Alana, unable to resist, said, "You've probably had a tough time these past two years too, haven't you?"I was taken aback. "How did you know?""I guessed." She smiled helplessly, appearing like a thoughtful older sister. "Although we haven't interacted much, I can tell you're not the kind of woman who plays both sides.""Giving up on him back then must have been unavoidable, right?" It was a question, but her tone was certain.I wasn't surprised that she could guess this.Alana was the type who, despite seeming carefree, was actually very perceptive and attentive to details. In short, the Smith family seemed to be quite perceptive people.I had no reason to lie to her, so I nodded and admitted, "Yes, Frank's father came to find me. And then, Ryan… also promised that if I went back with him, he would help Frank.""You've had a hard time."Alana sounded a bit rueful, "It's a pity that Luke used such dirty tactics, almost causing Frank to suffer a setback. Actually, he did suff
She softened her gaze and asked, "And you? How is your depression…""I'm off medication now." I smiled. "I found a psychologist in Frankes through a friend, and I've been receiving treatment there for the past two years. The results have been quite good."At least, even when I recall past events or see people from back then, I no longer panic, tremble, or have suicidal thoughts.After returning to Jelaston, the night I unexpectedly saw Ryan at the hotel, my sleep had still been fairly good."That's great." Alana sighed in relief, glanced at the time, and said, "I should head to the airport now. I'll find a chance to explain things to him and give him a psychological preparation."She stood up, pointed to the room where Danny was, and said helplessly, "As for my son, you might need to take care of him a bit more during this time. Frank doesn't have the patience for him.""It's fine. I like kids too." I smiled as I walked her to the door. "Since Danny is still at home, I won't see
I was surprised. "So soon? When did you arrive in Jelaston?""This afternoon." Jack laughed. "Do you want to go out for dinner or eat at home? Do you need me to bring anything?""Hold on a moment." I moved the phone away, asked Danny quietly, "Sweetie, do you want to eat at home or go out tonight?""I want to eat the food made by Charlotte!" Danny answered instinctively, but then seemed to think of something and quickly added, "Hmm, never mind. I don’t want to go out, so can we just order takeaway? I can still treat you to dinner!"I brought the phone back to my ear and smiled. "Jack, you don't need to bring anything. Just come over."Jack nodded.After hanging up, I pinched Danny's soft cheek and asked, "You just said you want to taste my cooking, right? Why don't you want to now?""Uncle warned me.""Warned you about what?""Uncle said…" The little one mumbled, "Not to cause you any trouble. If you gets tired, he will go and defeat Superman!""Defeat Superman?""Yeah!"Da
Danny looked up at me. "Charloote, how do you spell 'Uncle'?""U-N-C-L-E, got it?""Yeah."After a moment, he looked up again. "How do you spell 'home'?""H-O-M-E."Just as I finished speaking, the doorbell rang.I got up to answer the door and, looking outside, was both surprised and delighted, "Dilan!""Woof woof woof!"A white Samoyed jumped onto me, rubbing against me enthusiastically.I was overjoyed and turned to Jack, "Jack, I was just thinking about when to have Dilan shipped back to the country, and you've brought him over for me.""You're used to him. Having him around is good for you.""Thank you!" I looked at him gratefully. "Without you, my recovery wouldn't have been so quick."He teased, "Aren't you going to invite me in?""Please, come in!"I stepped back, and Dilan stayed close to me, showing his affection.As I led Jack to the living room, I noticed that Danny was no longer on the sofa.I looked around and finally stopped at the bathroom door, where I
Danny was the first to react, sliding off the sofa with agility and running to open the door, "Un... Thank you, sir!"The takeaway I ordered had arrived.I went over to take it, closed the door again, and patted Danny's little head. "Do you miss your uncle?""Uh… No." Danny shook his head. "I don't miss him. I just want to be with you. Charlotte, can I sleep with you tonight?""Only if your uncle agrees." I took his hand and led him to the dining area, then turned to Jack. "Jack, I ordered from a local restaurant in Jelaston. Come and try it.""Alright." Jack was not picky and would eat anything.As he moved to sit next to me, Danny climbed onto a chair from behind him, patted his waist, and said cutely, "Sir, can you sit on the other side? I want to sit next to Charlotte."Jack looked down at him, pinched his cheek, and said, "Okay."The meal, consisted of five dishes and the atmosphere was quite relaxed.Danny was very well-behaved. Given a spoon, he could manage his small p
Frank was quite unreasonable.I looked at him and said, "Stop making a fuss."As Jack mentioned, whether it was during college or two years ago, he was the one who helped me through it. If he hadn't saved me two years ago, gone to great lengths to find me a doctor, and introduced me to teachers, helping me achieve a sense of accomplishment in my career, I wouldn't have recovered from depression so quickly.I couldn't repay him in terms of feelings, but I should remember his kindness. Moreover, Jack had specially brought Dilan over for me today.Frank seemed to ignore what I said, not loosening his grip at all. I felt helpless and heard Jack say, "It's okay. You stay and have dinner with them."With that, he changed his shoes, turned, and left.As the door closed, I felt a pang of guilt. I suddenly pulled away from Frank's hand and said, "Are you satisfied now?""Pretty satisfied." Frank scrutinized me, his meaning unclear. "Are you angry?"Considering Danny was present and his
My eyes were slightly misty, and my heart ached. For a moment, I thought about just laying everything bare. If it had any impact on his condition, I would face it with him. It would be better than him constantly pondering and thinking I'm an unfaithful person.I shook my head. "No, Frank, these past two years I…""Forget it." Frank's smile was shallow, with an unmistakable tone of mockery. Yet, the corners of his eyes were red. "Charlotte, I shouldn't have had any expectations from you."His words were too harsh.I widened my eyes, trying to hold back the tears, and forced a semblance of relief. "If you say so."After all, in the past two years, despite my efforts to find out about him, I hadn't received any news.Like a passing shadow, it was as if nothing had ever happened.I didn't need to tell him about everything I had done. In his eyes, I am that indifferent and ungrateful person. As soon as he was rumored to be dead, I immediately moved on and found happiness with someo
"Yes." Alana nodded. "My friend has met Yasmin a couple of times at events and managed to add her on WhatsApp and followed her on Twitter. She mentioned that last year, Yasmin seemed to have posted something on Twitter.""What kind of post?""Yasmin's Tweets are only visible for six months, but the general gist was something like a blessing from heaven. She doesn't remember the exact details, but the photo showed Yasmin with a young woman, looking to be in her 20s.""Blessing?" Frank's gaze focused, and he sent over a photo. "Have your friend check if the girl in the photo is the same person.""Sure." Alana quickly sent the photo to her friend and then reported back to Frank. "Yes, the girl in your photo is the same person on Yasmin's Twitter.""Charlotte!" While I was lost in thought on the sofa, a soft, cute voice brought me back to reality. Danny peeked out, looking a bit shy. "I forgot that I don't have any fresh clothes.""I'll go find some for you."I was now used to him c
Jordan hadn't decided yet. "Do you have any particular places you'd like to visit?"Jane said, "Then let's go shopping."She turned to Charlotte. "Can you walk?""I’m fine. If we get tired, we can find a place to sit and rest."Jane then looked at Whitney and asked if she wanted to go.Whitney nodded.The four girls made a quick decision and set off.Ross was eating an apple when he saw them coming out together. He immediately asked, "Mrs. Collins, where are you going? Do you need me to give you a lift?"Jane looked at the car behind him and noticed there were no other cars."Take us to the biggest shopping center.""Okay."The MPV was large, and with just Ross as the driver, it was more than enough for the four of them to sit comfortably."Ma’am, there are yogurts and snacks next to you, all your favorites."Jane glanced at it and said, "Remember to tell Zachary that it’s too late to apologize after making a mistake."Ross would only repeat the exact words to Zachary, an
Ross agreed and turned to leave.Jane kicked the door open with her foot, then stepped onto the balcony, and Whitney quickly came to help.After setting the breakfast down, she noticed something was wrong.Jane and Charlotte exchanged a glance.Jane asked in confusion, "Why are there things in here that neither Charlotte nor I like to eat?""It seems that Zachary and Frank were a bit careless."Whitney quickly said, "I can eat what you don't like."She wasn't picky about food, it was just that she used to not have enough to eat, so she had always eaten less and stayed thin.Jane hadn't heard Ross mention that Caleb had come.She said, "Don't you think Caleb specifically bought this for you?"Whitney was puzzled.Charlotte pointed and said, "The things we like to eat were all prepared by Frank and Zachary. They wouldn't purposely prepare things we don't eat. So, what do you think the extra food is for?"Whitney was momentarily stunned.She thought it was because Jane had or
Whitney washed up and went straight to bed.She didn't have the habit of playing on her phone before bed.Before coming to Nelana, all her work had been handed over.If something urgent came up, someone would call her.So she didn't check her phone, and thus missed Caleb's message.Caleb was on the hotel balcony, with his phone placed on the small coffee table.He held a glass of wine, swaying it absentmindedly.His gaze, however, remained fixed on the phone.But even when it got to dawn, there was no reply from Whitney.The man curved his lips slightly and lit a cigarette.He leaned against the balcony railing, waiting for the sun to rise.Whitney woke up in the morning, went to wash up, and after she finished, took a book from her luggage and went to sit on the swing on the balcony to read.As she passed the kitchen, she made herself a cup of coffee.She didn't like to move much, most of her time was spent on improving herself.She tried to learn as much as possible.S
Westley didn't say anything either.Zachary and Frank were a team, he was no match for them in an argument.His relationship with Caleb wasn't that close, so it was impossible for the latter to help him."They're having barbecue for lunch," said Frank, locking his phone. "They just ordered the ingredients."Jordan found two power strips and moved the pot to the balcony."Good thing we have these, otherwise, we wouldn't be able to eat.""Why do you have so many pots left in this house?" asked Whitney."I lived here for a while before," Jordan placed the plates and cutlery down. "I also feel like leaving these things here makes it seem like Grandpa is still around."Whitney apologized.Jordan smiled and reassured her, "It's fine. No need to apologize. From now on, we're good friends."Whitney nodded and smiled in agreement, "Alright.""By the way, Jordan.""What's up, Jane?"Jane said, "Both Zachary and Frank have booked hotels, so they don’t to stay here. It can't fit them
Jordan and Whitney chatted casually.Most of the time, it was Jordan doing the talking while Whitney listened.After covering enough about the wedding, they talked about Jordan's work over the past few years.She also mentioned the tangled feelings and past with Westley.When she got to that part, she grew a little curious. "Whitney, before you married Caleb, did you ever like anyone?"Whitney shook her head."What about a secret crush?""Not even that."Whitney rarely talked to others about her past.Zachary only knew because he had looked into her and thought she was perfectly suited to be a pawn.And she had needed to become that pawn—to completely sever ties with her past, achieve her goals, and fulfill her ambitions."I was too busy studying and working to think about anything else."Jordan sensed she didn't want to go further, so she didn't press.Just then, Jane called, saying she and Charlotte would arrive soon and join them for lunch.She relayed the message to W
"We had a meal together before, and I noticed you always seemed to like sweet dishes, so I tried buying some. I was worried it might not suit your taste.""It does, it does." Jordan took a bite of the pudding. "It's delicious. But did you buy anything you like to eat?"Whitney said, "I already had breakfast. I can't eat anymore."Jordan offered a suggestion, "Why not try a bite of this sponge cake? It's a specialty here in Nelana."Whitney really couldn't eat any more. She had a small appetite, a condition built up over the years.If she ate a full meal, she couldn't eat snacks afterward. And if she ate snacks, she would lose her appetite for meals.She had a small stomach.But seeing Jordan looking at her so expectantly, she still picked up a piece of sponge cake and took a bite."It's very good."Jordan smiled and took a big bite of the sponge cake herself."Whitney, you're so good at picking food! This is great!"The old house was a bit remote, but it had a rooftop terrac
Jordan said Whitney would be coming over later.Westley hadn't expected that the first one to get out of bed would actually be Whitney."Just the two of you?" he asked."For now, yes."Jordan glanced at her phone. In the group chat, it was just her and Whitney talking—no response yet from Jane or Charlotte.She more or less knew why Jane hadn't responded, but Charlotte too?Still, it didn't really matter. There weren't any specific plans for today anyway.She hadn't known Whitney was coming, so it was a nice surprise."Maybe my sister will text me around noon. We can decide what to do then.""You." She pointed at Westley. "You are not allowed to show up in front of me again after breakfast."Westley nodded. "Got it."After buying food, Whitney told Caleb, "I'm going to find Jordan. You can go handle your stuff. I'll be staying at her place until the wedding."Caleb leaned against the elevator wall, his voice low and lazy. "You're telling me what to do?"Whitney wasn't in a
She replied with an emoji, then looked for her girls in the group chat to ask them out for food.Their group chat had a new member now—Whitney.And it was Whitney who replied to her."I'm already eating at the hotel. Do you want to come over, or should I bring something to you later?"Whitney had actually had a good night's sleep.Though it was a bit later than her usual habit, she still managed to get up for breakfast.Before, it was always Caleb who brought breakfast to the bedside and fed her, because she simply couldn't get out of bed.Jordan figured she was probably having breakfast with Caleb and decided not to bother her."No need, I'll just eat something nearby. Your hotel isn't close to me."Whitney replied. "I'm heading over later anyway, but I'll probably be a bit late. If you're hungry, go ahead and eat something first. I'll bring you something else."Jordan. "Thanks."Whitney. "No problem."Caleb noticed her holding her phone, her expression much softer, even t
Caleb was thinking that in the future, he could let her drink a little more.Of course, only when he was around.She looked kind of cute like this."I did say that, but didn't you just say you wanted to thank me?"Whitney felt that alcohol really wasn't a good thing.Even when hanging out with Jane and the others, she decided not to drink too much anymore.The rationality and logic that she was so proud of had completely vanished.She had never been as calm in front of Caleb as she was with others.Besides, there was a power imbalance between her and him.If she were sober, she wouldn't have been able to reject him anyway.Let alone now, when her mind was muddled.But maybe because she was muddled, she dared to say things that she didn’t usually dare to say."I just lost my balance earlier, and you helped me. Even if you don't accept verbal gratitude, that doesn't mean I owe you something this big."Caleb saw she could barely stand, so he held her by the waist to keep her