Chapter 498

“What?” Calvin paused, not fully understanding.

“When I broke up with Miranda, did I make a mistake?” Hansel asked, his voice tinged with regret.

“Hans,” Calvin said, looking at him with a mix of pity and exasperation. “Are you only now realizing this?”

Hansel was at a loss for words.

“Miranda is an incredible woman! If it were me, I’d cherish her so much that…” Calvin started, then abruptly caught himself. “I mean, not that I have any feelings like that, of course. I’m just saying that if I were in your shoes, I’d never let her go.”

A good woman like Miranda wouldn’t stay on the market for long. Once someone let her go, plenty of people would go after her!

“To be honest, Miranda looked so happy when she came to celebrate my birthday. Then you broke up with her in front of everyone. I was completely shocked!” Calvin continued. “Even Zach pulled me aside afterward and said you were going to mess things up for yourself sooner or later.”

But none of them had expected it to happen so quickly. They thought there would be more back-and-forth between Hansel and Miranda, especially given their history. Who knew that Miranda was serious this time?

“Hans, I get how you’re feeling, but Miranda… she’s not the same as before,” Calvin said hesitantly.

“I know I messed up. I even apologized,” Hansel said while looking down. His hands gripped the cigarette tightly, almost crushing it. “But she still won’t forgive me.”

“Cal, tell me, what can I do to win her back?” he asked, desperation creeping into his voice.

Calvin felt at a loss for words. Knowing Miranda’s personality, he understood that reconciliation was nearly impossible. But how could he break it to Hansel like that?

Seeing the sadness in Hansel’s eyes made him feel conflicted.

“Hans,” Calvin said softly, “there are plenty of good women out there. Maybe it’s time to move on. You might even find a new surprise waiting for you.”

Hansel let out a bitter laugh, crushing the cigarette in his hand until the tobacco spilled out in small pieces. “Yeah, there are lots of good women. But there’s only one Miranda Sutton.”

Calvin was speechless, thinking, “Regret always comes too late, doesn’t it?”

“Who called for a driver for 5593?” a voice called out.

“That’s me!” Calvin said quickly. “Hans, I’m heading out now. You… take care, alright?”

He paused, giving Hansel a sympathetic look. “Try not to dwell on it too much.”

With that, Calvin got into the car and left. Meanwhile, Hansel stood there, his gaze fixed on the ground, lost in thought.

The warm glow of the streetlights cast a soft light on him, yet a strange chill seemed to seep from his silhouette.

The next day dawned clear and bright. The sun was warm, and a gentle breeze drifted through the air.

After visiting the Old City last time, Lionel now wanted to explore some gardens.

The more famous gardens, like the Hillside Garden, were crowded and required reservations, not ideal for a spontaneous visit.

“How about Garrison Garden then?” Miranda suggested.

Garrison Garden was once a private garden owned by a family with the surname Garrison. Its origins dated back to the Seraphilian Era when it was the summer retreat of Prince Yale.

Later, during the Lysandrian Era, King Lysander gifted it to his loyal minister, Henry Joseph, who then passed it on to his daughter as part of her wedding gift.

Over the years, the garden changed hands several times until it was finally purchased by Callum Garrison, a wealthy salt merchant. That was during the Republican era, and he then renamed it “Garrison Garden.”

Before the Summer Wars, Callum often brought his family there to spend the summers. After the reform and opening-up period, the garden was returned to the Garrison family.

“And then what happened?” Mindy asked, listening intently, her eyes reflecting a mix of curiosity and contemplation.

“That’s all there is,” Miranda said, standing in front of the last information plaque.

The display board detailed the history of Garrison Garden from ancient times to the modern era, covering every period of change and ownership. It even listed the names of each generation of owners who had lived in the garden.

Mindy asked thoughtfully, “Does it mention who the current owner is?”