Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Donate All the Assets
The others had all left, and the Monroe family manor suddenly became quiet again, as if returning to its former peaceful beauty, even the "tomato blood" that Michelle Monroe had spat onto the ground was cleaned spotlessly.
Ivana Monroe felt like she was under an illusion, as if Michelle Monroe had never done that at all.
Ivana quietly walked into the old man’s room. He was sitting on the bed, not asleep, playing aeroplane chess with Timmy.
"Wow~ Great-grandfather, you won! You’re amazing!"
The old man’s aged fingers held the chess piece, reaching the end of the game, and the little boy clapped happily for him. The innocent praise brought a joyful laugh to the old man.
The butler was also in the old man’s room, a smile on his face.
"Don’t think Great-grandfather didn’t notice, you little rascal, you’re losing on purpose to let Great-grandfather win." Gavin Monroe reached out to tweak the little boy’s nose.
"No, no, seasoned as always, Timmy concedes defeat." Timmy Monroe squinted his eyes, his look was indescribably cute as he was playfully scolded by Gavin Monroe.
Ivana saw this warm scene, her eyes glistening with tears. This aeroplane chess was from her childhood, and her grandfather still kept it.
"Have they left?" Gavin Monroe asked as he saw Ivana enter. The smile on his face faded, tiredness visible in his aged eyes.
"Yes, they’ve all left." Ivana held back her tears, looking up to fight them back, and walked to Gavin Monroe’s bedside with a smile: "Isn’t this the aeroplane chess I played as a child? Grandpa, are you interested in playing a round with your granddaughter?"
"Your son lost, so is mommy trying to win it back for him?" Gavin Monroe also smiled along.
"That’s the plan." Ivana continued along with Gavin Monroe’s words.
"It’s a good plan, show me your real skill, let grandpa see."
The aeroplane chess pieces returned to the starting point, and Gavin Monroe let Ivana roll the dice first. She shook a "six" on the black and white dice, and Gavin Monroe gave her an appreciative glance.
"Wow, mommy is so amazing." Timmy the cheerleader definitely added a lot of excitement to this game of aeroplane chess.
Ivana’s fair fingers picked up an aeroplane chess piece, moving six steps, childhood happy memories with her grandfather surged into her mind like a movie.
When it was Gavin Monroe’s turn to roll the dice, he got a "three", landing on a space that said "roll again", and he rolled again, this time getting a "five".
"Wow, Great-grandfather is even more awesome! Mommy, keep it up!" Timmy the cheerleader shouted.
Gavin Monroe grinned, showing his big yellow teeth, laughing heartily.
Ivana quietly sniffed back her tears, this game of aeroplane chess ended in failure.
Gavin Monroe shook his head happily: "You mother and son really are in sync, both have become my defeated troops."
Ivana replied with a smile: "I haven’t played for many years, maybe I’m rusty, I’ll practice and come challenge grandpa again."
Timmy’s excited voice chimed in: "Mommy can practice with Timmy! Once we’re trained and come back, Great-grandfather will become our defeated troop."
Gavin Monroe laughed heartily, reaching out to rub Timmy’s soft black hair: "You child, have you been watching too many martial arts shows? Already learning to say ’trained and returned’?"
In the blink of an eye, it’s the next day.
The three generations had breakfast together, and Ivana pushed Gavin Monroe’s wheelchair, accompanying the old man to bask in the sunshine in the backyard garden.
The backyard garden had several Ginkgo trees planted, and in autumn, the leaves turned golden yellow. A gentle breeze blew, and the golden leaves danced and fell to the ground, laying a carpet of gold in the backyard garden.
Few families would plant Ginkgo trees in their backyard, because when the fruits of the Ginkgo tree mature, they fall to the ground, and the peels rot, emitting a strange odor.
The few Ginkgo trees in the Monroe family manor were planted for Ivana, because when she was young, she loved collecting leaf specimens, especially the Ginkgo leaves. She collected the green, lightly yellow, and golden ones, preserved them in books, and after they dried, used them as bookmarks.
Gavin Monroe, being a doting grandfather, had planted the Ginkgo trees in the backyard for his beloved granddaughter, watching her happily dance and twirl around the trees like a little angel. The strange rotting smell of the Ginkgo fruits seemed to turn sweet with Ivana’s presence.
"Ivana, I want to give this manor to you and Timmy." Gavin Monroe’s eyes were filled with the golden color of the Ginkgo leaves. In the six years Ivana had been away, he rarely dared to come to the backyard garden. Each time he came here, he would miss her, with visions of Ivana’s childhood in his mind, until he realized he was already in tears.
Ivana was slightly stunned, frowning as she said: "Grandpa, are you planning on dividing up the family estate?"
Gavin Monroe gave a bitter smile: "Grandpa is old, and this family is no longer under my sole say. If it’s not divided, they won’t let it rest."
Butler Chaucer stood behind Ivana, secretly wiping tears, and whispered angrily: "These unfilial things, the old master giving them his wealth is worse than donating it to charity. Charity helps those in need, and they’d be grateful to the old master, praying for him. Those unfilial children, the old master raised them with so much hardship, set them up with families and wealth for a full life, yet they’re still unsatisfied and have the heart to gang up and force the old master at his age... Are they even humans?"
If Ivana hadn’t arrived in time, the old master might have been pushed to death by those ungrateful children.
Gavin Monroe heard Butler Chaucer’s words, and his heart was swayed. Butler Chaucer was right. If not for his beloved granddaughter Ivana, he would’ve donated all his wealth to charity, rather than giving a penny to those heartless children.
Ivana saw Gavin Monroe waver, and asked: "Grandpa, what do you think of Butler Chaucer’s suggestion?"
Gavin Monroe shook his head: "If I donate, I would donate it all. Otherwise, they would cause trouble for you. It’s not possible now, you’ve just recently reclaimed the company from Michelle Monroe, and I heard GK isn’t what it used to be. Now is when it needs investment the most, and grandpa wants to help you."
Ivana felt moved to the point of tears, kneeling before the old man: "Grandpa, believe me, without your inheritance, I’ll still be able to revitalize GK."
Gavin Monroe saw the determination in Ivana’s eyes, his aged eyes moistening. Out of all the children and grandchildren, there was no one that could compare to Ivana.
Ivana continued: "Grandpa, I support you in donating all your assets, including this manor, auction it off and donate the proceeds."
Gavin Monroe was shocked: "This... this is my root! How could I bear to..."
Ivana held the old man’s aged, trembling hands with both of hers, gently saying: "Grandpa, don’t be excited, let me explain. I won’t let your manor fall into others’ hands. I’ll buy it back, and only this way can we shut everyone’s mouths!"