Chapter 617
The person got into a car and drove off, completely unaware that anyone had seen them.
Aubree gasped inwardly. Wait, that silhouette….
Without thinking, she pulled out her phone and snapped a quick photo.
She stared at the image, and her heart sank. Suppose she wasn’t imagining things; that was Kelvin. There was no doubt.
‘Bowen was supposed to be on a business trip–there was no way Kelvin, his assistant, wouldn’t be with him.
‘And even if, by some chance, Bowen hadn’t brought Kelvin along, there was no reason Kelvin would show up at the orphanage unless Bowen had sent him,‘ she thought.
Before she realized it, Aubree’s hands had balled into fists. Her thoughts raced, ‘What on earth was Bowen hiding from me? Could this be connected to Ethel?‘
No matter how hard she tried, Aubree couldn’t figure out how any of it connected.
While she was standing there lost in thought, Ethel spotted her through the window and called out, “Aubree, is that you? Why are you just standing out there? What are you doing–come inside already!”
“Oh, I… uh…” Aubree mumbled awkwardly, then finally pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Ethel was sitting in her wheelchair, beaming as Aubree walked in. She asked, “Did you just see Kelvin on your way in?”
Aubree’s eyes flickered with surprise. ‘Wait, am I just overthinking this?‘ she wondered.
“Kelvin was just here to drop off my medicine,” Ethel said, nodding toward the bag of herbs on the table.
“The traditional doctor Bowen found for me last time has helped, but some of the herbs are hard to find. Bowen said he didn’t want to trouble you, so he always has Kelvin or someone else bring the medicine over for me,” Ethel explained.
“Oh, I see…” Aubree replied with a smile, but her thoughts were elsewhere.
‘Looks like I was overthinking it,‘ she thought.
From the beginning, this situation was orchestrated by Alvin, and Aubree was well aware of his intentions. However, she found herself emotionally impacted despite her understanding.
When she met Ethel’s warm and caring eyes, Aubree felt a sense of calm wash over her. ‘Why am I even second-guessing myself?‘ she thought, ‘I know this is all a ploy against me. If I just ignore it and don’t let it affect me, then no matter what Alvin does, it won’t bother me.‘
At that moment, Aubree didn’t realize that her attempts to convince herself to be indifferent only revealed how much she truly cared.
“It’s nothing, Ethel,” Aubree said. “I heard you’ve not been feeling well lately, and I wanted to check in on you. It’s been a while since my visit.”
As she spoke, she felt a pang of self-frustration. Ethel had always been there for her, especially during her time in the orphanage when she struggled to fit in with the other children. Ethel would look out for Aubree, even speaking with the other kids to help them understand and accept her better.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner? If you’re still feeling unwell, let me take you to the Military Hospital for a checkup,” Aubree offered.
Ethel shook her head with a kind smile, saying, “This is just part of getting older. You’re busy, and I already have a doctor seeing to me. You visiting me when you can is more than enough. Being in a wheelchair helps me get around more easily. As we age, our bodies just don’t work the same way.”
“How about I take you outside for some fresh air?” Aubree suggested, returning the smile.
Since she would be leaving for Drebay City the next day and didn’t know when she’d return, she set her worries aside and spent the entire afternoon with Ethel at the orphanage. That evening, she even cooked dinner for them before it was time for her to leave.
As Aubree walked away, Ethel watched from the doorway until she was out of sight.
“Aunt Ethel, did Mr. Turner visit you because of Aubree?” Angela asked quietly.
Ethel smiled gently and replied, “Oh, it’s nothing important–no need to worry the young ones with such things.”