The entire family was in utter disbelief!
Could it be that Helen and Lucian were once partners in tomb raiding?
ra couldn''t wrap her head around the image of Helen sneaking around in ancient tombs—it just
seemed so oundish.
Horatio shrugged nonchntly. “My mentor used to say that Helen was a prodigy, quick to learn but
too ambitious for her own good. Barely had she learned the ropes when she wanted to hit the big
time, aiming for none other than the tomb of an emperor from antiquity. My mentor said that tomb
wasden with traps, not meant to be disturbed.”
ra''s jaw practically hit the floor!
“What kind of traps? Mercury pools or dart shooters?”
“Law enforcement.”
ra shivered at Horatio''s dry wit.
They were torn between marveling at the myriad skills Horatio''s mentor must have possessed and
being astonished by the past upations of Helen and Lucian. Though ra knew the Richardson
family had its fair share of unconventional ventures, she never imagined Helen to be Lucian''s
sidekick!
Horatio added, “Eventually, their paths diverged. Helen figured bing a celebrity and marrying
some rich fool was easier. Her partner wasn’t on board, so they split up.”
The room fell silent.
Smacking his forehead, Horatio looked at Sexton. “That rich fool Helen mentioned… it couldn’t be
you, could it? Considering the timelines and all, you fit the bill perfectly. It’s definitely you.”
Sexton was a mix of emotions, his feelingsplex and hard to decipher. After a moment, he
sighed deeply. “What else did Helen do?”
It seemed that even after a lifetime together, Sexton was just now realizing how little he knew about
his wife! It was as if, for half their lives, he and Helen had been drifting apart.
“Anything else? I’m not too sure. She came looking for me on the mountain once after her daughter-
inw left, but I was in deep meditation and didn’t see her. Before that, she had inquired about her
former partner.”
Horatio shrugged, seemingly indifferent. “It’s prettymon in our line of work for generations to be
cursed. Helen’s partner wanted a child, asked me for a blessing, but I refused. Helen herself didn’t
dabble too much in such matters, so it’s more about the shallow ties with her offspring.”
Realizing he was talking in front of Helen’s descendants, Horatio let out a chuckle.
Noe raised an eyebrow. “What about Lucian’s child?”
Horatio shook his head. “After spending a fortune, he got a daughter gued with health issues and
a life full of hardships. Parents, spouses, children—none of them had it easy. It’s all fate, no
escaping it. They just have to endure.”
Yawning, Horatio asked, “So, where’s my room?”
Palmer nced at the emotionally stirred Jacob and ra before responding, “Follow me.”
Noe and Horatio followed Palmer as he led the way upstairs.
On the ascent, Noe inquired, “Is there a way to break the curse?”
Horatio gave her a look. “I thought you said you wouldn’t meddle? Seems like you couldn’t help
yourself.”
“It’s not meddling.”
“It’s all in fate. Whether she can turn misfortune into fortune is up to her, not you. You’re not the
judge of life and death. You’ve done what you could; without you, her own mind would have been
her downfall. Do you think others could operate on her like you?”
Before entering his room, Horatio turned to Noe with a solemn expression. “Noe, as a longtime
friend, let me offer some advice. Everyone has their own destiny. You’ve already taken on enough,
always worrying about others. That’s not the path to enlightenment. You should focus on yourself,
not on family or friends. That’s all I’ll say.”
“You invited me here for a ritual for your grandmother, and I’ve agreed to that.” With that, Horatio
entered his room and closed the door.
Noe stared at the closed door, lost in thought.
Being friends with a monk who could see through everything had its disadvantages.
In Horatio''s presence, she felt as if she had no secrets, as though all her actions were transparent.
Fortunately, they were friends, always maintaining a respectful facade.
Palmer noticed Noe standing at the door, her face showing a rare moment of confusion and
vulnerability, a look befitting her age, filled with uncertainty and a bit of helplessness.
“Palmer, did I do something wrong?”
In that moment, Palmer’s heart softened. He stepped forward and gently embraced Noe, his
voice deep and soothing. “You did everything right. The master just wants you to take better care of
yourself.”
Noe had chosen the path of the Pris Star for her grandmother, enduring grueling training that
could have broken her. But for her grandmother’s sake, she persevered. Now, her heart had room
for the Schnabel family, the Pris Star team, and… new concerns.
“Has anyone ever told you, ‘Noe, you’ve worked hard, and you’ve done well’?”
For years, she had walked her path alone. No one close to her had ever uttered those words!
For her grandmother, for Pris Star, Noe had to be strong. She had to disregard her gender,
forget her age, and walk a path filled with thorns!
Palmer gently stroked Noe''s hair, his touch tender. “Tired, aren’t you? But you’re truly remarkable,
Noe. Every time I learn what you’ve aplished, I feel so proud. I believe your grandmother
sees you as her pride and joy, always!”
Tears welled up in Noe’s eyes, dampening Palmer’s shirt as they embraced.
Feeling the girl’s emotions in his arms, Palmer’s own heart ached with a mix of sorrow and affection.
“From now on, try to rely on me a bit more, okay? When you''re feeling down, in need of some
praise, or just happen to think of me,e find me. I''ll always be by your side. When ites to
friends, you deserve the best of the best, better than Horatio, better than Malvina. Let me be your
best friend, okay?"
Noe''s voice was somewhat muffled. "Okay, I''ll be... your best friend."
...
In the hospital, Lavinia''s room was bathed in sunlight. The pristine white sheets were untouched by
dust.
Content ? N?velDrama.Org.
Lying in bed, Lavinia slowly opened her eyes, her fingers twitching slightly.
Perhaps the sunlight was a bit too ring, so she closed her eyes again, listening to the chaotic
bustle of medical staff around her before she managed to open them once more.
Lucian was ovee with emotion, tears streaming down his face, "Lavinia! You''re awake? How do
you feel? Professor Calvin will be here any minute!"
Lavinia shook her head, then nodded, her voice a bit hoarse.
"Dad, I''m fine, don''t worry."
Her gaze swept across the room, as if searching for someone.
"Dad, where''s ra?"