Sky stood at the entrance for a while before turning and heading back inside.


    At some point, Charlotte hade to the doorway. When she saw him returning, she gave him a small smile.


    "Sky,e with me somewhere in a bit."


    "Alright, Mother."


    "Go change your clothes. Don''t wear a suit. Dress casually—something that makes you look younger. Oh, and wear a cap too."


    Charlotte looked Sky up and down. After being out of prison for a few days, he had finally put on a little weight.


    When Sky had just gotten released on parole, he was far too thin. His old clothes hung off him loosely and were now ill-fitting.


    It wasn''t until a designer came by to tailor some new ones that he finally had clothes that fit his figure again.


    "Sky, don''t carry any guilt with you. You''re still our pride and joy." Charlotte stepped forward and hugged him. "Back then, we didn''t step in to help you because we had other things to consider. I hope you don''t resent us for it."


    "Mother, I understand." Sky hugged her back. "I know you did it for my sake. Besides, I made terrible mistakes. I deserved to be punished.


    "Not helping me was the right thing to do. If you did something wrong, you should pay the price for it. That''s only fair. So, Mother, you don''t need to worry. I don''t me anyone. I have no right to me anyone in the first ce."


    "Sky, I''m really d to hear that.


    "Now, go change out of those clothes. We''ll head out soon."


    "Yes, Mother."


    Sky turned and went upstairs to his room. He quickly changed into something casual. His outfit consisted of a simple T-shirt and a pair of sweats. He swapped his ck dress shoes for white sneakers and pulled on a baseball cap that covered his still-short hair.


    He instantly looked younger and more energetic.


    Charlotte was satisfied with his appearance. "My son really is handsome. Let''s go! Gorge, get the car ready."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    Gorge quickly had the car brought around. After Charlotte and Sky got in, she provided the driver with an address.


    "To Hawthorne Hill."


    "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    Sky didn''t ask why they were heading there, even as they arrived.


    At the top of Hawthorne Hill stood a century-old chapel, known among locals for its quiet reverence and answered prayers. People often went there to make wishes. And when those wishes came true, they would return with candles and offerings to show their gratitude.


    If Charlotte wanted him to go with her, it was likely to keep a promise made in silence.


    The ride over was smooth. Sky looked out the window and realized that Dithoria hadn''t changed much. What had changed, however, was his mindset.


    "Sky, don''t worry. Just rx a little."


    "Mother, I''m fine." Sky smiled faintly. "There''s nothing to worry about. I''ve adjusted well sinceing home, and I''ve adapted quickly at work too."


    "Good. That puts my heart at ease. Nat is pregnant now. Timothy and Mason are apanying her and Marcus on the road trip. Still, your father and I can''t stop worrying. We''re afraid Marcus won''t take good enough care of Nat."


    Charlotte sighed. "Nat''s so independent and isn''t clingy at all. We rarely get a chance to take care of her ourselves.


    "Your father and I considered joining them, but we figured it would be awkward for them to have elders tagging along, so we sent Timothy and Mason instead.


    "Sky, I''m not worried about you, but Emma still weighs heavily on my mind. The situation with her really affected you.


    "Be honest with me. When you found out that Emma wasn''t your biological sister, did you ever develop romantic feelings for her?"


    Sky''s eyes widened at her question. It took a long while before he responded, incredulous.


    "Mother, I''ve always thought of Emma as a little sister and never anything romantic.


    "I doted on her and spoiled her because was the one who looked after het for most of our childhood basically raised her myself. That''s why my feelings for her run deeper and are more special.  s


    "But love? That never happened. And I''m not going to give up on love or marriage just because of her. Please don''t worry. It''s perfectly normal for me to think this."


    Charlotte nodded. "Alright. That puts me at ease. I was just afraid that you''d never move past it.


    "Lincoln has someone he likes now and is chasing after her. Your dad and I aren''t worried about him.


    "As for Hector, he''s gone to study under Natalie''s mentor, so I''m not too worried about him either. Timothy and Mason, simrly, do nothing to make me worry about them.


    "Mason, that rascal, was actually the first of you brothers to start dating.


    "Your dad and I are only concerned about you."


    "Mother, you don''t need to worry, really. I''m doing well and won''t do anything foolish. As for love, that kind of thinges with the right timing and the pull of fate."<fnfa37> Latest content published on f?ndnovel</fnfa37>


    Charlotte nodded. "Alright. Hearing that makes me feel better."


    As the mother and son chatted away, the car steadily climbed toward the


    mountain. Before long, they arrived at the foot of Hawthorne Hill.


    The chapel sat at the summit. There were stairs, a cable car, and a winding asphalt road that led all the way to the top.


    "Sky, how would you like to go up?" Charlotte rolled down the window and looked toward the mountaintop.


    He turned to Charlotte. "Either way is fine with me. How would you prefer to go?"


    "Let''s drive all the way up, then. Ryan, keep going. Take us to the top." "Yes, Mrs. Walker."


    The car started up again and slowly wound its way toward the summit.


    When they arrived, Charlotte and Sky got out.


    "Come on. Let''s go."


    "Alright, Mother."


    Charlotte led the way, Sky following behind her as they stepped into the quiet, reverent hall of the chapel.


    Charlotte moved to the front, where


    a table held a few votive candles and slips of folded parchment. She lit a candle, paused in a moment of stillness, and set it carefully into the holder.  s


    Around them a few others sat or stood in quiet contemtion-some clearly here to make a wish others totonor one already granted Each carried a different kind of silence, the kind born of longing or O fulfillment.  s


    Sky nced around and was surprised to see a familiar figure his former assistant, Ka.


    For a moment, he was dazed. When the incident with Emma had happened, it


    had felt like Ka had betrayed him.


    She hadn''t warned him that Natalie and Marcus wereing.


    But now, Sky no longer harbored resentment. Not even a trace of it lingered.


    In fact, he walked up to Ka.


    "Ms. Parham. Are you here to make a wish or to fulfill one?"


    Ka nearly dropped her candle when she saw him. "Mr. Walker..."


    "What is it?" Sky looked at her expression and couldn''t help but smile. "Don''t


    worry. I''m not here to cause trouble for you."


    The moment Ka heard that, her eyes reddened without warning.