Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 1044

“I’m just glad I got my mom’s kindness,” Larry said, his voice cool and steady. “Honestly, I’m ashamed to have Adams blood.”

The words hung in the air. Mr. Adams’s face went pale, the color draining out of him all at once. He understood, maybe for the first time, that some mistakes just can’t be taken back. Edwin had been right. Larry would never forgive him.

Taking a shaky breath, Mr. Adams turned and left Larry’s house. He looked smaller than ever, his shoulders slumped, his steps unsteady. In that moment, he seemed to age ten years. When he reached his car, he nearly tripped, and the driver rushed over, catching him just in time.

“Careful, sir,” the driver said softly.

He helped Mr. Adams into the backseat, then noticed the old man’s red eyes. Tears slipped down his face, his hands trembling with emotion.

“Is everything alright, sir?” The driver wasn’t sure what to do.

Mr. Adams wiped his cheeks, gaze fixed on the brightly lit house behind them. “I was just thinking… no matter what I do, the Adams family can never make it up to that boy. I keep asking myself why I couldn’t have been better to him before.”

The driver fell silent, not knowing what to say.

Inside, Larry stood at the window, watching that car outside. He didn’t touch the stack of papers on the table. He tried to act calm, but inside he was a mess. He wasn’t as indifferent as he wanted people to believe. It hurt… a lot.

Back then, he’d really cared about his grandfather. The whole Adams family had always treated him like an outsider. Brian bullied him constantly, and none of the staff ever stepped in. They just looked away, pretending not to see it. Only his grandfather had ever shown him any real kindness, sometimes stepping in to stop Brian.

He told them about Mr. Adams’s visit and what he had offered.

After listening, Maisie Lane let out a sharp breath. “Now he wants to make it up to you? After all this time? If he really cared, where was he when you needed him most?”

She couldn’t let go of all the times her nephew had been hurt, all the years the Adams family had treated him so badly.

Her husband reached over, giving her arm a gentle squeeze. “Let’s just hear what Larry wants to do. Mr. Adams messed up, but tonight he showed a different side. The choice is Larry’s.”

Maisie fell quiet, realizing her husband was right. Mr. Adams had just handed Larry the very thing that family had fought over for decades. In a way, nothing could sting them more.