Maybe Dn’s worth wasn’t quite as high as Seth’s, but he was certainly in the same league.
There was no reason for him to give a car worth only a hundred grand.
If that’s all he sent, it could only mean one thing: Noreen wasn’t especially important to him.
She realized she’d read too much into it.
So Bianca looked away, smiling to herself in silence.
When Dn and Noreen were leaving, they finally spotted Seth and Bianca.
Dn greeted them first.
As Noreen passed by, she didn’t spare either of them a nce, striding past without so much as a
pause.
At that moment, Seth was reassuring Bianca. “It’s just a minor scratch. Once it’s fixed up, you won’t even notice. Tell your cousin not to stress about it.”
He didn’t notice Noreen at all.
Bianca felt relieved. “I told you it was nothing, yet you still came all the way over.”
Seth just said, “Of course. It’s the least I could do.”
Seeing their easy rapport, Dn’s lips curled in the faintest hint of a smile.
After saying goodbye, he hurried to catch up with Noreen, and the two of them left together.
Two dayster, Noreen arrived at the dealership right on time to pick up her new car.
This time, the ce was quiet–no awkward encounters with anyone she’d rather avoid.
She drove straight to the office.
Sophia was waiting for her in the parking lot. Before Noreen could even get out of the car, Sophia thrust something <i>into </i>her hands, acting all mysterious.
Noreen opened it and blinked in surprise.
<b>It </b>was a charm for safe travels.
And not just any charm–this <i>one </i>looked identical to the one she’d picked up for Seth a while back, the only difference being that Sophia’s gift was brand new.
“It’s local tradition here in Rivercrest–when you get a new car, you give a blessing. Here’s a good luck. charm for you. May you always have safe journeys!”
“Thank you.” Noreen loved the gesture; it was thoughtful and heartfelt.
She knew how much effort it took to get one of these charms–climbing ny–nine steps at the old chapel wasn’t easy.
She wondered when Sophia had managed to make the trip.
11:19
7
“But what are you doing here? Today’s not a workday,” Noreen asked, tying the charm to her rearview mirror.
“I came just to give you this!” Sophia grinned.
Noreen was genuinely touched. “Since you’re here, you might as well help out for a bit.”
Sophia’s face fell in mock despair. “Ms. Gilmore, you’ve changed! You sound just like a ruthless CEO now!”
“Toote to regret it. You’re already part of my crew!”
They were still teasing each other when Carman and Mina arrived.
Mina hopped out of the car and ran over. “Noreen, congrats on your new ride!”
She waved Carman over. “Hurry up, bro! Give Noreen the envelope!”
Noreen instinctively tried to refuse. “Oh, you don’t have to…”
Mina tugged her arm. “It’s just a little something for good luck. It’s not about the money.”
Carman walked up and carefully ced a red envelope on the dashboard, making sure it was visible but wouldn’t block the driver’s view.
Mina chimed in, “Mom says you have to give a red envelope with a new car. It’s for good luck and safe travels.”
Noreen was genuinely moved.
The office was already nearly set up. The next big task was hiring staff.
Before heading out to The Eastern Gardens, Noreen told Sophia to post the job openings. She’d go through the resumes at home that night.
When it came to hiring, she wanted to keep a tight grip on the process.
The Eastern Gardens was on the southern edge of Rivercrest City, nestled between hills and a sparklingke, with breathtaking scenery.
The ce boasted top<i>–</i>notch facilities–a riding arena, tennis courts, even a golf course.
It was the kind of ce where movers and shakers came to talk business.
Noreen arrived early, not wanting to seem disrespectful in front of industry veterans.
She didn’t tell Wade she was already there, just waited quietly in the lobby, taking a rare moment to enjoy the view.
But the peace didn’tst long–someone came along and shattered the quiet.