The sight only amplified the destion and decay of the solitary building.


    Wade was the same as ever, sitting in the courtyard feeding his fish.


    After the fire at the Harcourt estate, Wade had hired a construction crew to rebuild it in a one-to-one replica of its formeryout, and he had moved back in.


    So, as Noreen pushed open the courtyard gate, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if time had reversed.


    It was only when she saw the streaks of white in Wade''s hair that she was reminded that time travel didn''t exist.


    Wade was very happy to see her.


    Evelyn even made a special trip to the market, returning to cook a number of Noreen''s favorite dishes.


    Wade asked about Noreen''s studies.


    "Originally, I nned toe back after my master''s, but my advisor insisted I stay on for abined master''s and PhD program, so it took a couple more years."


    "If you had gone abroad to study from the start, you would have had your doctorate long ago. The Harcourt family held you back," Wade said, his voiceced with guilt.


    "No, please don''t think that, Mr. Harcourt," Noreen quickly exined. "It was my own choice. It had nothing to do with anyone else."


    It was as if by some unspoken agreement, no one mentioned Seth.


    His name was a forbidden word.


    Perhaps, many years from now, he would finally be forgotten.


    Another year passed.


    On the day Noreen sessfully earned her doctorate, Wilbur and the others all flew


    to Meritania to throw her a celebratory party.


    This time, even ire Chase came.


    Noreen was in high spirits. She poured ire a ss of wine, ready for an all-night chat.


    But ire announced she had quit drinking.


    Noreen couldn''t believe her ears.


    A lush like ire, quitting drinking?


    Who would ever believe that?


    "I really quit," ire insisted, raising her ss of orange juice. "I''ll join you with this."


    Noreen was speechless.


    Fine, whatever she wanted.


    Noreen, however, drank quite a bit, though ire noticed her tolerance wasn''t what it used to be.


    It seemed a high tolerance was something that had to be maintained.


    ire asked her why she hadn''t found herself a handsome foreign man.


    Noreen just looked up at the ceiling.


    "I crammed seven years of study


    into four was so maxed out I had. i


    to fight for every second of sleep. Where would I find time for


    romance?"


    ire had noeback for that. Noreen had a point.


    "Forget it. Men are a nice essory,


    but they''re not worth wasting your time on ire said with the aft of


    II


    Some who had seen i


    all,


    Noreen reached out and patted her on the head, thinking she must have lost her mind.


    After all, the old ire had proimed she wanted to date every handsome man in the world.


    As the wine took effect, Noreen started to feel drowsy. She vaguely heard ire talking to her.


    "Noreen, you''re going to be a godmother."


    Noreen was too sleepy to hear clearly. She mumbled something and drifted off.


    The next morning, she was woken up by ire.


    "What is it?"


    Noreen''s head was throbbing. She shouldn''t have drunk so much.


    "There''s a dashing gentleman downstairs asking for you!" ire said.


    As she spoke, she gave Noreen a scrutinizing look, as if waiting for a confession.


    Noreen had no idea who could be looking for her. She quickly washed up and went downstairs, where she saw the "dashing gentleman ire had described.


    It was Castle.


    Even Rosalind was curious about Castle''s identity.


    But Noreen had no time to exin.


    If Castle hade all this way to find her, it had to be important.


    She and Castle went outside to talk privately.


    "I''m here about Katy''s custody," Castle said, getting straight to the point.


    "Noreen, will you marry me?" he asked.