Noelle slept through the night, but she was not in very high spirits when she awoke. As she gazed at her pale face and puffy eyes reflected in the mirror, she vehemently splashed water at her eyes until some color returned to her cheeks. Then, she propped her hands against the sink dispiritedly and gazed at herself sadly.

 

“Wake up, Noelle! There aren’t any hardships that you can’t get past!”

 

After preparing herself mentally, she began putting on makeup. She heaved a sigh of relief when all signs of disheveledness could no longer be seen on her face. However, she frowned when she saw her grandfather, Sebastian, her maternal grandfather, calling her. She hurriedly answered, “Hello, Grandpa? What’s the matter?”

 

“You haven’t forgotten that I asked you to come home today, have you?” Sebastian’s voice rang out. He might be getting on in age, but his voice was filled with as much vim and vigor as it had during his younger years. He had his many years of delivering lectures to students to thank for that.

 

Noelle was stunned when she heard Sebastian say that. “Grandpa, I… Alright, alright. I’ll come home. I’ll drop by, alright?”

 

Noelle gazed at her phone with a vexed expression for a long while before she heaved a sigh and grabbed her handbag to leave the house.

 

Her initial plan had been to head to work, but after everything that had happened in the past two days, she decided to change her plans. She first went grocery shopping at a nearby supermarket before heading to her grandfather’s home.

 

It had been an entire year since she had left Brookville, and she had spent all her time working without paying a single visit, only making the occasional phone call to her grandfather. She felt slightly sheepish when she arrived at the front door and waited for May, the family butler, to open the door for her. “Ms. Noelle, you’re home? Why didn’t you come in yourself? Quick, quick, come in!”

 

May took Noelle’s hand in hers and smiled as she said, “Sir Jenkins has guests today.”

 

“Guests?” Noelle asked curiously. “What guests? Didn’t Grandpa say…” Before Noelle managed to finish her sentence, she heard Sebastian’s voice ringing from the room, “Charles, it’s been so long since you’ve visited. Have you been busy?”

 

Noelle was holding a gift in her arms, and May reached out to take it from her. When she looked up, she saw a man sitting with his back to her in the living room. He seemed familiar, and it confused her momentarily.

 

“Noelle, you’ve arrived,” Sebastian said as he smiled and gazed at Noelle. However, the smile vanished from his face when he saw the gifts in her arms. “It’s enough that you dropped by. Why did you get a gift as well? I don’t need anything more.”

Despite that, Sebastian still beckoned May to bring the gift over. “Come here, quick. Let me take a good look at you.”

Noelle handed the gift to May and walked over to Sebastian after slipping on a pair of house slippers. “Long time no see, Grandpa. I’ve missed you so much!” Noelle said as she took Sebastian’s arm and rested her cheek against it, swinging to and fro as she asked, “Did you miss me, Grandpa?”

“Not at all,” Sebastian said as he gently clapped Noelle’s forehead. “Watch yourself. Have you not noticed my guest?”

Sebastian took Noelle’s hand in his and walked over. “Allow me to introduce you to my granddaughter, Charles. Noelle, this is a student of mine. His name is Charles Hoffman.”

The look of surprise in Noelle’s eyes betrayed her, and she burst out, “What are you doing here?”