Chapter 433
Chapter 433:
As Donna cradled the fragrant pouch, Yelena’s thoughts wandered. Her sharp eyes flicked between her mother and the pouch she held in hand.
Donna’s sharp eye caught something peculiar in Yelena’s expression, prompting her to ask with quiet curiosity, “Yelena, is there something wrong with this fragrant pouch p>
Yelena’s lips curled into a careful smile. She couldn’t blurt out her suspicions without solid proof. Stirring up trouble over such a seemingly thoughtful gift might make her look paranoid—or worse, ungrateful. It wasn’t worth creating a storm in a teacup.
“No, not really. I’ve got something for you, too,” Yelena said, steering the conversation onto safer ground.
Donna blinked in surprise before her face lit up with delight. “Oh, Yelena, the jade piece you gave me last time was a gem—literally and figuratively! You’ve already spoiled me enough. Knowing you care is gift enough for me p>
“It’s nothing extravagant,” Yelena replied, her tone light but sincere.
From her bag, she pulled out a sleek box embossed with the understated logo. Simple, yet undeniably sophisticated—it was the kind of elegance that didn’t need to shout to be heard. But Donna’s attention wandered, catching instead on the canvas bag slung over Yelena’s arm.
It was from a well-known sports brand, the kind Donna never gave a second glance. To her, such bags were neither stylish keepsakes nor practical investments. Yet there Yelena was, carrying the well-worn thing with visible affection.
Noticing Donna’s gaze lingering, Yelena explained softly, “This bag was a gift from my teacher p>
Her voice faltered ever so slightly, and the spark in her eyes dimmed, like a candle guttering in the wind.
Donna immediately picked up on it, a subtle heaviness that tugged at the edges of Yelena’s words. “Is something the matter?” she asked gently.
Yelena tried to brush it off with a faint smile. “It’s nothing, really. It’s just… my teacher has gone missing. No one can seem to find him p>
For m𝒐rє, v𝒾𝓈𝒾t g𝓪l𝓷ovєls.𝓬○𝓶
Donna stilled, her surprise evident. Yelena must have been incredibly close to this teacher for their absence to weigh so heavily on her.
After a brief pause, Donna offered earnestly, “You should pass your teacher’s details to Cayson and maybe even your father. They’re resourceful—they might be able to help track your teacher down p>
Yelena felt a warmth in her heart and replied softly, “Alright, I will p>
Still, deep down, she couldn’t help but think that if she and her fellow disciples—those closest to her teacher—had failed to locate him, how likely was it that outsiders would succeed? But hope, even the faintest glimmer, was better than nothing. After all, what if they did find him?
Turning her attention back to the gift, Yelena opened the box, revealing a sleek multifunctional watch.
Practical as always, Yelena wasn’t one for grand gestures or flashy displays. Her first thought had been to simply grab a bundle of watches and hand them out. But Brody had gently reminded her, “Since you’re not too familiar with your family’s tastes yet, something a bit more formal and thoughtful might go a long way p>
So, she’d taken his advice and brought back the neatly packaged boxes.
She had to admit—lugging the gift boxes around was no small feat. Just four watches were enough to stuff her beloved canvas bag to the brim.
“This is the newest smartwatch from DY Group. It comes with the most advanced GPS system—so precise that it can track your location even if the watch is powered off…” Yelena explained, presenting the champagne-colored watch to Donna. She had carefully chosen it, believing its soft, sophisticated hue perfectly complemented Donna’s timeless elegance.
She added with a subtle smile, “It also comes with an emergency alert feature, just in case you ever need it.” The selling points of most smartwatches were starting to feel repetitive, offering little in the way of true innovation. But the ones Yelena had customized for her family carried a special touch—a unique emergency alert feature, something people wouldn’t find in the off-the-shelf versions.