Chapter 20

On a crisp morning when the spring snow was just beginning to melt, Valentina received a telegram. The telegram was from her hometown; the handwriting was rushed and messy. She only had to glance at it once before her heart sank. The message was from her parents, mostly inquiring about how she was adjusting to her new life. But at the end, they hesitantly mentioned that her former mother-in-law—the Pierce family matriarch, Iris Hart—had passed away. She stood in the cabin doorway holding the thin piece of paper, watching Marcus chop firewood in the distance, unsure how to bring this up. Marcus noticed her staring and set down his axe to walk over. His injuries still hadn't fully healed, and he moved a bit stiffly, but his eyes were as gentle as ever. "Val, what's wrong?" Valentina silently handed him the telegram. After reading it, Marcus was quiet for a long time. His expression remained neutral, but he didn't say a word. "I'll go back with you." Valentina took his hand and spok