Chapter 1103

Josefina wasn't giving Oliver the cold shoulder; she just wasn't feeling up to a kiss because her stomach was acting up. "I just had dinner, and now my stomach's a bit upset," she said with a small sigh.

Oliver bent down, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. "You should take it easy. Dinner was really good tonight. I'll go grab a bite while you relax."

Josefina snuggled into the couch as Oliver tucked a blanket around her and headed off to the kitchen. Just then, her phone rang-it was her grandfather, Brandon.

"Hey, Josie, do you have any burn ointment at home?" Brandon asked, sounding a bit worried.

Josefina sat up, instantly concerned. “Grandpa, did you get burned?”

"No, not me. It's Makiko. She accidentally burned herself with the curling iron and didn't even come out for dinner. I thought since you're a doctor and probably have some at home, I'd ask."

"Don't worry, Grandpa. I'll bring it over."

"Oh no, Josie, you stay put. I'll come by and pick it up. Besides, I haven't caught up with Oliver in a while, and I've got some things to chat with him about."

With that, Brandon ended the call. Heading out, he bumped into his son, Cole.

"Dad, where are you going at this hour?" Cole asked, noticing his father had changed out of his pajamas.

"I'm heading to Oliver's to get some burn ointment for your wife. I suggested taking her to the hospital, but you haven't gone. Burns can be tricky; better safe than sorry."

"Let me come with you, Dad."

"No need, it's late. You ought to get some rest and keep an eye on her,” Brandon reassured him as he left with Bennett.

Meanwhile, Sandi came in with a plate of fruit. "Dad, I'm going to check on Mom." "Sure, go ahead."

Sandi took the fruit to Makiko's room. "Mom, have some fruit. It's fresh and sweet, just arrived today."

Makiko sat up and started nibbling on the fruit. "Grandpa's really looking out for us," Sandi said. “He heard about your burn and went out to get some ointment from Oliver's place."

"What? He went to Oliver's?" Makiko's expression changed slightly. "Mom, you seem a bit off. Isn't that good?" Sandi asked, puzzled. "It's nothing," Makiko muttered, focusing on her fruit.

Sandi gave her a curious glance but decided not to push it. She couldn't shake the feeling that Makiko and Cote were hiding something from her. She figured she'd talk to Wilder about it, see if her brother, Dorian, felt the same way.

Sandi found Wilder in his room, busy typing away on his computer. "Dorian, still at it?" she asked.

"I need to finish this project soon, or I'm worried Mom and Dad will be disappointed," Wilder replied, eyes glued to the screen.

Sandi sat down, uninterested in whatever was on the monitor. "Dorian, do you ever feel like..."

"Feel what?" Wilder kept typing, unfazed.

"Like Mom and Dad are keeping

something from us? They've always

mapped out our lives, but coming back to the States was so sudden. Moving from somewhere familiar to someplace new-can they really adjust?"

Wilder paused, turning to face her. "Ning Ning, what are you getting at?"

“I'm just wondering if they really came back just for a family reunion.”

Wilder quickly placed a finger on Sandi's lips, lowering his voice. "Ning Ning, be careful what you say. If others hear, it might cause trouble for Mom and Dad."

He let go, and Sandi didn't resist. "Ning Ning, whatever they're doing, they have their reasons. Coming back here, reconnecting with family think Dad misses his homeland. No matter how good things are elsewhere, it's not his true home. Like they say, 'Home is where the heart is.' You get it, right?"