I transmigrated and got a husband and a son!-Chapter 1148: You’ve damaged them enough

It wasn’t like Hera didn’t understand Old Madam Zhu was simply trying to prepare precautions. After all, the person the latter was expecting to target her was Hera Cruel. By telling Dominic, even if Old Madam Zhu died in Hera’s hands, Dominic would know who killed her and what sort of enemy might attack their entire Zhu Family. It was something anyone would do in such a situation.

The problem was Dominic and Hera already knew each other.

They knew each other so well they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. Hence, instead of understanding, Hera simply felt choked by Old Madam Zhu’s actions.

"That I killed a friend. Your mother. I also told him about you. I did it with the thought you would not listen to a word I said. So, he knows who he will deal with in the future."

Old Madam Zhu smiled bitterly. "He will never forgive me and today is probably the last time I would see him." — it was why she wanted to keep this truth to herself, but she could no longer do that.

To protect the family to which she dedicated her entire life, Old Madam Zhu had to accept she had to lose her grandson’s love. It was a huge price to pay, but their safety was always her priority. freeweɓnovel.cѳm

"Old Madam Zhu, I understand your priorities." Hera slowly turned around and walked back to Old Madam Zhu. She sat on the edge of the bed, resting her arms on her legs. "But, had it ever crossed you... their happiness should be your priority?"

"Their safety always comes first," Old Madam Zhu argued. "Do you not agree with me? I thought you would understand that more than anyone since you treated your people as your family now."

Hera’s face turned sour as she clasped her hands tightly. She understood what Old Madam Zhu was saying. After all, Hera didn’t mind sacrificing her own happiness if that would mean her children were safe. In fact, she understood Old Madam Zhu and Felice more since she already had a family of her own.

As a mother, they would do anything to keep their children safe. Even if it meant being the devil themselves, they would do it over and over.

"That secret you told me... you shouldn’t have let your grandson carry the burden," Hera breathed out through her gritted teeth. "Even if it meant risking everything because that truth... wouldn’t help anyone."

"I did what I did, Hera Cruel," Old Madam Zhu expressed sternly. "And I know Dominic might hate me for not only taking his grandfather’s life but also betraying a friend. But he will protect this family."

Hera looked back at Old Madam Zhu, extending her patience and self-control in not lifting a finger at her. She scoffed and shook her head, running her hands through her hair.

"You don’t understand," Hera breathed out. "Your grandson will not hate you."

Hera cast Old Madam Zhu a fiery look. She opened and closed her mouth, but her words were stuck in her throat. Her chest felt tight at the mere thought of how Dominic took this truth. This wasn’t easy for Hera. After all, Old Madam Zhu might not have killed Felice with her own hands, but she put Felice in that car.

If not for Dominic and her children, Old Madam Zhu would’ve said her last words already.

But Dominic... knowing that the person who played a huge part in Felice’s death was his own grandmother, it was just as bad as stabbing him in the back straight to his heart. Not killing Old Madam Zhu was a choice Hera made so easily, but Dominic didn’t even have that choice. Even if he wanted to, he would never kill his grandmother.

"Donnabella, do you know why I am still fighting?" Hera whispered after a prolonged and stifling silence in the room. "Do you think it’s because I am scared to die?"

Old Madam Zhu didn’t answer because she already knew Hera wasn’t afraid of death. She could tell.

"And do you know why I didn’t kill you even if I wanted to? Even if I should’ve done it? It’s not mercy." Hera let out a deep exhale. "Death or mercy... those are the things I do not know, nor had I ever practiced. I’m not fighting back as retaliation for getting pissed off by some secret society."

"They are not the first people who pissed me off or the first people who picked a fight on me," she continued. "They aren’t even the first people who wanted to kill me. If I get a list, you won’t finish reading that list overnight, even if you’re back in your prime."

Hera’s face twitched as she forced a smile. "I am fighting back and putting everything on the line because they’re the first people who threatened to take away what I want in life."

"And what I want in life is happiness," she added under her breath. "I wanted to live happily, selfishly. If ending the Five Secret Families is what it would take to attain that? I don’t mind massacring all of them. But if my happiness causes pain to the people I call family, then I do not mind backing down and leaving it all to fate."

"You, on the other hand, claimed to protect them. But the more I think about it, it is not the family you’re protecting." Hera shook her head and scoffed mildly. "Who you’re trying to protect is yourself. Your fear of becoming a murderer only to fail scared the hell out of you. So, you did everything to achieve your ambition under the guise of protecting your family despite knowing it would hurt them."

Hera let out another ridiculing laugh, running her tongue across her inner cheek.

"Donnabella, once I succeed, I’m going to take home Dominic Zhu." Hera slowly turned and faced Old Madam Zhu squarely. "I will not let even you hurt him or Axel more than you already have. You’ve damaged them enough, and I’d be damned if I let you cut through their hearts again."

"If you’re going to die, die quietly." A glint flickered across Hera’s eyes as she hissed. "Just not another word or another breath to remind those boys they owed their lives to those you trampled and betrayed. Let them live. Don’t kill them yet."

Old Madam Zhu was rendered speechless as she felt a lump in her throat. Tears formed in the corner of her eyes as she watched Hera stand and walk away. Even when Hera disappeared from her line of sight, Old Madam Zhu couldn’t stop her tears from falling.

"Felice..." she whispered. "... she really is just like her father, just as you said. They know what to say and hit where it will hurt the most."

Old Madam Zhu didn’t bother wondering why Hera sounded so hurt for Axel or Dominic. Instead, she focused on her words, and Hera was right.

Instead of safety, she should’ve prioritized their happiness. Because everything Old Madam Zhu did to protect her family was coming back to her, but instead of biting her, it was hurting his grandsons. It wasn’t like Old Madam Zhu didn’t know that yet. It was just that... it hit differently when Hera slapped her with the truth without reserve.