Chapter 587
Chapter 587:
Yelena noticed the nostalgia in his eyes. On a whim, she fished out a handful of bright, foil-wrapped candies and dropped them into his palm. “Here’s a little secret,” she said mischievously. “These candies are unique to this area. You’ll never find them anywhere else p>
Caught off guard, Austin peered down at the colorful wrappers glinting in the sunlight. He blinked, then broke into the gentlest of smiles.
“Thanks p>
He tucked most of them into his pocket, extracting one to sample. The wrapper clung to the candy, leaving a sticky residue, but he popped it into his mouth without hesitation. His lips twitched at the sudden burst of sugar.
“It’s… really sweet,” he said at last, his expression shifting from surprise to a quiet kind of contentment.
Yelena was also savoring a candy of her own. She mumbled around it, voice slightly muffled, “Yeah, it’s super sweet p>
They both enjoyed the same candy, but unbeknownst to Yelena, the flavor carried a different kind of sweetness for Austin. Neither of them seemed ready to admit it just yet.
They pulled into the cemetery’s gravel lot under a quiet, overcast sky. A few leaves danced across the worn path, carried by a gentle breeze. It wasn’t a special occasion, so the place felt deserted, almost eerily still.
Yelena hesitated near the entrance, lowering her voice. “I need to pay my respects to my grandfather. You might not want to—” Austin cut in, his voice soft but firm. “I’ll go in with you p>
She wet her lips, looking a bit uncertain. “Alright p>
They followed a narrow trail uphill until they reached a modest headstone adorned with a small photograph. Archie wore a warm smile in the faded picture, an expression that made Yelena’s eyes fill with an unspoken ache. She swallowed hard, then risked a sideways glance at Austin, worried that he might see her vulnerable side.
To her surprise, he simply stepped closer, greeting the man in the photo as if he were present.
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“Hello, Mr. Roberts,” he said, his voice low and respectful. “I’m Austin—Yelena’s friend p>
Yelena blinked, momentarily stunned. She studied Austin’s face, still processing his words. “You introduced yourself almost like…” Her voice trailed off.
Austin tilted his head. “Like what p>
Their gazes locked. Yelena’s eyes shimmered as if glossed with tears, while Austin’s gaze seemed to draw her in.
After a breathless moment, Yelena tore her eyes away, warmth creeping into her cheeks.
Before the silence could settle, an angry shout broke through the air.
“There you are, Yelena!” Sonya’s voice echoed across the quiet rows of tombstones. “You’ve got some nerve showing your face here p>
She barreled toward Yelena, fury twisting her features.
Quick as lightning, Austin caught Yelena’s elbow and pulled her aside. Sonya, startled and off-balance, pitched forward and hit the ground with a yelp.
“Ow!” Sonya howled, sounding more shocked than hurt.
Another voice followed. “My poor Sonya! Are you alright p>
Tears streamed down Sonya’s cheeks. “Daddy, Mommy, it hurts! It’s all Yelena’s fault p>
Jonathan and Tatiana finally made their way up the hill, only to find Sonya sprawled across the ground like a toppled doll.
Jonathan’s brows knitted in disapproval as he took in the scene. Given Yelena’s longstanding resentment toward their family, he wasn’t exactly surprised that Yelena had pushed Sonya. Clearing his throat, he adopted his “father knows best” tone.
“Yelena, this is too much. Whether you like it or not, Sonya is still your sister p>
Yelena responded with a dismissive glance. “My parents only ever had me and my brother. No sisters in the picture p>