Chapter 26 - Beyond the Headlines: Damien's Personal Invitation
I stood in front of my mother's grave, tracing the cold stone with my fingertips. The jade bracelet glimmered on my wrist, catching the soft morning light. It felt right that I brought it here first—a piece of our family history returned home.
"I got it back, Mom," I whispered. "Your bracelet. I know how much it meant to you."
The cemetery was quiet, with only the rustling of leaves breaking the silence. After the chaos of the auction and the shocking sight of Ivy coughing up blood, I needed this moment of peace. Julian had rushed her to the hospital without another word to me, his eyes filled with panic and something else—guilt, perhaps, or regret. I didn't stick around to find out.
Instead, I'd returned to Jiangcheng immediately, drawn back to this place where I felt closest to my mother. The weight of everything that had happened—and the enormous debt I now owed—pressed down on me.
