Chapter 356

The start of a new year is always a time for fresh beginnings. Coming back to Haicheng after months away, I couldn't help but feel like everything had changed. Henry Smith didn't send anyone to pick me up. So, Evan and I caught a cab from the airport to the Smiths’ house. Honestly, it felt more like we were visiting strangers than coming home. The place was buzzing with life. Compared to last year, the family had grown. Ella and her husband were there, and the Smiths’ newest addition—a baby boy named Oscar, nicknamed Dodo. This little guy was Old Mr. Smith's new great-grandson. Except for Marilyn Gray, whose usual frown stayed put, everyone else seemed focused on the baby, showering him with compliments and good wishes. I watched as this once-fragile infant—barely six months old—had plumped up into the classic picture of health, and a pang of longing swept over me. My mind wandered to the daughter I had lost. But it was a festive day; crying would just dampen everyone's mood, especiall