Chapter 512


    Her demeanor caught me off guard. Wasn''t she always ying it cool, seemingly aloof and just a tad


    haughty? Could it be she was actually interested?


    When she saw me hesitate, she pressed, "Is it inconvenient?"


    "No trouble at all." I quickly replied. I couldn''t dismiss a guest, after all. She was Jta''s daughter.


    Besides, she''de all the way to Silverdale City, so it was only right to indulge her a bit.


    I gave Irving a heads up, "Mr. Bradlee, why don''t you catch up with my dad for a bit? I''ll show Nettie


    around."


    Irving readily agreed, "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Allie."


    I winced at his informal use of my name. We weren''t that close, to begin with. But they were guests, so


    I just smiled and let it slide.


    I took Nettie around the yard, exining a little about each spot we visited.


    She seemed genuinely interested, inspecting everything with care, and even remarked sincerely, "Your


    family estate is truly beautiful."


    "ttered you think so," I said, though my wordscked sincerity.


    She shot me a look, oneden with meaning, perhaps noticing my half-heartedness. But surprisingly,


    she didn''t seem to mind and continued to be quite enthusiastic.


    Honestly, I found it hard to findmon ground with her. It wasn''t an age thing, and we just didn''t click.


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    After a while, I couldn''t hold back, "I mean, you''ve lived abroad since you were young. This old-timey


    stuff shouldn''t interest you."


    She smiled, warming up considerably, no longer icy.


    "I only visited my grandma''s once. It was an old house and an old yard, and I was too young to


    remember it well. But that kind of memory sticks with me. That longing for the old, the rustic, even the


    smell. It''s not about where you live."


    "That''s rare," Imented.


    "When I was abroad, I always thought if I got the chance to see a yard like this again, to feel that


    atmosphere, that would be lovely," she said, circling a rock garden before gently touching an ancient-


    looking plum tree, her affection unmistakable.


    Her words made me take a serious look at her, reconsidering my impression of her as cold and


    detached.


    She pointed out a giant banana tree through a moon-shaped gate, a soft smile on her lips, "My


    grandma''s yard had a big one of these. I never thought I''d fulfill that dream at the Wilburn residence."


    Her tone carried a hint of mncholy.


    Before I could speak, she added quietly, "But as beautiful as it is, it''s not the same as my memories."


    It sounded like she was talking to herself.


    "Is your grandmother''s yard still there?" I asked casually.


    She came back to the moment, looking at me, "It''s long gone. I heard our old house was torn down for


    skyscrapers. It''s unrecognizable now."


    "That''s really a shame."


    "It doesn''t matter. It was someone else''s home, not really connected to me. That''s why I only visited


    once," she said, a note of bitterness in her voice.


    I instantly understood her sentiment.


    Jta had married Irving against the Makynzie family''s wishes, causing years of estrangement.


    Nettie''s im that she''d only visited her grandmother once made sense.


    After Jta''s ident, Nettie was sent abroad by Irving, all adding up.


    For a moment, I empathized deeply, reminded of Evan, still drifting out there, taken away from me as


    an infant.


    I didn''t dare to continue that train of thought, wondering if he would resent me one day.


    I took a deep breath and changed the subject, "Not nning to go back overseas?" Reаd at


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    "Undecided," Nettie replied coolly, her demeanor reverting to its usual chill.


    She didn''t respond to what I''d said.


    Out of nowhere, I asked, "Have you visited your mother since she woke up?"