Chapter 188



The senior man’s mental state oscillated between clarity and confusion. In a particularly muddled moment, he stared at everything around him with a mix of blankness and irritation, making an attempt to remove his hearing aids.

The young man intervened swiftly, soothing the senior man with gentle persuasion until the senior found his peace.

With the young man’s assistance, the senior man exited the vehicle. As he steadied himself, a sudden spark of recognition lit his features. “I found your cousin. I found her,” he declared with certainty.

Surprised and tinged with excitement, the young man queried, “Really? Where did you see her?”

The senior man’s brow creased as he struggled to dredge up the memory. “She was at the spot where you picked me up. Remind me, who was she exactly? What was her name?”

Concerned that the strain of remembering might cause discomfort to his grandfather, the young man suggested a rest and turned his thoughts inward.

Despite his grandfather’s intermittent confusion, he seldom spoke without some underlying truth. The assertion he had made probably held some weight. Who could this woman be?

The young man’s thoughts raced to Sarah, the one responsible for his grandfather’s journey to Avalon. Given his grandfather’s resolute nature, few could influence him otherwise. It seemed plausible.

Resolved, the young man instructed urgently, “Go find out everything about Sarah. Arrange for her to meet me in three days.”

“Yes, sir.”

Despite Sarah’s failed attempt to ruin Kallie earlier, Sarah’s birthday celebration continued uninterrupted.

At the party, Sarah performed an elaborate apology to Kallie, her face awash with feigned remorse.

Kallie wasn’t fooled. She sensed that Sarah’s apology was merely a tactic to make her stay.

Then, Sarah presented a gift that Jake had given her. It was a blue crystal necklace.

Although not of the finest quality, it bore significance because it came from Jake.

“Kallie, I’m really happy you could make it to my birthday,” Sarah began, her voice dripping with regret. “I honestly didn’t expect things to turn out like this. I pride myself on my strong moral compass, and I initially thought you had acted rashly. I realize now that I was mistaken. Please, take this gift as a token of peace, and let’s move beyond this.”

As Sarah spoke, her eyes shimmered with feigned sincerity.

Those around them, aware of the strained dynamics between Kallie and Sarah, commended Sarah for her composure and her magnanimous gesture toward Kallie.

But Kallie saw through it all. The sincerity of Sarah’s apology was irrelevant. The real intent behind offering a gift from Jake was to provoke her.

The malice was clear in Sarah’s thinly veiled smile behind her beauty.

Kallie knew she could not accept this gift.

With a forced smile, Kallie politely refused the necklace.

Sarah quickly escalated the situation, her expression wounded. “Why won’t you accept it? Are you still upset with me? Today’s my birthday, and though I’m clueless about why those people went after you, Kallie, you should understand where I’m coming from. I knew it. You despise me. Well, I guess I deserve that.”

Onlookers couldn’t resist chiming in.

“Let’s not make a big deal out of it, right? Should the birthday girl have to beg for forgiveness?”

“Seriously, if anyone stirred trouble at my party, I’d show them the door, innocent or not. Why target her specifically if there’s nothing to it? There’s no smoke without fire.”

“She probably has a shady side, huh?”

Irene cleared her throat, her voice even. “Miss Miller, please understand that Kallie knows this is all a big misunderstanding. She’s not holding a grudge. This necklace represents your bond with Mr. Reeves. Although she and Mr. Reeves are still legally bound, she truly hopes you two find happiness. However, given that they are not yet divorced, this puts her in an awkward position.”

Kallie cooperated with a choked sob, then took out her phone and typed, “It’s fine. I don’t think Miss Miller meant any harm. I hope she and Reeves have a fulfilling life together. While there are still things Mr. Reeves and I need to settle, Miss Miller, you don’t have to worry. I’ll sort out the divorce quickly and make my exit.”

Sarah’s smile nearly wavered.

A giggle escaped from the crowd, while Kallie reveled in her satisfaction. Her acting skills weren’t half bad.

The crowd started to view Sarah differently, their expressions turning odd.

Everyone had assumed that Jake had been with Sarah first and that his marriage to Kallie was born out of obligation, not love. Yet, Jake and Kallie remained wed. Sarah’s behavior prompted reactions.

“Isn’t that a bit harsh?” A male voice sliced through the tension.

Boris strode in, fixing Kallie with a look of disapproval.

“Miss Miller has already offered her apologies. Are you still holding her responsible?”

Kallie eyed Boris, her brow furrowed in confusion. She had no quarrels with him, and he had always been cordial previously. What had changed today?

Sarah voiced Kallie’s silent query.

Sarah cooperated with Boris and said, “Mr. Guzman, I thought you and Kallie were close friends. What’s with the sudden shift? Did you catch what just happened? It was all a simple misunderstanding earlier. Kallie hasn’t done anything like stealing someone’s husband.”

Boris scoffed. “Misunderstanding or not, I wouldn’t put it past her.”

The onlookers gasped. Someone curiously asked, “Who is this man?”

Sarah introduced him with a smile, “He’s Boris, connected to the Hayes family. His mother is Jerome’s youngest daughter, making him Brent’s cousin. He recently returned to the fold. Brent and Kallie used to be quite close. I wonder what caused their falling out.”

The mention of the Hayes family caused people to exchange knowing glances.

It was common knowledge that the Hayes family always stood behind Kallie, with Brent often coming to her aid in public.

For Boris, also a member of the Hayes family, to show such open disdain for Kallie hinted at deeper undercurrents to the story.

The crowd’s curiosity intensified, their eyes fixed on Boris, waiting eagerly for him to divulge more.

Sarah turned to Boris in a feigned attempt to smooth things over. “You were friends once. If there is a misunderstanding, why not just talk it out with Kallie? It’s better than parting on bad terms.”

Boris responded with a sharp retort, his tone cold as he stared at Kallie. “There’s nothing left to say.”

It seemed Boris harbored deep animosity toward Kallie.

Kallie, uninterested in uncovering the reasons behind Boris’ odd behavior, responded with a dismissive smile. She pulled out her phone and began to type. “Miss Miller seems to have misunderstood my relationship with Mr. Guzman. Though I’m closely linked to the Hayes family, I’ve only met Mr. Guzman a few times. We barely spoke. I’m not sure what I did to upset him, but I apologize if I have. I have pressing matters to attend to and must leave.”

With that, Kallie grabbed Irene’s arm and headed for the door.

Sarah quickly caught Boris’ attention with a discreet gesture.

Understanding Sarah’s cue, Boris raised his voice, “Are you leaving because you fear I might expose your secrets?”

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