Chapter 234

They say know your enemy like you know yourself-only then can you really win. Vanessa figured the best way to deal with someone like Richard Steele was to stay close and watch him carefully before making her move. So when the family extended the invite, she accepted without hesitation. Leander was honestly thrown by her decision. "Babe, if you don't wanna go, just skip it. Worst case, we ask Grandpa out for dinner, no big deal," he said, worried. He and Vanessa had only just made up-not exactly the best time to step back into that minefield. He was scared the whole toxic family vibe would mess with their relationship again, and he couldn't bear the thought. That time apart had been the lowest point of his life. Just thinking about it still felt like reliving a nightmare. He wasn't about to let Richard stir things up again. "It's okay. Last time wasn't really Richard's fault. We had issues of our own to deal with, and most of that's been sorted now. Even if someone tries to stir the pot