeted politely, guessing that Danika had a close relationship with him.
David waved a hand. “Danika calls me uncle. It would be strange if you called me sir. I know I seem old, but I promise I’m not. We’re around the same age, I believe.”
The two men then got to know each other’s ages, and Graham smiled awkwardly, “I guess that makes us brothers.”
“Perfectly alright with me.” David shrugged. He was Danika’s uncle, and nothing would change that. He then had Graham and Danika make themselves at home before going to make lunch in the kitchen, but Danika ended up helping him out.
Graham leaned back on the couch, quietly enjoying the cozy environment and rustic air. He could smell the grass from out the window and hear the wind rustle in the trees.
No wonder Danika missed this place. He would, too, if he grew up here. Just as he was enjoying his time, the front door opened. It was Felicity and
Hannah, back from their little excursion. The women gazed at Graham in shock.
“Danika’s father, right?” Hannah asked.
Graham nodded. “That’s me.” “I’m her aunt, and this is Felicity, Danika’s cousin. Didn’t you bring any house gifts?” Felicity said rudely. She had heard from
Felicity that Danika’s family turned out to be one of the wealthiest in the city.
I Won’t Give Her a Single Cent
Graham couldn’t deduce what kind of relationship Danika had with these women.
He just had a strong feeling that theirs was very different from her uncle’s.
However, he didn’t think much of it and pulled out a pouch of cash bills from his pocket. He had prepared it beforehand and handed it to Felicity.
“A token of my gratitude. For the young one’s future.” He hadn’t prepared anything for Hannah. Granted, it would be strange if he did.
Felicity beamed, greedily eyeing the thick pouch. “It must be loaded with cash,” she thought. Before she could take the pouch, it was snatched away.
Beside them, Danika opened the newly-acquired pouch and peered inside.
“What are you…” Graham asked, confused.
There were at least ten thousand dollars in there. Sure, it wasn’t much to Graham, but Danika wasn’t about to let her cousin have it so easily.
She pulled out two hundred dollars and shoved it to Felicity. “Here. That’s about how much our relationship is worth, anyway.”
“Danika…” Graham was about to speak up when Danika interrupted him.
“Hush, please. I know what I’m doing.”
She would give the remaining money to her uncle, but not in front of these two women. Otherwise, the money would just end up in their hands.
Felicity’s eyes reddened at the two hundred dollars. “You’re so mean to me, Danika! This isn’t even enough for a week!”
Danika rolled her eyes, retracting her arm. “Alright. I’ll take it back t—“
But Felicity quickly took the bills from her hand. “You can’t go back on your word now!”
Two hundred dollars was better than nothing. She didn’t have a job anymore, nor did their family have much money. This money was enough to get her a new dress.
Danika sneered, not surprised at all.Hannah glared at Danika. ‘We raised you, Danika. You’ve found your birth father and will leave with him, most likely never to return to this village again. Can’t we get even a little bit of compensation?”
“Sure.” Danika shrugged, watching Hannah’s eyes light up.
“Then can we have it-“
“But you don’t deserve it,” Danika continued, still smiling. “I would’ve given however much you need if Grandpa was still here, but he isn’t anymore.”
Hannah’s face turned beet red. “Your grandpa isn’t here, but your uncle still is. He’s your grandpa’s only heir, so giving the money to him would-“
“Heh.” Danika sneered. Her uncle was kind to her, but in truth, only her grandfather had taken care of her all these years. Nothing to do with her uncle.
“Hannah Fendley, you better shut up right now!’ David roared, storming out from the kitchen. He wouldn’t dream of getting any money from Danika. It wasn’t like they spent any money raising her.
“What? What did I say? Your father spent our money raising her!” Hannah huffed, still firm in her stance. This could very well be her last time seeing Danika. She might never have a chance to get that kind of money again.
“You…” David fumed, finger pointed at Hannah shaking in the air. Danika hurriedly went to his side. “It’s alright. Uncle David. I won’t give her a single cent.”
Nothing Good Will Turn Out From This
David relaxed upon hearing that. He truly worried Graham would give the women money, not that he didn’t care about them, but because he knew very well it wasn’t theirs to have.
“You must give us this compensation today, Danika Zellweger!” Hannah commanded angrily. No way would she let Danika leave without first paying them.
Felicity didn’t side with her mother this time. Instead, she tugged on the woman’s sleeve. “Let’s just let this go, Mom. She’s too powerful.”
Ever since Danika had sicced the cops on her, she had held a level of reverence and fear against Danika. She didn’t want her mother to face the same mess.
“She’s too powerful? I’ll show you powerful!” Hannah sneered, finding her daughter cowardly.
Danika chuckled at how silly she looked. “Yeah? What’ll you do if I don’t give it to you? Beat me up?”
“You…” Hannah realized she had a point. She wouldn’t be able to handle the father and daughter on her own. Her husband would obviously not come to her aid, either. With that in mind, she softened up. “Danika…you’re wealthy now. All my family needs is this little bit to survive. Why are you so stingy?”
Graham felt the same way. This wad of cash was really nothing to him. However, Danika didn’t want to be so kind. If it was her family’s money, she wanted a say in how it was given.
“I didn’t get my money from trees, and neither did my father. If you want money so bad, get a job,” Danika sneered, glaring at the mother and daughter. “Lazing around at home all day like a pair of fat ticks while waiting for Uncle David to feed you. Aren’t you ashamed at all?”
As ugly as her choice of words was, it was the truth. David earned only a little from his agriculture work, which almost always got depleted in the hands of his good-for-nothing wife and daughter. Truly, Danika pitied him.
“He’s my husband and Felicity’s father. He should be taking care of us,” Hannah declared pigheadedly.’
Danika turned away, holding her uncle’s arm. She was angry about this, yes, but it was their reality. She couldn’t do much. “Let’s get back to cooking,
Uncle David. Ignore their babbling.’
Before entering the kitchen, she even told Graham, “I’m warning you, don’t give them anything, or you’ll never see me again.”
The man stared off in silence, shocked at her tone. If this was Jolene speaking to him, he would’ve exploded with rage. But he held it back because this was his beloved Danika.
After the two left, Graham went outside for a stroll, ignoring the fuming mother and daughter in the living room.
Hannah sighed, “Your father is a useless piece of shit. He doesn’t even have the guts to claim that money, and it’s even given freely!”
“Let’s just forget it. There’s no point arguing with that evil woman. She’s not gonna pity us.” Felicity didn’t want to go head-to-head with Danika ever again. She had a feeling she’d be on the losing end.
Hannah nodded. She had really lost her chance now.
In the kitchen, Danika shoved the pouch of cash from earlier into David’s hands.
“I know this is your family’s affairs, Uncle David, but…if you let them continue abusing you like this, nothing good will ever turn out for you. You cant take care of them your entire life, and it’s not like they ever appreciate you for what you did.”
Danika had already noticed that Hannah didn’t respect David at all. There was no telling what she would do given the chance.
David was about to reject the money when Danika cut in again. “This is my token of gratitude. Keep it, and don’t let them know. Use it for yourself.”
David couldn’t refuse her. “I understand what you’re trying to say… I know what I have to do.”
Whether he really did or he was just saying it, Danika didn’t know. She could only trust that she had done her part.
What Kind of Father Would…
Danika and Graham had lunch with David and his family, ignoring Hannah and Felicity’s bickering. Afterward, they left Orchid Village and went back to Parrington.
Danika’s plans were nearly complete. All she had to do now was make sure to successfully rescue Stephanie.
Paul hadn’t restricted her personal freedom nor stopped her from using her phone, but Danika hadn’t called Stephanie even once to keep Paul clueless about her plans.
After dropping her father off, Danika went to the Zelliot family home to meet Stephanie’s parents.