Chapter 958

Candice wrapped her arms around Elio’s waist and gently stroked his back as she leaned into his embrace. She asked, “Where are we headed now? Are we not going back to Hoffis Manor?”
“Do you still want to go back?” Elio asked.
Candice pondered for a moment before saying, “It seems irrelevant now. Your mom is fond of me, but not enough to welcome me as her daughter-in- law. She’s still set on you marrying Josie.”
Elio held her shoulders and eased her backward. “Why bother with these futile efforts when you already understand?”
“I had to try. At least now I know it was a waste of time,” Candice replied.
Elio offered a helpless smile and kissed her forehead. “Let’s head back to our place. I’ve had my fill of the torture of sleeping in separate rooms at my parents’ house.”
Candice’s cheeks turned pink as she nodded bashfully. Soon, they drove home together.
The abrupt departure of Candice and Elio cast a somber shadow over Hoffis Manor. With Candice’s lively spirit absent, evenings that had once been animated with her laughter and cheer now felt unusually quiet.
Tristan and Michaela found themselves alone, exchanging glances in the silence. Michaela adapted quickly, but Tristan couldn’t shake the absence of Candice. This deepened his yearning for Elio even more.
Besides, Josie’s frequent visits to Michaela began to irk Tristan. Frustrated and unable to voice his emotions, he resolved to go on a fishing trip with his buddies, leaving Michaela alone at home for more than ten days.
Meanwhile, Elio opted to create some space between himself and Michaela. He and Candice settled back into their home, reveling in their unrestrained love for each other daily.
As time passed, Candice stumbled upon albums and sketchbooks hidden in his cab-each one a testament to his long-standing crush on her since childhood. She would tease him, saying, “If only you’d confessed a few years sooner, just think of all the time we could’ve had together.” “I didn’t want to be accused of leading on an underage girl,” Elio responded ruefully.
It dawned on Candice then that she was now 23-an age often seen as ideal for marriage. It occurred to her that perhaps Elio’s timing hadn’t been too late after all.
A few nights later, Elio received a call from Robert. “Mr. Elio, Madam has been hurt and is in the hospital.” The seriousness in Robert’s tone conveyed the urgency of the situation.
Elio and Candice hurriedly made their way to the hospital.
Upon hearing the news, Jasper also rushed to join them.
Out on a fishing trip far from shore, Tristan couldn’t come back right away despite being informed of the incident.
Upon arriving at the hospital, they found Robert waiting outside the operating room.
After asking for details, they
discovered that Michaela had
accidentally slipped on the staircase,
falling from the sixth step and
injuring her lower spine. By the time Micheala arrived at the hospital, she had lost mobility in her lower body.
About an hour after her surgery, Fenna and Josie arrived. Seeing them walk in, Elio and Candice exchanged puzzled glances.
Feeling irritated, Jasper questioned them, “How did you find out about my grandmother’s injury?”
“Mrs. Hoffis called me right away. I was out of town, so it took me a while to get here,” Josie replied.
Jasper couldn’t hide his disdain. He
clenched his fists to contain his
anger and glanced over at Candice It baffled him that Michaela hadn’t called
ed her husband, son, or daughter-in-law, but had instead contacted Josie, who was
practically an outsider.
If Robert hadn’t alerted them, would Michaela have been satisfied with only Josie’s presence? This troubling thought intensified Jasper’s frustration.
“My grandmother seems to place a lot of trust in you, turning to you first when she’s injured,” Jasper said.
“How’s Mrs. Hoffis doing?” Josie asked.
“Ask the doctor, not us,” Jasper snapped in response.