All Chapters of A Higher Purpose: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

It was the day I received my acceptance letter. Steve Baxter, my teacher, patted me on the shoulder with a proud smile."Congratulations, Kate. With Brightmoor being over a thousand miles away from our village, I guess you probably won't be coming home very often after this. While you still have a few days of vacation left, make the most of it with your family."Slipping the acceptance letter into my bag, I started heading home.My older brother, Cole Maxwell, was busy in the kitchen when I stepped into the yard. He was preparing a birthday meal for Jennifer Burke, the orphan he had brought home five years ago.Cole was still in his dirty work uniform, probably because he had been too pressed for time to change.I approached him cautiously. "Cole, I'm home."As soon as he saw me, his face turned cold. There was a trace of irritation in his voice as he spoke. "Kate Maxwell, it's Jenny's birthday today, so don't you dare cause trouble."Afraid that he'd say something else to get r

"I received my acceptance—""Forget it. You're probably trying to run away from home again. I won't even bother with you this time," Cole interrupted impatiently.What I was about to say was instantly caught in my throat.Whatever. He didn't care about me anyway. Once I was gone in a few days, he would naturally find out everything.As I tightened my grip on my clothes, I made up an excuse on the spot. "I promised my classmates that I'd go to town with them in a few days, so I'm just packing first."Hearing my answer, his expression softened a little. "I came to tell you that I'll be taking Jenny to the market tomorrow, so you don't have to wait for us for lunch."With that, he turned and left.…The next day, they only came back as the sun began to set.With a snack in her hand, Jennifer ate as she walked. Cole was right behind her, carrying several large bags. They came into the house chatting merrily."Kate, Cole bought me a lot of new stuff." Jennifer deliberately showed

Cole stayed in my room the entire night.As soon as daylight broke, he rushed to my school to talk to Steve.With his hair messy and still in his pajamas, he said, "Mr. Baxter, I'm Kate's brother, Cole. I wanted to ask about Kate. She's…"He trailed off, not knowing what he should be asking. Should he ask why I had left without a word? Or should he ask why I had run off to someplace far away from him?After a long pause, he finally asked the question that weighed most on his heart. "Is Kate… really never coming back?""I can't say for sure." Steve started pouring Cole a cup of tea before continuing, "Kate had studied very hard this past year. Getting into Brightmoor Aeronautical University is no easy feat."Before she left, she told me that her dream is to contribute to the development of the nation's aerospace industry. We need to respect her decision. Our country needs young people like her, who are passionate and full of drive."Cole's expression darkened. "Even if our countr

A decade later, the project I worked on at an aeronautical research center came to a successful close. This marked another major step forward in the history of Corvira aviation.Following the project's success, I participated in a series of press conferences and academic seminars alongside my graduate advisors.It wasn't until two weeks later that I finally had some free time.Just then, a letter from Steve's wife, Mary Calderon, arrived.In it, she said that Steve had been hospitalized and likely wouldn't survive the winter. Moreover, she hoped I could return and see him one last time.I boarded the train home the next day. Unlike the turmoil I felt when I left years ago, I was incredibly calm now.During my university years, I often received letters from Cole, each one containing a short and simple sentence filled with concern and a thick stack of cash.I didn't keep any of the money. Instead, I sent it all to Steve and asked him to return it to Cole for me.Meanwhile, Steve

For a brief moment, it was as if I were back in the past. There was no distance between us, no Jennifer, and he was still the loving brother who cared about me.Alas, all of this was just an illusion.After dinner, Cole wanted me to stay for the night. "Kate, I cleaned your room for you. I didn't touch anything inside—everything is the same as before."I shook my head. "No, thanks. I've already booked a room at a guesthouse."His eyes showed a hint of disappointment, but I turned and left without hesitation.As I stepped out the door, Cole called after me, his voice hoarse and strained. "Kate…"Without pausing, I strode off quickly. Our meal together was the last bit of grace I would ever show him.…Although I didn't tell Cole the time of my train, he still found out somehow. When I arrived at the train station, he was already standing by the entrance, waiting for me. In his hands were bags filled with food I used to love as a child."Kate, I got these for you. Take them. You