Connor didn''t spare a nce behind him. With his entourage in tow, he strode straight out of the bar.


    Meanwhile, Marcus escorted Gwh and Leonie home. At their door, Marcus paused and offered Gwh an apology on Connor''s behalf.


    "Don''t hold his behavior against him. After losing his memories, I thought he''d change, but it turns out he''spletely unrestrainable-wilder than ever, evenpared to how he was back in Starfall City."


    Gwh shook her head. "Max hasn''t reached out to me all these years. I thought he just didn''t want anything to do with me anymore. I never imagined he''d forgotten everything."


    Marcus managed a faint smile. "Still, the two of you met again."


    He studied Gwh''s face, as if searching for someone else behind her features. After a brief silence, he finally asked, "How''s your mother been these years?"


    Gwh hesitated. Back then, she''d been too young to understand theplexities of adult rtionships. Since Victoria divorced McNeil Langford, her mother hadn''t been involved with anyone-not even a hint of romance.


    In her memories, once Chris and Celia came along, Victoria was always busy- managing thepany, raising her children, showering Gwh with love-she never seemed to stop.


    "She''s... been well, I suppose."


    Her mother always seemed calm,posed, and dignified.


    Gwh couldn''t recall her mother ever appearing truly downcast-except for that year when she was six, after that wretched woman, Violet Marchand, came into their lives.


    But after that, things were fine.


    "I''m d to hear it," Marcus said.


    He didn''t even ask about McNeil-just watched as Gwh''s stepfather drove away. Then Leonie turned to her.


    "Was he your aunt''s friend?"


    Gwh shook her head. "No, he was Dad''s."


    Leonie raised her brows. "That''s odd. Shouldn''t he have asked how your dad''s been doing instead?"


    Gwh was thrown for a second, then let out a smallugh.


    Would Mr. Green have ever liked Victoria? That seemed unlikely.


    Leonie, oblivious as ever, barely waited beforeunching into another attack-this time aimed squarely at Connor.


    "Your childhood friend really doesn''t measure up. He''s nothing like your uncle— not even close. Honestly, he doesn''t have a shred of gentlemanly manners."


    Gwh couldn''t find a way to argue; even though she and Leonie were about the same age, she always saw Leonie as a little kid.


    Leonie had been so well-protected by her family that she rarely thought before she spoke. The truth was, Max had changed so much since they were children, and that made Gwh genuinely sad.


    She still remembered when Max warned her that Violet Marchand wasn''t a good person—and that anyone who encouraged you to do the wrong thing couldn''t possibly be a good influence.


    Max had taught her a lot, always looking out for her. He''d been so kind. But Connor... he was nothing like that.


    The Connor she''d met was arrogant, disrespectful, did whatever he pleased, and didn''t care about anyone else''s opinion. He was nothing like the Max she remembered.


    "Maybe it''s because he lost his parents," Gwh could only say Mr. Green hadn''t even bothered to make up someforting story for Max-just left him to believe he was unwanted and unloved.


    "Oh, I didn''t know that," Leonie replied, finally looking a little apologetic. "What happened to his mom and dad?"


    "There was a car ident. Max was the only one who survived."


    Gwh didn''t borate. Leonie stopped bashing Connor, her expression softening with sympathy.


    "That''s really sad. No parents to love him, and his uncle seems pretty cold, too."


    Gwh thought back to Mr. Green. In her memories, he''d actually been kind to her and used to fight Mr. Garcia over toy cars. In the end, it was Max who''d rescued the racecar model and given it to her; she still treasured it to this day, because Max had fought for it just for her.


    "Mr. Green wasn''t always like this," she murmured.