It was a quiet night at the hospital, but Leanne barely caught a wink of sleep.
After handing her duties to a colleague, she didn't head home to rest but instead went to Richardson Manor.
She hadn't called ahead, so Jennifer and the others were out when she arrived. Sarah mentioned that Mary was in the garden, so Leanne went to find her.
The peony season was brief, but the gardener hired by the Richardson family had nurtured them splendidly, creating clusters of blooms that filled the air with their presence.
In the greenhouse, surrounded by lush greenery, Mary stood out in her brightly colored clothes despite her age. Leanne spotted her immediately.
Leaning on her cane, her frail frame slightly hunched, she seemed to be in a heated argument, her voice sharp with anger.
It was rare for Leanne to see her so furious. Shifting her gaze, she glimpsed a tall man in dark clothes standing opposite Mary.
As Leanne pushed the door open, she heard Mary shout, "Get out! Just get out of here!"
Rushing over, Leanne steadied the trembling Mary. "Mary, what got you so worked up?"
While she spoke, her gaze inadvertently met the man's eyes. It was the same man she had encountered at the hospital.
His eyes slowly met hers, and at that moment, Mary's anger seemed to dissipate, her grip on Leanne tightening. "Anne, what brings you back so suddenly?"
"I just got off work and wanted to check on you," Leanne replied.
Normally, Mary would light up when she saw Leanne. But today? Not even a glimmer of joy. It's like she couldn't even see the other guy and was in a hurry to steer her away. "Come on. Let's go inside. Sarah will make us something delicious."
"You've grown so much, Anne," the man spoke, his voice warm and inviting, like a long-lost relative.
Holding Mary's hand, Leanne scrutinized his face. "I don't think I've seen you before."
"I'm Curtis' Uncle Hanley," he introduced himself.
"Uncle Hanley?"
Hanley added, "You were very young when we last met. You might not remember me."
Mary's grip tightened, "Anne, dear, I'm feeling a bit dizzy. Let's go back inside."
Nodding, Leanne helped Mary back to the house, not looking back.
The lush garden was vibrant with life, but as they returned to the main house and Leanne helped Mary to her room, she could feel the dampness of her palm.
Mary looked exhausted. As Leanne tucked her in, she casually asked, "Where has Uncle Hanley been all these years? Why hasn't he come around?"
"Let's not talk about him," Mary replied with aversion, holding her hand. "My dear, better to pretend he doesn't exist."
Leanne was puzzled by Mary's secrecy, simply responding, "Okay."
Leaving the room, she closed the door behind her and walked into the living room.
Since the Richardson family took her into the house fourteen years ago, she had never heard of Curtis having an uncle.
Aside from Curtis' rebellious years, which strained his relationship with the family, the Richardson family had always been harmonious.
Parents were in love, brothers in respect.
They would take a family portrait almost every year, compiling them in an album. Reflecting on it, Leanne realized she had never seen a photo including this uncle from before her time with the Richardson family.
Whether it was Mary, Maddox, the brothers, or even the household staff, no one had ever mentioned this "uncle."
The mole on his hand slowly matched with a memory, sending a chill up her spine.
A mere mole could be a coincidence, but his being a Richardson was something else.
Her thoughts were a jumble, fleeting and elusive.
"Leanne?" Sarah called her twice before she snapped back to reality.
Sarah set down the chicken soup: "You seem out of it. Are you okay?"
"Just a rough night on duty," Leanne replied, picking up the spoon without seeing what was on the plate, the taste bland on her tongue.
Sᴇarch the FindNovel.net website on G𝘰𝘰gle to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.
If you find any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report
