Chapter 174

Claire always felt lighter out here in the countryside. The moment she left the city behind, it was like she could finally breathe again. Back in town, everything seemed tight, like she could never truly relax.

Pandora had noticed the change in her. Claire was different these days, more at ease somehow. “If we’d known you weren’t really a James, we should’ve found your real parents sooner. Maybe you’d have been a lot happier than you were with them p>

Pandora had watched Claire grow up. She always knew when the girl was truly happy, no matter how much Claire tried to hide it.

Right now, Claire was completely at peace. It wasn’t like before, when she used to rush out here just to escape. This time, she looked comfortable in her own skin.

“Grandma, even if I’m not your actual granddaughter, you’ll always be family to me. That’ll never change p>

Claire started humming, just to lighten the mood. She was good at making Pandora smile.

Pandora laughed. “Didn’t you hear Lance complaining earlier? He said you already found another grandma p>

Claire just rolled her eyes. She didn’t even want to talk about that idiot, Lance.

They caught up on life, sharing little updates. Then Claire mentioned a patient she’d met, someone struggling with bone cancer.

Pandora, who was a brilliant doctor herself, listened closely as Claire explained her treatment plan. She nodded with approval. “That’s a completely new approach. If you and your team can make it work, it could really change things p>

“Claire, you’re still so young, but your skills are already ahead of so many old-school practitioners. Just don’t let it go to your head, okay p>

Claire grinned. “I know there’s always someone better out there. I won’t get cocky, Grandma p>

Pandora smiled. “You’re sharp. If you keep going like this and really make a difference in medicine, Hale would be so proud of you. He’d be smiling wherever he is p>

Thinking of Hale, Claire hesitated, then said, “You know… my biological grandma, her last name was Shen. She actually knew Hale p>

Pandora’s eyes widened. “Wait, your grandma’s last name is Shen p>

If Claire’s grandma was really a Shen, Pandora might know exactly who she was.

Hale used to go on and on about a

woman he’d met when he was young, someone unforgettable. Pandora used to think he was just making excuses for being single, but he told the story so vividly that even she believed him after a while.

“Her name isn’t Pandora, is it?” Claire asked, half-joking.

Pandora snorted. “I do know her, actually. Every time your mentor mentioned her, he’d practically grind his teeth in frustration p>

Hale always said he wasn’t rejected because he wasn’t good enough, but because her requirements were impossible.

“She wanted him to marry into her family and take her last name. The Carter family could never allow that.

They had a legacy to passeng

traditions to keep alive, and

needed a male heir to carry the name Hale was the most talented of his generation, the one chosen to inherit everything. How could the family heir just marry into someone else’s family? That would’ve been a joke p>

As Pandora told the story, Claire started to piece it all together. The two elders had their own stubbornness and pride, and fate had a funny way of messing with people’s plans.

“Everyone has their own path,” Claire said softly. “Life really does have a twisted sense of humor p>

She couldn’t help but think about the

grandfather she’d never met. He’d

gone overseas years ago, and

nobody really knew what happened to him Maybe he had a whole new family somewhere far away.

Pandora chuckled. “Isn’t it funny? Hale refused to marry into her family, and after all that, he never married anyone at all p>

“And now look at you. You started out as a James, and now you’re the one carrying on his legacy p>

Claire let that sink in. It almost made too much sense. She wondered if Hale would be rolling in his grave if he knew how things turned out.