Chapter 14: Echoes of the Past and Rainbound Refuge

The family banquet was bustling, filled with relatives from collateral branches of the family tree.

As Sharon walked along the garden path, the muffled sound of mahjong tiles tumbling echoed softly from the main manor.

She couldn't hide in the d

Chapter 15: Midnight Pursuit and Unspoken Trust

Ethan crouched down, raising the umbrella to meet Sharon’s gaze at eye level.

"Legs sore?" he asked smoothly.

Sharon nodded. "Yeah."

Reaching out, he wrapped a warm, firm hand around her calf, applying just the right amount of pressure to rub away

Chapter 16: Family Frictions and Unexpected Turns

Sharon drove away without looking back. Her memory was fairly good, or perhaps because she had been so nerve-wracked back then, she somehow made it back to the city center without missing a single turn.

She didn't stop for a second, terrified that