"Alright!"
Ansel had spent a good part of his life roughing it in the military, but in front of Gabriel, his junior, he always showed an involuntary respect.
As they walked into the house, the courtyard, usually only frequented by the cleaning staff, was alight with festive decorations, every corner brimming with the spirit of the New Year.
Gabriel, holding Sylvia's hand, asked, "Cold? Why are your hands so chilly?"
"Just standing outside for a bit will do that, no worries," Sylvia responded in a soft whisper.
"You really need to take better care of yourself."
"Yeah, I'll see to it when we get back."
"Don't just talk about it, be about it."
"I may ignore others, but I can't dare ignore you."
Their conversation was casual, not overly flirtatious, but there was an undeniable warmth between them.
Ann watched the pair, feeling increasingly melancholic.
As they entered the living room, Sylvia turned around, "Mr. Flair, Ms. Flair, please, make yourselves at home!"
"Of course, of course, we're all family here, no need for formalities!" Ansel said with a friendly laugh.
A servant brought over some snacks, and Sylvia made sure to ask for some special treats from C City for Ann to try. After a couple of polite refusals, Ann sat quietly behind Ansel.
Ansel inquired, "How's Old Mr. Jarvis doing? Still in good health?"
Gabriel replied, "Yes, he's doing well."
"Having you home for the holidays must've made Old Mr. Jarvis happy, everything's good then," Ansel chuckled.
Her words were genuine. Gabriel, known as Gabriel Carnes in the military, had changed her perspective on life during the summer she entered her sophomore year of high school. With both her parents in the military and no one at home to guide her, she quickly became a rebel at school. After several meetings with her teachers and growing disinterest in her studies, her father took her to the military base during her summer break, where she met Gabriel. That summer, Gabriel changed her life.
Sylvia observed the girl, a slight smile on her lips, fully aware of the admiration in the girl's eyes.
Feeling Sylvia's gaze, Ann looked back with a mix of defiance and competitiveness, "Are you from C City, Ms. Jarvis?"
"No, I'm not," Sylvia replied softly.
"And how did you meet Gabriel?" Ann's curiosity was piqued.
"We've known each other for a long time," Sylvia answered, her response perfectly diplomatic.
Ann couldn't pry any further, simply smiled, and turned her attention back to Gabriel, speaking with her father, her admiration unhidden.
Unlike Audrey's boldness, Ann exuded a pride that seemed ingrained, coupled with a determination that refused to be quelled.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan)
Is author planning to finally reveal Sylvia's true identity? 😍...
I wish that Gabriel would begin his pursuit of Sylvia. Thank you for the updates....
Update 2812 isn't working, please fix it. Thank you...
Waiting patiently for your updates. Thank you....
This was something that could have never come across my thoughts. That is what i love about this story - no stone unturned!! All the side characters have some story 😊...
This was worth the wait, thank you for the updates....
Waiting for updates.........
Hope to see more updates soon 😊...
Thank you so very much for the updates....
Why are the chapters from 61 so horrible to read. We cannot even make out a single line.completely and we cant even lessen the fonts to make it legible. It is such a killjoy....