After Caleb was taken to the hospital, I called Mr. Stone. After hearing everything, he sighed heavily, his voice weary. “Thank you, Ava. I’ll send someone to look after him.” My heart ached. During my marriage to Caleb, Mr. Stone had always been kind to me. He had scolded Caleb more than once because of Stella, and at one point even considered removing Caleb from the board, but I had always intervened.
“Grandpa… I’m sorry.”
“Ava, this isn’t your fault. I failed to raise Caleb properly. Since you’ve found the right person, remember to let this old man meet him when you get back. If he ever treats you badly, your Grandpa will handle it!” I couldn’t hold back my tears. Ethan gently wiped them away, taking the phone and promising, “Don’t worry, Grandpa, l‘ Il take good care of Ava!”
By the time Caleb was wheeled out of the operating room, I was already on a flight back to the States. When he woke and found me gone, a flicker of disappointme- nt crossed his face, quickly replaced by a cold expression. “I don’t want to see Stella in the country again.” His assistant respectfully lowered his head. “Understood, Mr. Stone.”
“And the Reed family…”
“Cut all ties with the Reeds. Before I return, I want the Reed family to completely disappear from Ashville.” The assistant acknowledged, about to turn and leave, when Caleb hesitated, then spoke again. “You…” Caleb hesitated for a moment, then, as if making a decision, he continued. “Go investigate everything Stella has done to Ava over the years.”
“Investigate thoroughly. Don’t miss a single detail.” After the assistant left, Caleb stared blankly at his own injuries. He suddenly remembered how, whenever he was sick, Ava would always bring him various tonics and take care of him. But what had he done in return? Caleb frowned, thinking hard for a long time, then remember- ed that Stella had always disdained those tonics, causing him to contemptuously order them thrown away whenever he saw Ava bring them. He buried his face in his hands, tears streaming uncontrollably.
The assistant quickly uncovered all of Stella’s misdeeds over the years. Upon seeing the detailed report, Caleb could no longer contain his rage. He forced his injured body to find Stella. Listening to Stella’s heartbreaking pleas for mercy from inside the room, Caleb didn’t even flinch.
10
After returning to the States, I no longer paid attention to Caleb or Stella. Once my research project was fully established, Ethan proposed to me in front of everyone at the institute.
I next heard news of Caleb at my wedding to Ethan. He had his assistant deliver a wedding gift: the very specimens Stella had once shattered, painstakingly mend- ed by his own hand. There was also a familiar good luck charm. Seeing me staring at the charm, the assistant couldn’t help but speak.
“Madam, Mr. Stone got this good luck charm by kneeling and climbing nine hundred and ninety–nine steps, even though he was injured.”
“After he finished, Mr. Stone was in a coma for several days. But the moment he woke up, he immediately went back to mending the specimens for you.” He spoke, carefully watching my expression. Seeing I remained unmoved, he sighed inwardly and said no more. I took the two gifts. His eyes lit up, as if he was about to say something more. But then he saw me walk directly to the trash can without a backward glance, and drop them in.
I turned to look at the stunned assistant and smiled: “Go tell Caleb that some wounds can’t be healed with belated compensation.”
“He saved me that time, but I also took care of him for so many years. Out of respect for Mr. Stone, let’s just call us even.” I don’t know how the assistant relayed my message to Caleb. From that day on, I never saw Caleb again. After I married Ethan, I occasionally visited Mr. Stone at the family estate, but I never ran into Caleb there either.
Only on holidays and special occasions would I receive an anonymous gift. Ethan, seeing them, would always get jealous, so I would have the delivery service retum them untouched. It wasn’t until Mr. Stone’s funeral that I saw Caleb again. He was thin and gaunt. He didn’t dare approach me, only watched from a distance. I gave him a distant nod, then left with my daughter. From that day forth, mountains and rivers separated us, and we never met again.
