Chapter 163
Morwenna perked up right as it was about to strike midnight.
She quickly turned to Stuart and beamed, “Happy Birthday. Stuart!”
“I might not be the first to wish you today, but I’m definitely the last,” she added with a playful wink.
“You just had spaghetti, Stuart. Let’s call it another birthday gift for you. Wish you a good life!”
Her voice was soft and melodious, the extended tones filled with delight, captivating and joyful.
Stuart gazed at Morwenna, his face calm and gentle. But inside, a turmoil raged. A lonely soul was grasping at any fleeting moment of intrigue, ready to dive into hell if it meant holding on to something.
Morwenna’s smile was genuine and carefree, her eyes twinkling merrily.
That night, Stuart stayed in Hetfield’s Homestead, canceling his supposed business trip.
The two lay in the same bed with a respectful distance between them.
Morwenna stole a glance at Stuart, realizing that the business trip was just an excuse, a way for him to distance himself from her.
Suddenly, Stuart reached out and pinched Morwenna’s cheek.
“Ah, so soft,” he murmured, something he’d wanted to do for a long time.
Morwenna didn’t flinch. She let him pinch until her cheeks turned pink, her stem expression breaking into a laugh.
She loved to laugh. Her friend Melvin once said, “Life is full of hardships. A laugh could be all it takes to get through.”
“Morwenna, you sure like to get physical, don’t you?” Stuart teased.
“No, I’m not one for fighting. Well, not often… only when provoked,” she replied, half–serious.
“When you’re not fighting, you are really gentle, Morwenna.”
Her smile persisted but was tinged with a hint of sadness.
She remembered little from her early childhood, but she vividly recalled her mother’s gentleness. Her mother had always hoped that Morwenna would lead a peaceful life, find a good partner, and avoid strife. Unfortunately, her mother’s life hadn’t been blessed with good companionship.
Morwenna looked into Stuart’s eyes, pondering if he could be her true companion.
As sleep crept upon her, she unconsciously moved closer to him, like a moth drawn to a gentle warmth, unaware of the potential danger that it might be a perilous flame.
The night passed.
The next moming, Stuart seemed back to normal.
With her tutoring job on hold, Morwenna had some free time and decided to delve deeper into understanding Stuart, not just including his favorite foods, but also colors, books, habits and his past as well.
However, she hit a roadblock when it came to his childhood.
The housekeeper Zoe and the other elders in Hetfield’s Homestead remained tight–lipped about Stuart’s early years.
Frustrated, Morwenna turned to Norbert for answers.
They were in the children’s room, which Norbert had prepared in Hetfield’s Homestead, painting the walls together.
It conveyed a clear message, though Morwenna couldn’t quite see it.
Brush in hand, she asked, “Norbert, why does everyone avoid talking about Stuart’s childhood? Did something significant happen?” Norbert paused, his brush mid–air. “Why the sudden interest in Stuart’s past?”
I’m just trying to get to know him better” she replied eamestly.
“Stuart did go through some things as a child. But those are stories for him to tell, if he ever chooses to share them. It’s not our place, Norbert advised cautiously.