Chapter<b>525</b>NotUnderstandingOwnHeart
BeforeJosiahcouldvoicehisopinion,ahurriedfigurecamewalkingoverfromtheothersideofthepath.
Thismanwastall,possessingasharplydefinedface,andwearinga<b>cool</b>–tonedsuit.Itwasn’tstrangeforamanlikehimtoappearatahotelthatalsoofferedbusinessparty<b>services</b>.
Whatwasattentiondrawingwashisdemeanor,whichwassoicyitcouldfreezesomeodeath,eveninthepeakofsummer.
Thegardenpathwaywasfarfromspacious.Afterashortdistance,bothpartieswereboundtorunintoeachother.
LysandercradledAurorainherarms,believingthatitwasbettertoavoidunnecessarytrouble.Shesubtlymovedbacktomakewayfortheman<b>.</b>
Themanwasheadingstraighttowardthem,ultimatelystoppingbesidethem.Asthedistanceclosed,somberauraaroundhisbrowsbecameevenmorepronounced.
Lysanderwastakenaback,instinctivelyshieldingAurorainherarms.
the
Withashakynce,Auroralookedattheman.<b>A</b>seconter,shecriedloudly,hergetearssoakingthepalmLysander’spalm.
LysanderquicklyshiftedAurora’sposition,nestlingthtter’ssmallfaceintoherchestanforting.“Don’tcry.Everythingisokay.”
Josiahtookastepforward,positioninghimselfbetweenthemandtheneer.“Mr.Cortez.”
UponhearingtheloudwailsofAurora,theneerspokewithanunchangingexpression.“Mr.Guerra,Ididn’texpecttofindyouhere.”
Theyknoweachother?LysanderlookedattheneerwithahintofsurprisewhilegentlypattingAurora’sback.
AuroranestledintoLysander’swarmembrace,nolongerabletoseethepersonwhohadfrightenedher.Hercriesgraduallysubsided,leavingbehindonlytheasionalhup.
Josiahncedbackwithconcern,ensuringAurorawasn’tfrightenedbeforeresponding,“Mr.Cortez,youscaredAurora.”
Themancasually remarked,“IapologizeforthescaryappearanceIwasbornwith.”
Themanwasactuallynotunattractive.Quitethecontrary,hisfacialfeatureswereratherpleasingtothe
eye..
Hisdemeanorwassimplytoostriking,incitingasubconscioussenseofintimidationthatmadeitdifficulttoobservehiseyesandbrowsclosely.
Lysandersubtlyturnedaround,takingacarefullook.
Thepersoninquestionhadanasheplexion,borderingontheunhealthysideofwhite,butwasfar<b>from</b>frail.Tallinstature,themanhadahabitofpursinghislipswhensilent.Hisoveralldemeanorwasakintoacold,venomous/snake,seeminglydroppingthesurroundingtemperaturebyafewdegrees.No
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Chapter525NotUnderstandingOwnHeart
Thevisitorcarriedonnonchntly,makingsmalltalkwithJosiah.“It’s<b>been</b>awhilesincewstmet,Mr.Guerra<b>.</b><b>It</b><b>seems</b>you’vehadachild.Congrattions.”
Withaslightfrown,Josiahasked,“Don’tyouknowher?”
Hedidn’tevenbothertoncesideways,simplyasking,“Coulditbethegrandchild oftheFullerfamily?”
Josiahtookadeepbreath,hisdemeanorbingsomewhatheavy.“Thisisyourdaughter<b>.”</b>
Lysanderwasstunned.Ifhe’sAurora’sfather,<i>he</i>must<i>be</i><i>Elio</i><i>.</i>
ElioCortezappearedquitposed,hisexpressionstillicycold.“Isthatso<b>?</b>”
Josiah’seyeswerefilledwithdisapproval,buthedidn’tvoicehisthoughts.Instead,hewaitedforwhatEliowould<b>say</b>next.
Elioncedaroundbeforeasking,“WhereisNieva?Iurgentlyneedtospeakwithher.”
“Shewentonamountaintrip,sowe’vebeenlookingafterAuroraforthepastfewdays,”Josiahexinedsinctly.
Elionodded.“I’llbegoingthen.Seeyoter.”
Aftersayingthat,hetrulyturnedaroundandleft,neveronce inquiringabouthisdaughterandNieva’ssituation.Itwasasiftheyweremerestrangerswhohadmetby<b>chance</b>.
LysanderheldAurora,watchinghimwalkawayuntilhewasoutofsight.Deepdown,shefeltachillonbehalfofNieva.
Josiahdidn’tutteraword,yethisexpressionwasnotablyserious.
AurorahadnorecollectionofElio.Onceshesawthatfrighteningindividualleave,shefinallydaredtopeekherlittleheadoutfromLysander’sembrace.However,she stillseemedsomewhatscared,poutingassheretreatedfurtherintoLysander’sarms.
Lysanderliftedherhand,tenderlywipingawaythetearstainsthatlingeredatthecornerofthechild’s
eyes.
Josiahapproached them,hisdemeanornoticeablysofterthanbefore<b>as</b>heexpressedhisconcern,“IsAurorastillscared?”
LysandergazedatAurora,expressingsoftly,“Notanymore.”
Josiahliftedhisbroad,warmhand,adjustingthelittlehatthathadslippedaskewonAurora’shead.
UponseeingAurora’ssmile,Lysanderfeltapangofsorrowinherheart.“Thankfully,thischildstillhasamotherwholovesherdearly.AsforElio,hopefullyhecandoasyousaid,andrefrainfromdisturbingtheirpeacefullifeagain.”
AsimrordealhadforgedabondbetweenherandNieva,unitingthemagainstmonthreat.
Josiah’sgazegrewheavy,buthesaidnothing.
Lysanderspoke<b>up</b>morethanbefore,expressingsorrowonbehalfofAurora.“ItwassurprisingtofindthatMs.Lionhartwassolivelyandcheerful.Incontrast,Elioturnedouttobesuchacoldandaloofperson<b>.</b>
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Chapter525NotUnderstandingOwnHeart
Theirnamesreallydon’tmatchtheir personalities.IsitreallyMs.Lionhartwhochosehim?Whatcouldshepossiblyhaveseenin<b>him</b><b>?</b>TM
Josiahrepliedinaslow,measuredvoice,“I’manoutsider,soI’veonlyheardafewsuperficialdetails.Asforthespecifircumstances,I’mafraidonlythepeopleinvolvedcouldexinitclearly.”Owned by N?velDrama.Org.
HisexpressionappearedincrediblplexashencedsidewaysatthedirectionEliohadleft.
Thetemperatureinthegardenwasdroppingincreasingly.
LysandercradledAurorawithinheropencardigan,ensuringthtterwouldn’tcatchachill.Ontheirwayback,shepurposelychoseroutesthatwereadornedwith eye–catchingcoloredlightsandflowerbedstoentertainthebaby.
Aurorawascaptivatedbythosedistractions,seeminglyhavinpletelyforgottenaboutthepersonwhohadscaredherearlier.
Afteralongwhile,Josiah’ssighwasheard.“Eliowillregret<b>this</b>sooneroter.”
Lysander,however,remarked,“Regretornot,it’snotthatsignificant.<b>Right</b>now,Ms.Lionhartisdoingjustfineonherown,raisingherchild.”
Josiahcontemtedbeforeresponding.“Elio’sintentionsweren’tasstraightforwardasheimed,thoughI’mnotentirelysureofthespecifics.AsforNieva<b>,</b>herrtionshipwithElioisprettymuchlikethatofenemies.It’simpossiblethatshetoldElioabouthervisittoHarborbrook.Iwonder<b>how</b>hefoundout.”Thertionshipbetweenthiscoupleisratheplicated.
Lysanderhadheardenough,andshedisagreedwithJosiah’sperspective.Sherespondedcoolly,“It’seasy<b>for</b>amantoregrethisactions.When hischildgrowsup,hecanusefamilialbondsand bloodtiestomorallymaniptethem.Whenhe’soldandsick,bedridden,ifhischilddoesn’ttakecareofhim,everyonewillcriticizethechildforbeingunfilial.That’sespeciallythecaseforwomenbecausetheyarenaturallytender–hearted.Bythen,Ms.Lionhart’shard–raiseddaughterwillendupservingafatherwhohasneverfulfilledhisparentalresponsibilitiesforasingleday.”
Thenightbathedherina<b>cool</b>,sereneglow.
AwistfulexpressionhadcreptintoJosiah’sgaze.“Iwasn’treferringtoAurora,IwastalkingaboutNieva.”
Lysanderretorted,“Isn’thetreatingMs.Lionhartlikeanenemynow?Howcouldhepossiblyregret
Josiah’svoicewasbarelyawhisper.“It’sbecauseheisn’tunderstandinghisheartclearly.”
“Andhowwouldyouknow?”
“Perhapsit’sbecauseI’vebeentherebefore.”
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