Chapter 238

Chapter 238:

Fernanda felt a gentle warmth spread through her chest.

In her nineteen years, aside from Hiram looking after her, no one had ever cared for her this way or urged her not to shoulder everything alone.

It felt like she wasn’t alone anymore.

As Fernanda walked into the courtyard, her gaze lifted to see Ector standing on the balcony.

The night breeze fluttered his shirt, giving him an elegant, effortless look.

He was looking down, the soft yellow light from the balcony behind him casting shadows that made it difficult for her to read his expression. Still, she was sure he’d seen Cristian bringing her home.

For some reason, Fernanda felt an odd pang of unease, like a hidden truth had just been exposed.

She quickly hurried inside, the empty house feeling oddly quiet. Martin and Judie were already gone, and Robert and Michelle had retreated upstairs to rest. The living room was silent and empty.

Fernanda walked to the dining room, opened the fridge, and took out a jug of water. She poured herself a glass.

The cool water helped clear her mind, bringing her a sense of calm.

Bobby’s words from earlier that evening echoed in her mind, and Fernanda found herself lost in thought for a moment.

Her mind drifted to Cristian as a child, wondering what he was like when he successfully pulled pranks on others. Had those people been shocked, unsure of what to do?

Then she thought about the Reed family’s view of him, seeing him as ominous. He had been so young back then—had his childhood been even more difficult than hers?

Just then, the sound of footsteps broke through her thoughts.

She glanced to the side and saw Kevin entering.

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Dressed in casual clothes, he was holding his phone in his right hand, and the sound of a game’s background music was still playing. Clearly, Kevin hadn’t expected to run into her. He froze for a moment, unsure how to react.

Fernanda took a quick glance at him but then immediately looked away, not wanting to engage.

Kevin swallowed hard, feeling an awkward tension in the air. He wasn’t sure how to handle things with Fernanda. He had a nagging feeling that he’d treated her unfairly.

Earlier that afternoon, Erika had stopped by and fed him a bunch of rumors about Fernanda. She said Fernanda was reckless, that she was sleeping around, and said a lot of things to bring her down.

At the time, Kevin had believed everything Erika told him, and the little bit of affection he had felt for Fernanda had completely disappeared.

But later that night, he realized Erika’s words were all lies. Fernanda hadn’t been flirting with anyone. She had just been close to her fiancé. Guilt hit Kevin. While he hadn’t been too harsh with Fernanda that afternoon, something in his conscience kept nagging at him.

He realized that he had treated her unfairly, and the thought weighed heavily on him.

After finishing a glass of water, Fernanda set the cup down and started walking past Kevin.

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