Chapter 513
The next morning, Charlene and Helena set out for the cemetery.
On the gravestone, in the faded photograph, Old Mr. Ross’s hair was entirely white.
The Ross family had always looked young for their age.
When Sybil divorced all those years ago, Old Mr. Ross had been just over fifty, with barely a streak of gray in his hair.
Charlene remembered it clearly: less than a year after Sybil’s accident, his hair had turned completely white.
He’d died of illness.
It was only last year that Charlene learned his sickness was, in part, the result of years of heartache he’d never managed to let go.
If he hadn’t fallen ill, he might still be alive today.
Helena was the first to tear up, thinking of how, even in his final days, Mr. Ross never stopped worrying about his beloved Sybil; how, after all these years, Sybil still hadn’t managed to move on and start a new life, just as he’d hoped. Supported by Vernon, Helena knelt beside the grave and gently traced the photograph with trembling fingers. “Oh, my dear
She wanted to say that their precious daughter still hadn’t healed, that she hadn’t lived up to his hopes, that she was sorry. But when the words reached her lips, nothing came out. She just stroked the picture and let her silent tears fall.
Charlene’s eyes were red. She let go of Jasmine’s hand and turned her face away.
Sensing the heavy sadness in the air, Jasmine looked up at Charlene, bewildered. “Mom?”
Charlene shook her head gently, saying nothing.
It was more than an hour before they finally left the cemetery.
The Ross family still had a few close friends and relatives in the area.
Almost every year when Charlene came back, she and Helena would go visit them together.
This year, when they arrived at the Youngs’, Dowager Young-who was about the same age as
Helena paused when she spotted Jasmine. “Is this Charlene’s
daughter? Minnie, right? Met
goodness, it’s been two or three
years, and she’s grown so much!” s
Charlene nodded and nudged Jasmine to greet her. Fresh chapters posted on ÍŸ.net
Dowager Young hesitated, then couldn’t help but ask, “Did her father not come back with you this time?”
Last year, Jasmine hadn’t come along, and Charlene and Helena had told everyone that Thorne was abroad for work with the child.
Now that Jasmine was here, people naturally wondered about her father…
In all their years of marriage, Thorne had only ever come back once, to visit Charlene’s grandfather’s grave. That was two or three years ago, when their relationship had just started to warm up again.
Jasmine was still little then, and Charlene herself hadn’t yet realized she and Thorne would soon be divorcing. So, she simply replied, “He’s busy with work.”
Seeing how calm Charlene looked at the mention of Thorne, Dowager Young didn’t press further and quickly changed the subject.
After a while, as they chatted, Dowager Young lowered her voice and said quietly, “I’ve heard the Hawkins and Spencer families have moved to Starfall and are doing quite well for themselves. That granddaughter of the
is
Hawkinses her boyfriend is supposed to be quite something and I hear their relationship is going from strength to strength. Just the other day, both the Hawkins and Spencer families were back in New Albury. Word is, the two are about to get married.” s
Normally, news about the Hawkinses and Spencers wouldn’t mean much to Charlene or Helena.
But today, the Ross family was already feeling fragile.
As soon as Dowager Young mentioned the Hawkinses and Spencers, the room fell silent.
After a moment, Helena said softly, “I know.”
Dowager Young looked concerned. “I heard that future grandson-in-law of theirs comes from quite the family When one person rises, everyone around them rises too. I just hope they wont go to Starfall and start making trouble for you.” s
For now, the Hawkinses and Spencers didn’t dare cross the Ross family.
But if Vesta really did marry Thorne, who could say what might happen then?