<h4>Chapter 643: Sensing Something Strange</h4>


    <strong>Evaline:</strong>


    I simply stared at Charles.


    His words hung in the quiet study room like something fragile and heavy at the same time.


    He had a sister.


    That alone surprised me.


    In all the months I had known him, he had never once mentioned her. Every time his family came up in conversation, he always said it was just him and his grandmother.


    But now...


    Now I didn’t know what to think.


    Because the way he spoke about her didn’t sound like someone talking about a distant rtive.


    It sounded like someone talking about a wound that had never healed.


    My gaze stayed fixed on him as I tried to understand.


    I didn’t know his full story. I only knew pieces.


    But this?


    This part of his life had nevere up.


    And I couldn’t imagine what kind of circumstances could make a sister hate her brother so much.


    Charles looked up at me again. His eyes were shining. Unshed tears glistened there as he held my gaze.


    "Why didn’t she love me?" he asked softly.


    The question pierced straight through my chest.


    I opened my mouth. But no words came out. Because the truth was... I didn’t know.


    I didn’t know what had happened between them. I didn’t know what his sister had gone through. I didn’t know what Charles had gone through either.


    And without knowing those things... how could I possibly answer that question?


    He kept looking at me.


    Waiting.


    "Why didn’t she ever see how much I loved her?" he continued quietly.


    His voice trembled slightly now.


    "Why didn’t she notice how much I cared?"


    My throat tightened. There was so much pain in those questions. And none of it had answers I could give him.


    So I did the only thing I could.


    I stayed silent.


    Sometimes silence was better than empty words.


    The first tear finally slipped down his cheek. And the moment it did, Charles quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand.


    His posture straightened and his expression shifted... like a mask sliding into ce.


    He forced a small smile.


    "Sorry," he said lightly.


    But the smile didn’t reach his eyes. It carried more pain than anything else.


    "I didn’t mean to dump all that on you."


    I shook my head slightly.


    "You don’t have to apologize."


    But he clearly didn’t want to dwell on it.


    The room fell into a quiet silence after that.


    Charles looked down at the book again, gently running his fingers over its cover as if grounding himself.


    I gave him a few moments. Then finally, carefully, I spoke, "There’s something I don’t understand."


    He nced up.


    "You never mentioned having a sister before today," I said gently. "You always said it was just you and your grandmother."


    He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he lowered his gaze again.


    For a moment, I wondered if I had pushed too far.


    But then he spoke. Very quietly. "My sister... left a long time ago."


    Something about the way he said it made my stomach tighten.


    Left.


    Not moved away.


    Not cut contact.


    Left.


    I hesitated.


    Then slowly, the meaning settled into ce.


    My chest felt heavier.


    "She... hated me so much," Charles continued softly, "that she decided to leave me all alone."


    The way he said it made it sound less like anger... and more like sorrow.


    My lips parted. Then closed again. Because what could I possibly say to that?


    Finally, I managed a quiet whisper. "I’m sorry."


    He looked up at me.


    "I didn’t mean to make you relive that pain," I continued gently. "Losing your sister must have been... really hard."


    And judging by the way he spoke about her... he had loved her deeply. Even if she never returned that love.


    Charles was silent for a moment.


    Then something shifted in his expression. He took a breath. And suddenly pped his hands together once, breaking the heavy atmosphere that had settled between us.


    "Anyway!" he said a little too brightly.


    The sudden change caught me off guard.


    "You shoulde visit during the holidays."


    I blinked.


    "What?"


    "Come to my house," he repeated, a bit more naturally this time. "My grandma would love to meet you."


    His enthusiasm returned quickly as he leaned forward.


    "We have these huge meadows behind our house," he continued. "They are beautiful even in winters. And my grandma’s cooking-"


    He ced a hand dramatically over his heart.


    "-is the best thing you’ll ever taste in your life."


    Despite everything, a small smile slowly appeared on my lips.


    The shift in conversation was so abrupt it almost felt intentional.


    Like he didn’t want to stay in that painful ce for too long.


    And honestly... I didn’t me him.


    "That sounds tempting," I said.


    His eyes brightened immediately.


    "So you’lle?"


    I considered it for a moment. Then nodded. "I’ll visit you and your grandmother during New Year."


    His face lit up again.


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    "Great!" he said happily.


    He carefully ced the book, scarf, and cookie boxes back into the gift bag before standing up.


    "I should head back now. Thank you again," he added sincerely.


    "You are wee."


    He slung the bag over his shoulder and started heading toward the door. Then he paused and turned back briefly.


    "Don’t forget," he said with a small grin. "Homemade cookies."


    I chuckled.


    "I’ll remember."


    With that, Charles left the study hall first.


    For a few seconds, I remained seated. The small smile still lingering on my lips.


    But slowly...


    It faded.


    Something had felt... different. It was subtle, almost impossible to describe.


    I frowned slightly and looked around the study hall.


    Students sat at nearby tables, quietly working on their assignments. Some whispered to each other. Some flipped through books.


    Everything looked normal.


    Completely normal.


    But I had felt that strange sensation, like something had shifted in the air.


    Or maybe...


    Maybe it was just my imagination.


    Still, I let my healing power expand slightly, letting my senses brush gently across the area.


    The familiar warmth of my magic moved through the room - scanning, observing, searching.


    But nothing unusual appeared. There was no strange energy, no foreign magic, no threat.


    Everything seemed exactly the same as before.


    After a moment, I pulled my power back and exhaled slowly.


    Maybe I was just overthinking things.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!