Lahat ng Kabanata ng Yearning for Her Return : Kabanata 961 - Kabanata 970

After Serena left the hallway outside James' ward, she felt lost and didn't know what to do next. She had no place to stay in Fairport and going back to the hotel would only lead to another fight with Mary. Just the thought of it frustrated her.She wandered around the hospital until a nurse stopped her and brought her back to reality. The nurse seemed young, perhaps fresh out of university. She pointed to the red marks on Serena's face and asked in a friendly manner, "Do you need some medication? Your face looks a little swollen."Serena's mind was in a mess and she simply nodded. The nurse took her hand and led her to a ward to put on some ointment. As the ointment came into contact with Serena's face, the coolness eased her anxiety and grief.Fearing it would be rude, the nurse refrained from asking about the injuries. After she had carefully applied the ointment, she advised, "Take this ointment with you. Don't let anyone hurt you next time. Find a way to avoid it if you can't d

Rebecca's blunt words caught Serena off guard. She fell silent for a moment across the table."You might want to soften your words a bit. They can be quite harsh," Serena said with a wry smile."I doubt it would change the way you feel about me even if I spoke more gently. You never liked me anyway, so why bother?" Rebecca answered with a smile.She was right and her remark evoked old memories. Serena had always looked down on Rebecca since their first meeting in Riverwood. After Rebecca's return to Rookfort, their relationship became even more strained.After a pause, Serena looked sincerely at Rebecca and said, "I'm sorry."Rebecca paused with her pizza halfway to her mouth and raised an eyebrow in surprise.Serena remained calm. She had expected Rebecca's reaction. With a sigh, she added, "I don't expect you to forgive me, but I do feel compelled to apologize."She was aware that a simple apology was no cure for the scars of the past.Rebecca wasn't sure of Serena's motives,

Rebecca's smile brightened after she listened to Serena's words, but she didn't immediately agree to Serena's request."Apologies are best given in person. Why don't you come over when you're free? You should talk to Ollie face to face. That's better than having me pass the message," Rebecca suggested.Serena was surprised at first but soon understood Rebecca's reasoning. She felt relieved and smiled as her nervousness faded.She hadn't expected to visit the Johnsons again. She and Mary were invited to the Johnsons' house for Christmas dinner years ago for the sake of Angela and James. However, the evening had turned sour because Mary had caused a scene.Serena recalled how shameless she and Mary had been. Despite the Johnsons' disapproval, they acted as if nothing had happened and stayed to finish their meal boldly.Luckily, the Johnsons remained patient and polite. They didn't act rudely despite their displeasure but simply limited their interactions with Mary and Serena.It wa

Rebecca realized it had been a long time since she last paid her respects to George. Whenever she went to Riverwood, it was usually to check on the apprentices at Four Seasons or to see Markus, who was becoming increasingly unwell.She felt helpless against the passage of time, witnessing people's deaths or seeing once-healthy individuals confined to wheelchairs. She vaguely remembered how devastated she was when George passed away.Rebecca was devastated, not because she had lost someone she depended on, but because George was one of the few people who had shown her kindness during that time. Though there may have been selfish motives behind his kindness, she was genuinely thankful for him back then.Yet, Rebecca hadn't anticipated that she would forget to visit George's grave every time she went to Riverwood. She couldn't even recall the intense grief she had experienced when he passed away. She felt a twinge of guilt about it and realized how time swept away everything.Suddenly

"Sounds good," Daniel said with a smile.Rebecca's words brought warmth to his eyes. He thought that only someone who had experienced difficulties like she had would be willing to help others.She was different from those wealthy socialites who only went to charity events for appearances. Instead of just being there, she genuinely cared and dedicated time to interacting with the children.This reminded Daniel of a time long ago. Before George passed away and Jessica returned to the Browns, he had visited an elementary school near Riverwood for a project with his company.The school wasn't as poor as some in remote areas. The children were well-dressed, and the school was clean. However, the building appeared old, with walls displaying signs of wear and tear. The railing was rusty. It was unpleasant to look at and left rust on anyone who touched it.Daniel vividly recalled his irritation when a child accidentally bumped into him while rushing to the cafeteria. He had made him brush