The Heart Left Behind (Cole and Yvonne) novel Chapter 84

I waved for her to leave, and Lorraine naturally took Jonas with her.

"Wait." Grandma's hand shot out, motioning in their direction. "Leave Jonas here."

I knew she missed her great-grandson. She hadn't seen him in a while. I gently pulled Jonas over and guided him toward her. "Here, spend some time with him."

Grandma's authority was absolute, and there was no point in arguing with her. Keeping her happy was the smarter move.

As more guests poured into the house, Grandma took Jonas and left without so much as a glance my way. The moment they were gone, Lorraine approached me with visible tension, biting her lip like she was unsure whether to speak.

"If there's something on your mind, just say it," I said, trying to ease her nerves.

"Your grandmother seemed... upset," she said hesitantly, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her dress.

"She'll get over it," I said, shrugging.

"I think it's better if I leave," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I don't want to cause any more trouble."

She knew Grandma would conduct a background check on her and wouldn't accept her. Before this, she thought it was fine as long as I approved of her. But she seemed to think she had been too naive.

"Trust me," I said firmly, placing my hands gently on her shoulders.

Her wide, uncertain eyes met mine, and for a moment, I wanted nothing more than to march back into the party and tell everyone that she was mine and I wasn't letting go. But I couldn't—not yet.

"I don't want to make things harder for you," she murmured.

"Just trust me. That's all I need from you," I reassured her.

As the party officially kicked off, Lorraine's tension eased slightly. She began to mingle, even accepting a drink or two from other guests. I kept a watchful eye on her, not wanting her to overdo it.

Then, out of nowhere, Yvonne appeared. "Cole, you brought her here?"