The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 334
_ance gave a bitter smile. He didn’t know if Leilani would accept it either, but he had to at least show his sincerity. He took one last look at the building where Leilani lived, thanked the doorman, and turned to leave.
nside the apartment, Leilani was chatting with Yvonne.
The property manager knocked and entered, handing her the gift. “Ms. Sloan, that Mr. Conner asked me to pass this on to you.”
Mr. Conner? Lance Conner?
Leilani glanced indifferently at the gift and spoke calmly. “I don’t accept gifts from others. Please return it or dispose of it.”
The manager had dealt with Leilani a few times and knew her personality. Seeing her refusal, he took the item back and tactfully withdrew.
Leilani watched the exquisitely packaged box disappear, a sarcastic curve touching her lips. Where was this attitude before?
When the manager knocked, Yvonne was sitting in the study, a thick programming textbook spread out before her. Her fingertips gently raced the pages, her eyes looking a bit dazed.
When Yvonne graduated high school, her first choice for college had been computer science. It had been her dream since childhood.
Unfortunately, although Yvonne received her acceptance letter, her paralysis made it impossible for her to attend school.
“What’s wrong?” Leilani walked in holding two cups of milk, handing one to her. “Does it feel unfamiliar after so long?”
Yvonne took the cup and shook her head. “No… I just suddenly feel a bit overwhelmed.”
She pursed her lips and whispered, “I haven’t touched code in four years. Can I really start over now?”
Leilani sat down beside her, her tone calm but filled with a firmness Yvonne couldn’t resist. “You won the International Hacker Championship before you even formally started studying programming. Why wouldn’t you be able to do it now?”
Yvonne was stunned and looked up at her. “Leilani, how did you know I won that championship…”
Leilani smiled lightly. “Your brother told me.”
She paused, then added, “Yvonne, you’re only twenty-two. Your life is still long. Are you going to give up on what you’re best at just because Tamara hurt you once?”
Yvonne’s eyes grew warm, and she tightened her grip on the cup. That was true. She was once praised as a genius hacker, winning numerous awards at a young age. But ever since her fall and injury, she hadn’t touched a keyboard, as if that glorious past had never existed.
She took a deep breath, suddenly drank the milk in one go, and set the cup down heavily.
‘You’re right!” Yvonne’s eyes shone like lightbulbs. “I’m going to start programming again! I’m not just going to pick it back up; I’m going to start my own cybersecurity company! I’m going to achieve the dream I had back then!”
Leilani watched her high spirits, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. ‘That’s the spirit.”
After dealing with the fallout from the wedding, Milford couldn’t stop worrying about Yvonne. After some hesitation, he decided to drive to Leilani’s place to confirm Yvonne’s safety.
Milford parked his car at the entrance of the complex. After killing the engine, he leaned back in his seat and took a deep breath.
Outside the window, a light drizzle began to fall. It blurred his vision and
mirrored his complicated mood.
Milford didn’t know how to speak to Leilani now. He didn’t know what standing he had to face her. After all, his attitude toward her had been terrible when she first got out of prison.
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