Jenna Axton saw the serious look on Russell’s face. It wasn’t as overbearing as it had been just monts ago.
’He must have been taken aback by my ugly scar.’
She figured that her brother, who had spent over two decades in politics, would surely keep his word. She relented. "Go ahead."
Russell Frost asked, "Why did you leave the Frost family all those years ago?"
Hearing this, Jenna bit her lower lip, her first instinct to lie.
Russell caught the subtle movent. His expression turned serious as he warned her, "Adriana Frost, if you don’t answer honestly, I’m dragging you back ho tonight."
Even at her age, Jenna still felt a chill of fear at her brother’s threats.
mories surfaced from deep within her mind. Even now, she could almost feel the stinging ache on her backside.
After her high school graduation party, she and a few close friends had gone to a bar to see what it was like.
They were all freshly legal, a group of them brandishing their IDs as they swaggered into the bar.
She had just sat down and started fooling around with her friends when, before she could even take a single sip of her drink, Russell found her, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her ho.
Their mother managed the household and cared for the elders.
Their older brother and father were always busy with work, so the responsibility of overseeing her studies and daily life naturally fell to Russell.
That was the first ti her normally gentle brother had ever disciplined her.
He might have seed easygoing, but when it ca to punishnt, he showed no rcy.
The mory of that numbing pain was still so vivid it made her shift in her seat. She answered honestly.
"I felt I had failed to live up to how Mom and Dad raised . I couldn’t bear to face anyone."
The curses rose in Russell’s throat, but he forced them back down.
’How was it her fault?’
’The one at fault was .’
’I didn’t raise Adriana right. I was too overbearing, trying to handle everything myself. That was my mistake.’
Russell cald himself, pushed the plate of pastries toward her, and steeped a fresh cup of tea, placing it in front of her.
"Go on, eat. When you’re done, you should head ho. Wouldn’t want your husband to worry."
Hearing the teasing lilt in his voice, Jenna looked up and shot a cold, displeased glare at the man smirking at her from across the table.
’He must have guessed I’m not married, yet he still teases like this.’
"Do you tease my sister-in-law like this, too?"
"My wife and I aren’t usually together," Russell replied smoothly, propping his chin on his hand.
Caught off guard, the smile vanished from Jenna’s face. The corners of her eyes turned slightly red.
She quickly raised her teacup to take a sip, hiding the tears welling in her eyes.
’Her heart felt heavy, as if a stone was dragging it down to the bottom of the sea. The feeling was suffocating and miserable.’
Russell watched her with an unreadable smile. Then, as he poured her more tea, he revealed the truth.
"I’m not married. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. Marrying anyone else would be unfair to them."
Suddenly, her heart bobbed back up from the depths, and she could breathe again.
But Jenna’s expression remained icy as she focused on eating her pastry.
It had been a long ti since she’d had authentic Valoria pastries. They tasted exceptionally good.
Russell didn’t say anything either. Every ti she finished her tea, he refilled her cup.
His ink-black eyes were fixed on her, greedily trying to burn her current image into his mory.
For a while, the only sounds in the small tea room were the gurgle of water being poured for tea and the whistle of the kettle.
It was a rare mont of tranquility on this New Year’s Eve.
Jenna finished both plates of pastries by herself and drank six or seven infusions of tea.
"It’s getting late. I should go."
Russell stood up and brought over their coats and Jenna’s purse.
He held her coat open for her out of habit, making it easy for her to slip into. "Where are you staying?"
"You promised you wouldn’t try to find ."
Russell’s expression didn’t falter. "What I ant was, if it’s on your way, you can give a ride. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait with for Ethan to pick up."
"And why would I wait with you?"
"You’re the one who asked out. If sothing were to happen to out here, I don’t think I could keep this eting from Dad."
’A threat. A blatant threat.’
"Fine. I’ll give you a ride."
Ethan was the one who had been taking her pulse. If he ca to pick up Russell and the two of them—uncle and nephew—saw each other, the secret she was so desperate to keep would be exposed.
’Of course she wasn’t foolish enough to let herself be exposed at the final hurdle.’
Compared to her hurried drive over, Jenna felt much calr on the way to drop Russell off. Even her posture behind the wheel was more relaxed.
As they neared the old Frost family residence, the black car ca to a stop.
"I’m not going any closer. It’s hard for to back out from in there."
"Alright." Russell knew what she was afraid of, so he didn’t press her. He had found her, after all. He could take his ti with the rest.
He unbuckled his seatbelt and pulled a box from his bag. "A New Year’s gift."
Jenna stared at the brocade box in his hand for a few seconds before reaching out to take it. "Thank you, Russell."
"I wish you all the best for the new year."
"Mm."
"Drive safe on your way back."
"Okay."
She agreed to everything, but she couldn’t bring herself to look him in the eye.
After Russell got out of the car, he didn’t leave right away.
He stood to the side, watching until she had backed the car out successfully, then waved goodbye.
The black Audi sped off into the brilliant lights of New Year’s Eve.
Jenna could no longer keep her emotions in check. Fat tears began to stream down her face.
The only sound inside the sealed car was her suppressed sobbing.
While waiting at a red light, she opened the brocade box from Russell.
Inside was a brooch in the shape of a hat. Judging by the craftsmanship, it wasn’t made locally.
’Growing up, Russell had given her so much. It was a debt she could never repay.’
’Even for this eting, she had planned to be cruel and distant, so she hadn’t prepared a gift for him.’
Guilt washed over her.
’Whether he believed her or not, at least he wouldn’t co looking for her anymore.’
’As long as she left Valoria, even if Luna’s and Russell’s paths crossed, he would never know who Luna was to her.’
’Only then could everyone’s lives return to the peace they once had.’
「Fairchild Estate, Pinehurst Estate.」
After a few gas of chess with Blaze and Julian Fairchild, Grandpa Fairchild grumbled unhappily,
"This is no fun. I’ve been winning all day. You’re clearly not even trying."
"See?" Blaze replied. "I let you win every ga, and you still say it’s no fun."
Julian Fairchild chid in, "You could be a bit more subtle about it. Let him win one, then lose one."
"That’s too much ntal effort," Blaze said, dropping the piece in his hand with an air of soone who was done catering to them.
"Alright, alright. You two lovebirds go on and do whatever you want."
Grandpa Fairchild had noticed that while he and his grandson were playing chess, Luna had been sitting by herself, looking lonely.
"You’re young. It’d be good for you to go out for a walk and enjoy the festivities."
The Spring Festival Gala had already started, and Luna Axton was completely absorbed in a cody sketch. She didn’t look up until Blaze called her na, and then she stared at him blankly.
"What is it?"
"Do you want so strawberry shortcake?"
At the re ntion of a strawberry dessert, Luna shalessly swallowed a mouthful of saliva.
It wasn’t her fault she was so tempted; the strawberry cake Blaze had made last ti was just that good.
Now that Blaze brought it up again, the mory of that sweet and tangy strawberry flavor made her mouth water uncontrollably.
"Yes!" Her glistening eyes lit up. "Do we have any?"
"Get up. Co with and we’ll make it fresh."
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