Chapter 456


    Hannah showed Josephine around as soon as they entered the room in an effort to make her feel more


    at ease. At the same time, Jared drifted in and out of the rooms drunk on nostalgia.


    “Take a good, long look, son,” sighed Hannah. The house ising apart soon. I don''t know where


    we''ll go to once they evict us.”


    “Aren''t they going to rehouse you, Mom?”


    “Hah!” eximed Hannah scornfully. “They didn''t even subsidize our rent. Some of us have been living


    here for decades and they are only giving us about a hundred thousand per home. That''s what we''re


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    worth to them. Though we should be grateful that other viges receive much lesspared to us, it’s


    hard to feel too optimistic when our future is that uncertain. Besides, your father and I had just forked


    out so much for the renovation and it''s going to get torn down just like that!”


    “Come to Horington with Dad,” Jared suggested. “The ce in Dragon Bay is still vacant anyway. I


    haven''t had the time to drop by and sort things out over there.”


    Hannah red at her son. “Though


    Josephine''s family is rich enough to let you live in a huge house like that, you can''t be sitting on your


    hands all day, you hear me? You can''t be spending all of her money for the rest of your life. Be a man!”


    “You are mistaken, Mrs. Chance.


    Actually-”


    “I know what to do, Mom,” Jared cut across Josephine. “I''m working on it!”


    “It''s sweet of her to not look down on us, you know.” Hannah gazed fondly at Josephine. “You must


    treat her well, son. If I hear that you do anything to hurt her, I will disown you.”


    How rare it is to find, a nice, polite girl from a rich family who does not mind our poverty!


    Josephine smiled reassuringly. “Jared has been good to me, Mrs. Chance. I''ll twist his ear off if he hurts


    me!"


    “Yes, yank it right off!” Hannah reciprocated the smile. “Inform me when you do. I''d like to get in on


    that.”


    “I''m your son, Mom!” Jared protested despite being secretly delighted at how quickly the two most


    important women to him bonded. “Are you ganging up with Josephine on me?”


    Josephine burst outughing at Jared''s


    expression.


    “Jared! Jared!” A young female voice suddenly came from outside the house.


    Jared recognized his cousin''s voice at once and dashed out to meet her.


    Ingrid was several years younger than him. From as early as she could remember, she had been


    inseparable from Jared, who had gotten into more fights than he could remember to protect her from


    her own mischief. Despite being cousins, they were closer than most siblings.


    It''s been years. I wonder how my favorite cousin is doing?


    A tall girl, five foot nine at the very least, greeted him when he arrived outside the room. Her ponytail


    bounced excitedly at his appearance, revealing two deep dimples on either side of her cheeks when


    she beamed.


    “Ingrid?” Jared asked in disbelief.


    Ingridughed. “Don''t you recognize me, Jared?”


    “I don''t,” he murmured in a daze.


    “You were half this height when Ist saw you. Look at you! You''re as tall as I am now!”


    Jared walked around Ingrid and stood back to back with her to measure his height against hers.


    It''s been around Jive years. She was only fourteen thest time Id seen her How quickly has she


    grown!


    “You grew slowly, that''s all,” she teased in return. “Watch out, I''ll be even taller than you in another two


    years! By the way, I''d heard word that you were back. Is that your Mercedes parked out front?”


    Jared smiled mysteriously. “It''s a friend''s!”