Chapter 194
Snowflakes danced in the air, and with the distance between them. Hayden couldn’t catch the words. All he could make out was a conversation between a man and a woman.
The sound of their happiness made him glance over.
As he raised his eyes, he saw a group of people slowly fading into the distance, their forms growing indistinct.
For a moment, he was taken back to the days when Yvonne was by his side.
She always had something new and exciting to show him, chattering endlessly, her voice filling the air. Back then, he found it
ritating, but now, with her gone for three years, his life had been empty, silent.
Back then, he found it irritating, but now, with her gone for three years, his life had been empty, silent.
The ache inside him, as it often did, crept out unexpectedly.
Instinctively, Hayden pressed his hand against his chest, a wave of regret washing over him. Only he knew how much he regretted it.
He slowly made his way to Sienna’s grave, and when his eyes landed on a small daisy placed in front of the tombstone, his gaze sharpened
It had been three years, and every year he had come here, he had never seen flowers. But this year, there was one.
His eyes searched the surroundings, desperate, as if looking for the one thing that could complete his world.
But the snowstorm made the cemetery nearly empty.
Yvonne had jumped into the sea three years ago–how could she possibly be here?
After a long pause, Hayden realized he was just dreaming, caught in a fit of delirium.
He let out a small sigh and placed a lily at the base of the tombstone.
“Mom, for a moment, I thought it was Yvonne who came back,” he whispered with a bitter chuckle, self–mocking.
The only sound that answered him was the quiet fall of snow, a reminder of how utterly alone he was.
Surrounded by silence, so thick he could almost hear his heartbeat, Hayden stood there for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, he took out a handkerchief and began gently cleaning the tombstone.
He didn’t speak another word but made sure the stone was spotless.
He thought to himself, “The flowers must have been from Sienna’s friends… How could I have thought of Yvonne?”
It seemed he truly missed her.
“Yvonne, you must be with her now…. Is she doing okay?” Hayden’s voice trembled, no longer the facade of strength he often put on. For once, he allowed himself to express his emotions honestly.
If only he had learned to express himself sooner, would things have turned out differently with Yvonne? He didn’t know.
The past was gone, and the mistakes couldn’t be undone. There was no turning back now.
Sienna’s smiling face on the gravestone seemed to exude warmth, as though she would forgive and dissolve all pain with her boundless compassion.
“She really looks like you,” Hayden said softly.
12
Chapter 191
Despite the years, Yvonne’s image was as clear in his mind as if it had never faded.
branch nearby broke under the weight of the heavy snow, and a pile of snow fell to the ground with a soft thud.
Hayden snapped back to reality and noticed the snow accumulating on his own shoulders. He brushed it off, sighing.
“Mom, I’ll come visit again next time,”
With that, he turned around and began his descent down the mountain.
The footprints left by the group earlier were already buried under the new layer of snow, erasing any trace of their passing,
After dinner, I drove alone to the Coffey family’s house.
Since I was back, I had to see Lucy.
But I had no idea what her reaction would be when she saw me.
I parked across the street and waited for a while until I finally saw Lucy coming back. But she wasn’t alone. Yasir was with her.
The two of them were holding hands, chatting and laughing, clearly enjoying each other’s company,
When they parted, Yasir even kissed her forehead.
The distance was too far for me to tell if she was blushing, but her lowered head made it clear she was shy.
It seemed they were together now.
I couldn’t help but smile, feeling happy for her.
After all these years, since she broke up with her first love, she had never been in another relationship. But now, it seemed she had finally taken that step forward.
When Yasir left, I got out of the car, intending to call out to Lucy.
But before I could even open the door, I saw Joanna appear from behind Lucy.
I froze, unable to believe what I was seeing.
My breath caught in my throat–how could it be that after all this time, Joanna was still causing trouble for Lucy?
But before I could process anything further, something unexpected happened.
Joanna called out to Lucy, and after a brief exchange, the two of them walked together into the Coffey family’s house.
I sat there in the car, stunned and unable to move.
Lucy
had always despised Joanna. How was it that they seemed to be getting along now?
It was late, and they were walking home together. Clearly, they weren’t enemies
I couldn’t make sense of it. Had they become friends over the past three years?
anymore.
I didn’t have the mentality that if I became friends with someone, they should only be friends with me. After all, I had left without telling Lucy the truth.
like this–one o
But seeing them get along my lifelong best friends, and the other my enemy–was something I never could have predicted.
Why were they together?
2/3
112 PM.
Chapter 194
After they disappeared behind the door, I started the car and drove aimlessly, my mind preoccupied.
I kept thinking back to the times when Lucy would scold Joanna for being shameless.
Lucy had been so passionate back then. Those words weren’t said in jest.
It had only been three years. What had changed her mind?
I was feeling increasingly restless. Just as I was idling at a red light, I glanced out the window.
Elysiumville had developed rapidly in the past few years, with many new commercial districts springing up. But the old neighborhood hadn’t changed all that much.
I remembered that this area was where Lucy and I used to come when we were in school.
For reasons I couldn’t explain, I turned the car into the underground parking lot of a mall.
I suddenly wanted to relive those old days.
The mall layout hadn’t changed, but many of the shops inside had, making it feel unfamiliar.
Only the coffee shop on the corner of the first floor remained.
It was the same one Lucy and I used to frequent.
I bought a cup of slightly sweetened coffee with cheese milk foam. Lucy used to love the cheese milk foam
She would always sneak sips from my cup, then regret it afterward, dragging me into a run to burn off the calories.
Every time, I’d end up out of breath.
I smiled to myself at the thought of those times.
But that brief moment of happiness quickly turned into a flood of loneliness.
What had happened to her?
Before I could come up with an answer, I caught sight of a tall figure in the crowd.
I was shocked.
It was Hayden.
