Chapter 208
I thought that it I didn’t come back this time, this small courtyard would eventually disappear, just like Grandma did-lost forever to the passage of time.
The thought made my chest tighten, and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I quickly looked away, taking a deep breath to push back the urge to cry. With a sigh, I picked up my suitcase and walked inside.
My shoes crunched through the overgrown grass as I made my way forward. I climbed the worn stone steps and set my suitcase down on a flat surface, looking up at the root, which was now missing several tiles. A wave of uncertainty hit me, but I quickly pushed it down. tortented myself and headed toward the main room. As soon as I opened the door, a thickcloud of dust nished at me, making my eyes water. I quickly stepped aside, waiting for the dust to settle before stepping inside.
with each step I took, long-buried memories came flooding back
“Grandina, I want some strawberry multins,
*Boohoo, Grandma, the table hit me! Help me punish it,”
“Grandma, I’m sleepy. I want a hug.”
These memories brought a faint smile to my lips, but before it could fully form, the tears spilled over. I wiped them away and kept moving forward.
After Grandma was taken away, no one ever return to this place. Everything inside had remained untouched. The furniture, the belongings-everything was still here. Even the old picture frame still hung on the living mom wall,
I walked over to the frame, took it down, and without worrying about the dust, wiped it clean with my sleeve. Beneath the layer of dust was a photo of a land old woman holding a little girl. Both had their eyes crinkled in laughter Looking at the photo, I couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears came in torrents, and I clutched the frame to my chest, sobbing uncontrollably. It felt like all the sadness I had been holding in was pouring out at that moment.
When I finally cried myself out, I shakly got to my feet, my legs numb from sitting too long. I walked toward the door On my way out, I cleared a small spot on the dusty table and gently placed the frame down before heading outside to grab my suitcase, There wasn’t much in my suitcase-just some clothes and a bit of cash. When left, I was consumed with anger over Grandma’s death and didn’t think to pack anything else. I had jumped into a car and headed straight here.
It was only now that I realized I had brought almost nothing with me. After setting down my suitcase, I walked to the small store at the edge of the village, bought enough supplies, and returned to the house.
Back at the courtyard, I started cleaning. By the time I had finished preparing a room to stay in, night had
had already fallen.
The house had been abandoned for so long that the water and electricity were cut off. The only light I had was from the candles I had wisely picked up during my shopping trip
i lit a candle, filling the room with a warm orange glow, and sat in a chair, cradling the photograph in my lap.
Memories of Grandma swept ovet me once more.
In those memories, she was a kind, gentle woman with a face full of wrinkles, Her once-bright eyes had grown cloudy with age, but they always held a soft smile. No matter how busy she was, the moment she saw me, she would lovingly call out, “Sweetie But now, 1 would never hear her call me that again. My tears flowed once more as I clung to the photograph, crying for what telt like hours until I finally drifted off to sleep
Meanwhile, back in Tandville, at the Carson residence, Ethan returned home under the cover of night, his face somber as he stepped inside the mansion.
Seeing him, the butler, Andy, sighed with a complex expression. Then, be gestured toward the second floot. He quietly said, “Mr. Grayson Senior is in the study His health has been poor these past few days. Please try not to upset him, Mr. Grayson