Filed to story: Rebecca Perry and Vance Bradford Romance Book PDF Free
“How dare you talk back? I’ll beat you senseless today, you ungrateful wretch! ” Soren seized a plate, ready to hurl it. Adeline restrained him desperately. ” Stop it! For Vance’s sake, calm down.” Rebecca almost laughed.
For Vance’s sake? As if he truly valued them. Vance wrapped an arm around her shoulder, his tone soothing. ” Let’s look at houses first. Once you find one…”
“No ‘ once ‘ about it! ” Rebecca shrugged him off and stood abruptly, glaring at her family. ” You want to get married, right? ” Emmett nodded cautiously.
“You need a house, right? ” Rebecca asked again. Adeline blinked, then nodded, puzzled by her intent. ” There’s a way, ” Rebecca scoffed. ” What? ” Emmett and Adeline asked in unison, their eyes alight with greedy anticipation. Grabbing her bag, Rebecca declared sarcastically, ” I’ll divorce Vance, and your girlfriend can marry him instead. Not to mention a house, she gets everything he owns. Cut out the middleman. ” The trio sat stunned, jaws slack, but Vance burst into laughter, which caught Rebecca off guard.
She’d expected offense, but glancing down, she saw amusement lingering on his face. Regardless, dinner was ruined. She turned and strode out, her family too dazed to stop her. She jabbed the elevator button, uncaring how Vance would handle the fallout. As the doors opened, he emerged from the apartment, joining her inside. They descended in tense silence until he pressed B1 . ” What was that today? Why so fired up? ” Rebecca drew a deep breath. ” Vance, I gotta ask you something. ” He paused. ” Go ahead.”
“In your mind, how much is my leg worth?” she asked, pointing at her injured leg. He faltered. ” Why ask that? ” Her eyes burned with unshed tears, her heart aching fiercely. ” I need to know. How much more are you planning to pay for this leg? ” Met with his silence, she persisted. ” I know you don’t like them, and I understand why you indulge their every whim. It’s all because of this leg. Does it have a price limit in your head? How long will you keep compensating for it?”
“Rebecca… ” he began, but the elevator doors slid open.
The waiting person hesitated at the sight of Rebecca’s reddened eyes and Vance’s imposing stance. Vance nodded politely, then gripped her shoulders, turning her toward him to shield her tears from view. The conversation halted. They reached the underground lot, Vance’s hold tightening unconsciously until she was pressed firmly against him. The doors opened, and the stranger exited hastily. The scent of Vance’s shirt assailed her nostrils. She shoved him away and stepped out, with him staring and following.
In the car, he started the engine but didn’t drive off immediately. After a heavy pause, he spoke. ” As I said, just be a good wife. Don’t stress over these trivial things. They mean nothing to me.”
“Yeah, ” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. ” To you, money is insignificant. Houses and cars are mere drops in the ocean to you. But to me, it feels like I sold you this leg, and you’re forever paying installments. Five years is enough. Let’s end this, okay? Debt is cleared, and we go our separate ways. ” He said nothing, simply driving off.
A melancholic song filled the silence: ” I heard you married on a lonely night. No smile upon your face in sight. I never dared to ask or see. What if the blame belongs to me? Back then, I was too young, too wild. Careless words, a reckless child. I hurt you deeply. I made you bleed. Some wounds cut far beyond what we need. A heart so kind – how does it live on through? What can a lifetime ever do? So let me say I’m sorry now. With guilt I carry, I don’t know how. One careless touch, one foolish play. Can ruin someone’s whole lifetime away…” Each lyric pierced her heart, the pain swelling like a relentless tide, threatening to drown her. She covered her face, tears streaming through her fingers. ” Why play this song? Can’t we stop torturing each other? “
Vance’s phone rang, cutting off the music. The caller ID flashed: Cathy Babe. Rebecca’s tears halted as she registered the name. He disconnected the Bluetooth and pulled over to answer. She couldn’t make out Catherine’s words, but his expression grew increasingly grave. ” I’ll be right there, ” he said, hanging up and turning to her. ” I’ll take you home first. Cathy’s sick ; I need to check on her. ” Accustomed to this kind of thing, she flung open the car door. ” Don’t bother. I’ll manage myself.”
“Rebecca…” he called after her, but his voice was cut off by the slammed door. He didn’t pursue, instead reversing the car and speeding away without a moment’s hesitation. Watching the taillights fade, Rebecca felt a profound numbness envelop her, as if razor – sharp claws had ravaged her heart, leaving it mangled and devoid of sensation. She was about to hail a cab when her phone rang. It was a delivery service. ” Hi, two boxes of fruit arrived. You home? ” Fruit? She hadn’t ordered any. ” Where’s it from?”
“Local – grapes. The sender’s last name is Perry.
“She figured it must be from her grandma, Josette Perry. Josette lived alone in the countryside, tending grapes in her yard, and sent her thoughtful shipments. Rebecca stood on the dimming street, the sky graying overhead. A sudden, overwhelming longing washed over her. ” Someone’s home – deliver it there,” she instructed. ” Tell them to refrigerate it.” She couldn’t wait another moment. Hailing a cab, she headed straight to Josette’s place. If anyone in the world truly loved her unconditionally, it was Josette.
A retired teacher, Josette had returned to her rural hometown, cherishing her old house amid blooming flowers and homegrown produce. Rebecca yearned to repay and care for her, but despite repeated invitations to live in the city or even offers to buy her a separate home, Josette always declined, citing her attachment to her garden. Rebecca knew it was a gentle excuse. Josette simply refused to impose it. Even her shipments of fresh fruits and vegetables came via courier, never in person. Yet what Rebecca craved most was that very imposition. As a child, her passion for dance had been opposed by her parents to save money. Josette had stepped in, funding her lessons and later covering her high school expenses too. From high school onward, Rebecca boarded at school. Her parents contributed nothing, viewing a girl’s education as wasteful. She’d marry into another family anyway. Her beauty and dance skills had Adeline plotting early. Adeline wanted her to date someone rich at 18 and planned to marry her off to benefit Emmett.
When Rebecca aced the university entrance exam, her parents pushed for a local tuition – free teaching program. Following their plan, she would work as a dance teacher upon graduation, earn extra income for the family, and stay homebound. Soren had bluntly declared, ” No funds for distant college. Free program or drop out. ” Rebecca held no grudge against teaching, but she’d topped the nation’s premier dance academy exam. Once again, Josette stepped in, backing her to chase her dreams.
After the accident, her parents lamented only her diminished marriage prospects, scheming for Vance’s payout.
It was Josette who had nursed Rebecca tirelessly in the hospital. Memories cascaded through her mind, including Vance’s marriage proposal. Her parents had rejoiced that a disabled daughter could land a golden ticket. They had obsessed over his fortune and thought nothing of her. Only Josette had clasped Rebecca’s hand, whispering, ” No matter what, always love yourself most. ” She had foreseen the mismatch but couldn’t halt it. Gazing out the cab window, Rebecca’s eyes stung. ” I’m sorry, Grandma. I didn’t love myself well. ” By arrival, night had fallen.
Josette’s house glowed with warm lights, a beacon soothing Rebecca’s weary heart. Tears welled unbidden. She got out of the cab, crossed the yard, and knocked. ” Who is it? ” Josette asked, approaching the door. Upon seeing Rebecca, her eyes sparkled with joy. ” Becky? What brings you here? ” Rebecca’s eyes burned anew. Fearing tears might alarm Josette, Rebecca enveloped her in a hug, whining playfully, ” Grandma, I saw the grapes you sent, and I missed you so much.”
“You silly girl. ” Josette beamed, glancing behind her and noting Vance’s absence. ” You came alone?
“
