"Catherine let out a long sigh, taking a moment before she finally said, "She''s just like Mira, buried in her senior year, cramming for exams, I guess."


    The truth was, her so-called granddaughter had never once visited her childhood home. Not to mention, showing any affection towards her.


    When her daughter had taken her to live in the city, Catherine could see the disdain in her granddaughter''s eyes. It wasn''t an overt disgust, but a subtle kind of scorn that she understood all too well.


    Only her beloved Marcy, even after returning to her biological parents, always kept Catherine, her non-biological grandmother, close to her heart, never showing any sign of estrangement.


    Nick nced at Catherine, noticing her expression was neither sad nor happy. Probably a mixture of disappointment and ack of expectations, which exined her calm demeanor.


    After all, earlier at the convenience store, Summer couldn''t even muster the courage to acknowledge her own grandmother. How could she possibly show any genuine care for Catherine?


    But knowing Summer''s usual behavior, suddenly showing up to see Catherine definitely meant trouble.


    With these thoughts, Nick''s brows furrowed slightly.


    Soon after, Nick finished helping Catherine with the kitchen prep and stepped outside. The weather was a mix of rain and snow, not too heavy, but persistent.


    Standing at the gate, Nick pulled out his phone and dialed As.


    After bolting from the scene, Summer retreated back to her hotel.


    She had arrived in the small town yesterday and was immediately struck by its backwardness. Even the so-called best hotel in town couldn''tpare to the most average ones in the big city. This made her imagine how run-down her grandmother''s house must be.


    So, she stayed in the hotel overnight, gathering the courage to visit Catherine today. But she hadn''t expected to run into someone she thought she''d never see again.


    Nick''s presence there was no coincidence... Mirabe must have returned.


    The mere thought of Mirabe filled Summer with resentment. Even after being taken back by the Davis family, Mirabe still clung to her grandmother''s home, putting on a show of affection. Summer found it utterly shameless.


    Pacing restlessly in her room, Summer decided to call Mandy but was interrupted by a knock at the door. She hung up the call, put on her sunsses, and checked through the peephole to see a hotel receptionist. She opened the door with a frosty, "What do you want?"


    The receptionist wore an apologetic smile. "I''m sorry, miss, but there''s an issue with our fire safety system, and we need you to check out for your safety."


    "Fire safety issue?" Summer frowned.


    "Yes, you wouldn''t want to stay in a ce with safety hazards, would you?" the receptionist replied, pausing before adding, "Of course, we will refund you double the room charge."


    Hearing this only worsened Summer''s mood. The idea of haggling with the hotel like some backwater hag was beneath her. With a wave of her hand and an impatient tone, she said, "Fine, I got it."


    She mmed the door shut behind her.


    What a backwards ce, she thought. Can''t even stay in a hotel without drama.


    Frustrated, Summer packed her bags and dragged her suitcase down to the lobby. She handed over her ID and room key to the receptionist.


    The receptionist seemed relieved as Summer handed over the key, but Summer didn''t notice her expression. She took her refund and walked out without a second nce.


    Just then, a group of tourists bustled into the hotel, looking for a ce to stay.