Rebecca's smile brightened after she listened to Serena's words, but she didn't immediately agree to Serena's request."Apologies are best given in person. Why don't you come over when you're free? You should talk to Ollie face to face. That's better than having me pass the message," Rebecca suggested.Serena was surprised at first but soon understood Rebecca's reasoning. She felt relieved and smiled as her nervousness faded.She hadn't expected to visit the Johnsons again. She and Mary were invited to the Johnsons' house for Christmas dinner years ago for the sake of Angela and James. However, the evening had turned sour because Mary had caused a scene.Serena recalled how shameless she and Mary had been. Despite the Johnsons' disapproval, they acted as if nothing had happened and stayed to finish their meal boldly.Luckily, the Johnsons remained patient and polite. They didn't act rudely despite their displeasure but simply limited their interactions with Mary and Serena.It wa
Daniel was surprised to see Rebecca. He stopped before her and greeted her. "Hey, what brings you here?"Since they'd known each other for a while, Rebecca didn't feel comfortable leaving right away. She replied, "One of my family's elders is sick, so I came to check on him."Even though they had been ex-partners, they hadn't seen each other in over two years. Rebecca only heard about Daniel through financial news online or from mutual friends.Daniel nodded in response. He thought about the elder members of the Johnson family. He knew Kenneth had been discussing a project with Albert yesterday, so it couldn't be him in the hospital today. He remembered there was an older relative on the Stiggs side.Talking about the illness was always difficult. He wished for the elder to have a speedy recovery without further inquiry.Rebecca nodded politely. Just as she was about to bid farewell, Daniel surprised her by asking, "Would you like to go for a walk together?"Worried that Rebecca
Rebecca realized it had been a long time since she last paid her respects to George. Whenever she went to Riverwood, it was usually to check on the apprentices at Four Seasons or to see Markus, who was becoming increasingly unwell.She felt helpless against the passage of time, witnessing people's deaths or seeing once-healthy individuals confined to wheelchairs. She vaguely remembered how devastated she was when George passed away.Rebecca was devastated, not because she had lost someone she depended on, but because George was one of the few people who had shown her kindness during that time. Though there may have been selfish motives behind his kindness, she was genuinely thankful for him back then.Yet, Rebecca hadn't anticipated that she would forget to visit George's grave every time she went to Riverwood. She couldn't even recall the intense grief she had experienced when he passed away. She felt a twinge of guilt about it and realized how time swept away everything.Suddenly
Rebecca glanced at Daniel, who seemed disheartened, and couldn't help but release a small sigh. "Daniel, what's done is done. Look at me. I've faced tough times before, but things have been going well lately. We should focus on what lies ahead."There's no use dwelling on the past. You're still young, and there are plenty of great people you can meet. Why stay stuck when you have so much potential to do meaningful things?"She believed there was no point in getting caught up in the past and wasting time. She also didn't think it was wise to wait for someone who might never return while missing out on the people who were already there for you.Daniel managed a smile. "Trust me. I want to move forward, too."During the years Rebecca was missing, he dreamed every night of her needing his help. Sometimes he imagined her with scars, sometimes in much worse situations. Each time he jolted awake, he felt a sharp pain and guilt in his chest.While Rebecca had moved on, Daniel remained ens
"Sounds good," Daniel said with a smile.Rebecca's words brought warmth to his eyes. He thought that only someone who had experienced difficulties like she had would be willing to help others.She was different from those wealthy socialites who only went to charity events for appearances. Instead of just being there, she genuinely cared and dedicated time to interacting with the children.This reminded Daniel of a time long ago. Before George passed away and Jessica returned to the Browns, he had visited an elementary school near Riverwood for a project with his company.The school wasn't as poor as some in remote areas. The children were well-dressed, and the school was clean. However, the building appeared old, with walls displaying signs of wear and tear. The railing was rusty. It was unpleasant to look at and left rust on anyone who touched it.Daniel vividly recalled his irritation when a child accidentally bumped into him while rushing to the cafeteria. He had made him brush
Rebecca stopped walking and turned to face Daniel. As she did, he hugged her and said, "Becca, I'm really sorry."Rebecca tensed up. She wanted to push him away, but his sigh made her pause.Daniel released her before she could react. He looked at her and spoke softly, "I've said sorry before, but I wanted to say it again before we parted ways, whether you forgive me or not."Rebecca stared at him. She was at a loss for words. Eventually, she nodded with a smile that melted Daniel's cold heart.His fingers twitched by his side. He wanted to stroke her head but he hesitated and just smiled back. "You go ahead. I won't bother you anymore.""Okay, take care." Rebecca glanced at him before turning away."Take care," Daniel whispered behind her. His words were carried away by the evening breeze. They echoed a familiar farewell from years ago when they parted ways at a crossroads.Half of the sky was painted fiery red by the setting sun. Daniel stood beneath a dogwood tree outside the
Penny used to believe she was incredibly unlucky. But as time passed, she came to understand it wasn't about luck. It was simply that her true family took longer to enter her life. She even pondered whether she had traded her past happiness for her current family.From a young age, Penny knew her family didn't love her. Yet, she still tried to please them while hoping for their love in return. She obediently followed their rules, taught by school teachers that parents love their children unconditionally and that children should behave.No one taught her what to do if her parents didn't love her. She was a dutiful daughter, who never dared to challenge her parents' unfair treatment of her. It wasn't until high school that she befriended Cecilia Walker, a quiet and hardworking student.Cecilia wore her hair in a ponytail and donned a slightly worn-out school uniform. She was attentive in class and consistently excelled on her exams.Unlike Penny, Cecilia didn't strive to be the top s
The boy, Bryan Cromer, was seriously injured. Cecilia was asked by Bryan's mother, Michelle Beltran, to apologize and make amends. Scarlett and Cecilia paid the money to make amends but didn't apologize.Cecilia got really mad back then and ended up hitting Bryan pretty hard. Unlike most parents, Scarlett didn't give Cecilia a scolding right away.Even though Michelle was being aggressive, Scarlett prioritized getting Cecilia and Bryan to the clinic for treatment. Only when Scarlett handed Michelle some money did she calm down.As the doctor tended to Cecilia's bruises, he mentioned that Bryan needed stitches. Even though she was young, Cecilia knew how badly Bryan was hurt. When Michelle started to make a scene again, Scarlett covered Cecilia's ears and held her in her arms.During the chaos, Cecilia heard Scarlett saying, "I raised Cecilia, so I know her temperament. There must be a reason for her behavior. Mrs. Cromer, before you request Cecilia to apologize, could you please in