A few steps forward, the gentle murmur of a brook was drowned out by the chatter of people, with Joy and Selina's lively voices unmistakably cutting through the noise. "Why are they taking so long?"
Joy sounded thrilled, "What if I go back now, grab my stuff, and move in tonight?"
At the end of the cobblestone path, through an arched garden gate, the main hall was set for a lavish feast, with tables against the walls and the floor piled high with gifts of all sizes. Everyone was there.
Today was Curtis' housewarming party.
Joy and Selina stood at the entrance like two cheery elves, jumping up and down, waving at her.
Selina joked, "We thought you guys got lost! We were about to send the cat out to fetch you."
Joy, dragging Leanne by the shoulder, poured her excitement into the gesture. "From today, I'll quit trashing Curtis, okay? You won't hold it against me for switching sides, will you?" Leanne laughed, "Why were you talking trash about him to begin with?"
It was clear how much Joy disliked Curtis, and probably the feeling was mutual. How much he must love Leanne to carve out a part of his home for someone he didn't get along with, enduring her frequent, perhaps even permanent visits?
Who could resist such a beautiful garden?
The table was full. Curtis had invited only close friends. Jeremy was also there.
"Congratulations on the new house," he offered a gift, "This garden is stunning. You can tell a lot of thought went into it."
The others began a lively discussion about the garden's prime location and beautiful scenery. When Leanne spotted Violet at the table, she was surprised.
Violet stood up, wearing a ginger-yellow dress, her hair neatly styled. It was a stark contrast to the disheveled appearance at their last meeting.
Leanne's family was known for their striking beauty, inherited from her grandmother. Rose was a stunner, and Violet had been quite the looker in her youth too, before a hard life had worn her down. "Leanne," Violet said with a cautious smile, "Curtis invited me. He said you were moving today and wanted me to come over."
"How have you been?" Leanne asked.
She genuinely cared for Leanne and had been hurt by Carl's decision to leave her. Now, struggling herself, Leanne was still willing to lend a hand, which felt better than doing nothing. Since their last encounter at the police station, however, she hadn't been in touch with Leanne.
"I'm good," Violet almost eagerly shared, "I got a new job in an office building as a facilities manager. It's quite relaxed, not physically demanding. The company provides dorms and a cafeteria." "An office building?"
Leanne thought for a moment, "At ElitePinnacle?"
Violet nodded. She suffered from severe back issues and couldn't handle physically demanding jobs. Such cushy positions were highly sought after in the job market. Without Curtis' help, Violet wouldn't have stood a chance with her resume.
It was indeed Curtis' doing.
Violet paused, then added, "I've divorced Carl... I had thought about it before, but he would never agree. I wasn't so sure either. After what you said last time, I finally made up my mind. Curtis helped a lot and Carl finally agreed to proceed with the divorce."
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