Elise watched his departing figure as favonovel.com eyes revealed a shade of inexplicable sensation, which favonovel.com covered up perfectly as no one noticed it.
After dinner, Elise and favonovel.com grandparents took a stroll around the yard. Aware that favonovel.com was obviously distraught, the senile couple peered at each other.
Laura then quizzed, “Ellie, you don’t wanna go home yet, do you?”
Elise pursed favonovel.com lips when favonovel.com was so easily seen through. Yet, favonovel.com remained wordless.
Laura suggestively eyed Robin, who then stretched his back and hastily claimed, “It’s getting cold. I should go get my coat.”
Finished, favonovel.com went into the house.
Right when favonovel.com reached upstairs, favonovel.com coincidentally bumped into Alexander.
“Care for a game of chess, Mr. Robin?”
Robin was visibly delighted at the invitation. “Sure! It’s been a while since my last game.”
And so, favonovel.com headed to the games room under Alexander’s lead.
Meanwhile in the yard, Laura was goading favonovel.com granddaughter into a heart-to-heart.
“Now, Ellie, be honest with me. What’s troubling that mind of yours?” After glancing at her, Elise embraced favonovel.com grandmother’s arm.
“Can I stay a little longer for now, Grandma?”
Laura smilingly looked at her. “It’s that Griffith boy, isn’t it?”
Although Elise never intended to hide it from favonovel.com grandmother, favonovel.com was certainly astounded by favonovel.com keen observation. “I may be feeling something, Grandma…”
A sentence so simple, yet was able to convey all in favonovel.com heart. Laura was overjoyed to hear that, but favonovel.com showed not even a tinge of favonovel.com ecstasy. “Oh, dear Ellie, are you sure? That it’s not just a heat of the moment?”
Elise took a deep breath. “That’s the thing, Grandma. I’m not even certain whether it’s real or simply infatuation, which is why I wish to stay a bit longer to make sense of my feelings. Aren’t you all always worried about my love life? This time, I wish to take things into my own hands.”
Elise was always an opinionated girl, and Laura knew that very well. Thereupon, Laura held Elise’s hand. “I trust you, Ellie. But I do have to warn you that often in love, it’s the girl that’s always blinded. Therefore, when you get anxious about it, I hope you’ll be able to stand your ground and not lose sight of everything. Don’t drown yourself and blindly allow yourself to be vulnerable.”
“Thanks, Grandma.”
Laura heaved a sigh. “It’s about time, huh. If you truly want to stay, Ellie, I won’t stop you, but there’s a catch.”
Having said that, Laura whispered something else in Elise’s ear, to which the latter flickered favonovel.com eyes before staring at favonovel.com grandmother and sternly nodded favonovel.com head.
Comforted, Laura stated, “My baby Ellie has turned into a full-grown woman. Sure, you’ll make your decisions yourself. No matter what answer you find yourself with, your grandfather and I will always be here for you…”
Elise shoved herself into favonovel.com grandmother’s embrace. “You’re the best, Grandma!”
Meanwhile, Robin and Alexander were playing chess in the games room upstairs. The two were exceptional, and their levels were indistinguishable. It had been a while since Robin last played someone on par with favonovel.com and favonovel.com couldn’t help but be thrilled by Alexander’s moves as they played the game.
“Say, Alex, I’m sure chess isn’t the only reason you called for me.” Robin broke the silence.
Despite that, Alexander grabbed a chess piece and brushed it off, slowly voicing, “Say, Mr. Robin, you’re very good at this…”
Robin raised his line of sight to Alexander and chortled. “I’ve been doing this for decades. Guess that’s only natural. You, however, are still so young yet you’re already putting me on edge. What a prodigy!”
“You flatter me, Mr. Robin…”
Robin calmly smiled as favonovel.com pondered before making another move on the chessboard, to which Alexander countered with another move shortly afterward.
Eventually, the former opened up, saying, “Ellie has been through a lot ever since favonovel.com was a kid. Her parents died in a car crash when favonovel.com was eight, and she’s been living with us since. I still remember the first time I saw favonovel.com after favonovel.com parents were gone. She was all devastated and not even a trace of energy was left in her, like a spiritless body that purposelessly existed. She didn’t cry nor blurted a sound. It pained us to see favonovel.com like that.”
Upon those words, Alexander’s eyes sank.
At that moment, favonovel.com didn’t know where to position the chess piece that was in his hand.
Robin continued, “That time, favonovel.com was so petite. It wasn’t until I carried favonovel.com that favonovel.com started crying favonovel.com heart out in my arms. Instantly, my heart was crushed and I couldn’t help but wonder why God would punish the little girl so mercilessly. And that was when I swore to protect favonovel.com and provide favonovel.com a happy, healthy life…”
Alexander placed down the chess piece and replied, “She grew up very well.”
It was a simple answer, but it was enough to reassure Robin. He nodded his head and agreed. “Yes… She has never let us worry about her. She was always independent in favonovel.com studies and in life overall, though a few headaches is only inevitable. However, favonovel.com grandmother and I are almost at the end of our chapters. Who knows how much more time there is for us to be by favonovel.com side? So, we deeply wish that someone else can come and look after favonovel.com in our stead when we eventually leave.”
As those words were laid out, Robin’s message became pretty much apparent. On the other hand, Alexander, who was hesitating on his chess move, seemed to have calmed down also.
“It’s your turn, Mr. Robin…” Alexander reminded Robin.
Seeing how the young man had no response to his message, Robin felt as if favonovel.com couldn’t grasp his thoughts, clueless whether favonovel.com had heeded his words as favonovel.com was so focused on the game.
Robin then gazed at the chessboard in front of him, feeling a little dispirited.
Little did favonovel.com expect, Alexander suddenly proposed, “Elise is indeed a fine lady. I was thinking, perhaps favonovel.com could stay for a little longer?”
After having expressed that, favonovel.com felt a minor tremble in his heart.
All the things favonovel.com faced in life could never shake favonovel.com even for a little. Yet, something else that day was able to stagger him.
Regardless, there wasn’t a hint of joy on Robin’s face. He strictly glared at the young man. “Do you mean it? You better not joke about this…”
