Jensen scoffed. "I don't care about your gift anyway."Ariana gently tapped the water with a twig, saying, "Well, I won't give you one, then.""You're just trying to annoy me!" Jensen huffed again. "Where else would you find such a great childhood friend if I stopped being yours?""Alright, now. I'll stop teasing you," Ariana said. "It's getting chilly in the evenings now that fall's here. Take care of yourself."Jensen was actually more concerned about her. He gave her a few more reminders before hanging up the phone. After the call, Ariana sat for a while longer, then set the twig aside.She stood up, grabbed the cushion from the rock, and started walking back. The small river was right next to a village of about 60 households. Most young adults were away, leaving mainly the elderly and children behind.This tiny village was far from town, making schooling a challenge for the kids. When Ariana arrived, a volunteer teacher was about to leave, so she stepped in to fill the role.
Five years later.Winter in Nordenton arrived early that year. It was only November, but a light snow had already fallen. It was not heavy, just enough to cover the ground with a thin white layer that felt soft underfoot."I heard there's going to be a heavy snowfall tonight. The highways will definitely be closed," Jensen said, glancing at the passenger seat. "Good thing you came back today."Ariana, who was sitting in the passenger seat, had been away from Nordenton for five years. The passage of time seemed to have left no trace on her. Not only did she not look older, but she appeared even more radiant. There was a new, captivating air of gentleness and serenity about her.She rested her chin on her hand, looking at the stores outside the car window. Five years was not a particularly long or short time, but the city had changed quite a bit. Some of the old, established stores were still in business, though. Ariana chuckled at Jensen's comment. "Sisi's engagement is such a
"Is this the gift you wanted to give me?" Jensen gritted his teeth. "You knew you were pregnant back then?"Ariana promptly placed the baby in his arms. "Well, do you like it or not? If not, just throw it away."As a doctor, Jensen had certainly held babies before. Yet, this was Ariana's child. The baby was so small and delicate that he was tense all over, holding the child without daring to move.Ariana watched him with a smile as Jensen took a deep breath, his body stiff, and looked down at the little one. At over three months old, the baby had long since outgrown its unattractive newborn appearance and had become chubby.Jensen swore he was not exaggerating—this little bundle of joy was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen."Everyone says the baby's eyes and mouth look like mine. What do you think?" Ariana asked.Jensen looked closely and indeed saw traces of Ariana's childhood features in the chubby face. Having grown up with Ariana, he remembered her childhood self very
Before meeting with Sienna and Boa, Ariana said to Jensen, "If they try to hit me later, remember to hold them back."Jensen tilted his chin up. "I'm not getting involved!"Sienna and Boa were unaware of Ariana's return. Jensen had arranged to meet them, and they arrived first. As they chatted, the conversation inevitably turned to Ariana.Boa spoke of her with a mix of anger and resentment, "That heartless woman! It's been five years of radio silence!"Sienna sighed, "It's all because of Spencer!""Don't mention that jerk!" Boa snapped. "I turned on the TV yesterday, and damn it! I had the bad luck of seeing his face!"Sienna asked, "Was it that charity auction? I heard from a client at my boutique that Spencer donated quite a bit."Boa scoffed. "Guilty conscience, I bet. Throwing money around to ease his mind."Years had passed, but Sienna's and Boa's dislike for Spencer had not lessened one bit. Regardless of his past actions, they blamed him for Ariana's five-year absence.
Ariana did not know what else to say apart from apologizing. Meanwhile, Boa hit her back a few more times before finally breaking down and crying while holding her. This was different from when Boa had gone abroad.Back then, they had stayed in touch and knew how each other was doing. On the other hand, Ariana had just up and left, with only Jensen to relay a message. It had been over five years—nearly two thousand days—without a single word from her.Boa was truly angry with Ariana. If it had not been for Jensen's updates assuring them that Ariana was fine, Boa would have gone out of her mind with worry. Eventually, the three of them cried, fussed, and scolded for a good while before finally calming down.Sienna sniffled and looked at her two best friends. "You two look like raccoons with all that smeared makeup..."They looked at each other and burst into laughter. Then, Boa gave Ariana another playful shove and scolded her lightly, "What are you laughing at?"Finally, the four
Ariana couldn't help saying, "It's been over five years. Maybe he's forgotten all about me by now.""Let's hope so," Boa replied. "But we need to prepare for the worst."The four discussed the matter further before the conversation shifted to Sienna. Even though Jensen had already told her, Ariana wanted to confirm for herself. "Sisi, what does your fiancé do? How does he treat you?" Sienna's eyes sparkled like a lovestruck teenager at the mention of her fiancé. "He treats me very well. He works in sales and has already been promoted to department manager."Sienna used to be from a wealthy family, but after they went bankrupt, her parents moved back to their hometown. In the past, she would have looked for someone from a similar background, as the family business needed support.Without those concerns, she only needed to find someone she truly liked. Ariana knew that Sienna did not care about social status. She was easily satisfied as long as the person was kind and treated her w
As she spoke, the housekeeper called inside, "Miss, someone's here."A sweet voice replied, "Who is it?"Ariana stepped inside and saw a young woman in loungewear. The girl had long, loose hair and pretty features, and she looked gentle and well-behaved."Who are you?" Nadia approached, waving the housekeeper away. "I don't know you."The house's layout was mostly the same, with only minor changes. Ariana casually opened the shoe cabinet but found all her old shoes gone. She could not quite describe how she felt.Even though she was not close to her parents, and leaving for five years was indeed her fault, coming home to find everything changed was unsettling. Ariana even considered turning around and leaving, thinking a hotel would be fine. Just then, she heard a voice from inside."Nadia, who's here? Come on in, or you'll catch a cold."Ariana could not help but chuckle. She recognized the voice as her own mother, Winifred. She had never heard Winifred speak to her with such c
In the emergency department of Feynman Hospital in Nordenton, Ariana Lubove had just completed several surgeries. The intense exhaustion caused her to feel a little light-headed. Just as she was halfway through taking off her scrubs and thinking that it was time to call it a day, someone pushed the door to the emergency department open and barged in.Dressed in an expensive tailor-made suit, Spencer Ulrich appeared before her. He exuded an air of detachment and nobility. He had stern brows, a high nose, thin lips, and a sharp, well-defined jawline—the classic traits of a handsome face. At the moment, he was holding a petite young woman in his arms. His expression was composed, but the anxiousness and concern behind it were apparent. "She's hurt. Take a look at her," he requested.Ariana's gaze fell on the young woman's face. She had delicate features and innocent doe eyes.She was Spencer's type, and Ariana knew this more than anyone. For years, his taste in women hadn't chang