Chapter 656

After returning to her room, Melina went over Ronan's interview notes, refining them and jotting down additional questions. Instead of going to bed, she picked up her book and resumed her reading. While others found studying tiresome, it was a source of joy for Melina. Back in the mountains, books were scarce. When encountering new information and new knowledge, she soaked it all in like a sponge, eager to take in everything she could. The glow of the late-night lamp illuminated the words on the pages. … The next morning, Melina woke up at six, rubbing her tired eyes. She had stayed up too late reading and found it hard to get out of bed. After splashing cold water onto her face, she felt much more awake. Heading downstairs for a drink of water, she noticed Ronan already in the living room. From upstairs, Andrew was also descending the stairs. Typically, the house was silent at 6:00 am. So it was unusual for everyone to now be awake. "Good morning, Ronan." "Good morning, An