Palmer raised an eyebrow inquisitively.


    "Grandma, if you didn''t want Noe toe over, you wouldn''t have even suggested it. Isn''t this a


    bit like wanting your cake and eating it too?"


    If Helen truly didn''t wish for Noe''s presence, there was no need for her to express a desire for her


    to visit, only to quickly shoot down the idea herself.


    Helen nced up at her grandson. "What are you staring at? If you weren''t so useless, wouldn’t I


    have a granddaughter-inw by now? Get out of my sight!"


    Helen''s temper was notoriously foul, and she was difficult to get along with, often delivering proud


    and biting remarks. Even among the Pock family''s grandchildren, few could im a close


    rtionship with her.


    Understanding her nature, Palmer didn''t take offense and left the room with ra.


    Palmer rubbed his temples. "ra, if you want toe, thene. If not, no worries. Grandma can


    be quite difficult, and I wouldn’t want her to give you a hard time."


    Jacob nodded in agreement. "Yeah, her temper has gotten even worse these past two years. Last


    time I visited, she insisted on having fried chicken and Coke, and there was no stopping her."


    After a moment of thought, ra said, "I''lle over with Noe tomorrow to see how things are. If


    it feels off, Noe and I will just leave."


    The idea of facing Helen alone did indeed intimidate ra slightly.


    Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    Palmer''s thoughts drifted to Noe’s charming face, warming his heart. His expression softened


    considerably.


    Noe received a message from Palmer on her phone.


    [My grandma''s back. Would you mind checking up on her health?]


    [Sure.]


    Palmer stood before his study window, his gaze intense as he looked across at the lit window


    opposite, where Noe was likely reading.


    After sending ra home, Jacob stood behind Palmer, looking at his nephew who was in prime


    condition.


    Following Palmer’s gaze, which was fixed on Noe’s room without even a glimpse of her in sight,


    Jacob joked half-seriously, "Really fallen for her, huh?"


    "Yeah."


    "I thought you''d call off the engagement."


    Given Palmer''s personality, Jacob was sure he would not easily ept an arranged marriage and


    had braced himself to see Palmer confront the Schnabel family to call it off. Yet here he was,


    treating his little fiancée like a treasure, with all the softness in his eyes almost melting away.


    "Uncle Jacob, I thought she and I were just ships passing in the night, but then I realized, I can''t live


    without her."


    From the day she saved him in Northstone, the image of this girl had been indelibly etched into


    Palmer’s mind!


    Jacob, holding a ss of wine, remarked, "This girl doesn''t seem easy to court."


    Palmer’s eyes were filled with determination as he looked toward that window, his gaze filled with


    desire.


    "It’s okay. I''ll make sure she has eyes and heart only for me!"


    ...


    The next morning, Noe, rubbing her sleepy eyes, opened her door only to see Palmer standing


    there. She promptly closed the door, leaving Palmer outside.


    Why was he here so early in the morning!


    Assuming it was ra, she had rushed to the door in her pajamas and bare feet!


    After being shut out, Palmer rubbed his nose helplessly, his mind filled with the image of Noe in


    her just-awoken state.


    She was adorable even then!


    Unfortunately, his fiancée didn’t give him more opportunities to lie in with her. Palmer found himself


    looking forward to seeing her just-awakened face every day.


    When the door opened again, Noe, now fully dressed, simply walked past Palmer and headed


    downstairs. She didn’t even spare him an extra nce, clearly seeming a bit miffed.


    Palmer followed behind, a warm smile curling at his lips. It turned out watching someone be grumpy


    in the morning could be quite amusing. Perhaps it was also because it was her doing all these


    things that made everything she did endearing to him!


    Throughout their walk downstairs, Noe ignored whatever Palmer was saying.


    "I''ll go get Grandpa. You can go ahead and have breakfast."


    "Okay."


    Sitting down at the breakfast table, ra handed Noe a ss of warm water. "Noe, didn’t


    Palmere to get you? Where is he?"


    "He went to call Grandpa Sexton. Next time, don''t let hime up."


    ra chuckled mischievously. "Did you two have a fight?"


    "No, I''m just not a morning person, and he talks too much."


    Noe wasn''t inclined to chat first thing in the morning, yet Palmer kept talking non-stop. He was


    asking if she slept well, if she dreamed about him...


    She wasn’t sure if she didn’t want to answer because she was a morning person or simply because


    she didn’t want to talk to him. But the thought of opening the door to see Palmer first thing made


    Noe realize she might not be averse to it after all.


    ra, trying to stifle herughter, said, "Alright, next time we won''t let him bother you!"


    Seeing Noe expertly remove Palmer from the block list on her phone, ra’s smile widened even


    further!


    It seemed Palmer had been blocked quite a few times by Noe!


    "Way to go! That’s my sister!"


    Noe exined, "He kept messaging me while I was working. It was distracting."


    After finishing her work, Noe would forget to remove Palmer from the block list.


    ra was nearly in stitches!


    Who would have thought the aloof and proud flower, the decisive and swift helmsman of the Pock


    Group, could be so chatty!


    Just imagining that scenario had ra in fits ofughter.


    "But this does show that he really likes you!"


    Noe, eating her breakfast, merely smiled faintly at thement, feeling a sweetness she couldn’t


    quite name.


    After breakfast, Noe and ra headed over to the neighboring Pock Mansion.


    Helen had just finished her breakfast,fortably nestled in her garden rocking chair, engrossed in


    a good read and asionally strumming her guitar, acknowledging their presence with a mere nod.


    "Entertain yourselves, don''t bother me."


    Noe had been forewarned about the olddy''s temper but chose not to take it to heart.


    Closing her book, Helen serenely yed a melody on her guitar, then practiced her vocal scales,


    belting out a piece of ssic soprano piece.


    Listening to the song, Noe suddenly remembered Old Mrs. Pock was the celebrated singer


    Helen from thest century.


    Back then, Helen''s fame had swept the nation, captivating fans from coast to coast!


    As a child in Glen Vige, Noe remembered her grandmother speaking fondly of her favorite


    singer, Helen. It was hard to believe she was Palmer''s very own grandmother. But time had altered


    Helen''s features so much that Noe initially failed to recognize her.


    ra was utterly amazed, pping until her hands turned red.


    "Grandma! You''re absolutely amazing! But how on earth did you end up with Grandpa Sexton? It


    just doesn''t add up!"


    Helen offered a rare smile. "For the simplest reason - he was wealthy, and I was in need. So, we


    married!"


    "Come here, let me have a look at you!" she called Noe over.


    Understanding the cue, Noe approached Helen, allowing those sharp, discerning eyes to


    scrutinize her.


    With a raised eyebrow, Helen cut straight to the point. "Do you really n on marrying Palmer?"