Chapter 701
Katy was overjoyed to see Noreen, clinging to her and chattering away excitedly.
For once, Castle was relegated to the background, silently peeling shrimp.
He had a touch of OCD, and he arranged the peeled shrimp neatly on two separate plates.
He then placed a plate of perfectly peeled shrimp in front of both Katy and Noreen.
Noreen hesitated for a moment.
Sensing her reluctance, Castle explained, “It was nothing, really. Don’t read too much into it.”
His explanation only made her feel like she’d been overthinking it.
Near the end of dinner, Castle’s phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID and immediately rejected the call.
But a moment later, it rang again.
His brow furrowed, a flash of annoyance in his eyes.
Katy, perceptive as ever, guessed what was happening. “Is it them?” she asked cautiously.
Castle confirmed it was.
“Let me take it,” Katy said.
Castle seemed hesitant.
But Katy insisted, and he finally handed her the phone.
She answered, her tone icy. “You are my biological parents, nothing more. From the moment you abandoned me, our relationship ended. Please stop disturbing my life. Thank you.”
With that, she hung up before they could say a word.
Although Noreen hadn’t heard the details, Katy’s words told her everything she needed to know.
After dinner, Castle drove Noreen back to her hotel.
On the way, Castle’s lawyer called, informing him that Katy’s biological parents had already retained counsel and were preparing to sue for custody.
Although they had abandoned Katy, there was no concrete proof from back then.
They had always deceitfully claimed she had just gone missing.
Most critically, Mrs. Joyner had been deceased for four years, and Castle had remained single during that time.
The law in Glenhaven City stipulated that a single man could not adopt a female child unless there was at least a forty-year age difference.
This meant the other party had a real chance of winning the case.
Katy overheard the conversation and shrank back, leaning against Noreen for comfort.
Her expression was one of profound sadness.
As Noreen held her, she whispered,
“I don’t want to go back to them. The
only reason they’re fighting Dad
Joyner for me now is because I’m
_valuable to the
AFT stop being
useful, they’ll just throw me away again!”
Her body trembled with a mixture of fear and anger as she spoke.
Noreen could only squeeze her hand tightly, trying to offer what little security she could.
Mrs. Joyner had given Noreen her first major opportunity, a kindness she had never forgotten.
And Mrs. Joyner had raised Katy as her own.
Because of that, Noreen’s feelings for Katy were special.
The car fell silent, the atmosphere heavy, until they reached the hotel.
Just before Noreen got out, Castle asked her, “Are you flying to
Meritania tomto astle
If so.. welcome to use my private jet. I happen to be flying there as well.”
“I have to make a stop in Rivercrest City first. I’ll fly from there.”
“Alright.”
Castle didn’t press further.
Noreen said her goodbyes and got out of the car.
elget
The next day, after attending the morning session of the conference, Noreen headed straight to the airport for her flight to Rivera est City.
BUMS
By the time Healy realized Noreen was gone, he learned she had already left.
He groaned in frustration. He’d missed his chance again.
He always missed his chance.
Noreen’s trip to Rivercrest City wasn’t for anything particularly urgent; she just wanted to visit Wade Harcourt.
As the car passed through Horizon Drive, Noreen once again saw the half-finished house that was meant to be her and Seth Harcourt’s home.
It stood just as it had three years ago, a solitary frame against the sky.
This was an upscale neighborhood, with the other mansions lavishly decorated.
It only made the solitary structure look all the more desolate and decayed.