No one would be around to cook dinner for her anymore...

Did this mean she'd never get to see Circe again, either?

Simon called his son's number twice, but it rang out both times.

Conscious of the guests sitting in his living room, Simon lowered his phone and cleared his throat awkwardly. "He's probably busy. I'll try him again tonight."

Geoffrey remained perfectly composed, a faint, polite smile gracing his stern features. "Family bonds are paramount, Simon. Don't let trivial misunderstandings wound hearts and shatter the peace."

Simon's guilt deepened. "I truly failed him."

He turned to look at Norah. "I need to thank you, Norah. You helped punish the right person and cleared the cat's name."

Norah offered a bright, pure smile. "Simon, Gonzalez isn't exactly a man of many words. When people accuse him, he's not the type to aggressively defend himself. But you have to trust him. You're his father. You're supposed to be the person closest to him in the world. If even you don't believe him, it absolutely breaks his heart."

Norah's words struck a profound chord within Simon, making the weight of his regret almost unbearable. He nodded fervently. "You're right. I hear you loud and clear. When Gonzalez gets home, I owe him a massive apology."

"You're just as reasonable as you've always been," Norah beamed.

Off to the side, Yvonne and Hannah exchanged a glance, their eyes brimming with absolute glacial hatred.

Hannah was particularly devastated. Losing a fiercely loyal confidante of over ten years felt like having a piece of her own flesh carved away. Of course she was in agony.

Worse still, Simon's suspicion of her had been firmly cemented.

Taking such a massive, humiliating loss and being forced to choke down her fury was enough to make her physically ill.

With the crisis averted, Geoffrey and Simon resumed their casual chatting. A moment later, Norah's phone buzzed with an incoming text.

She unlocked the screen and her eyes widened slightly.

It was from her favorite neighbor: *Come to the backyard. You know the way.*

Gonzalez was still here?

Without a second thought, Norah sprang to her feet. "Grandpa, I'm going to step outside to make a quick call."

Geoffrey nodded. "Don't wander too far."

Simon's smile softened warmly. "She's perfectly safe. Consider this her own home."

Norah smiled politely before slipping out the back doors of the mansion and heading straight for the gardens.

Stepping into the fresh air, a sudden thought crossed her mind. How did Gonzalez know she was familiar with the Hanson estate's backyard?

Oh, right. She used to play here when she was a little girl.

She followed the winding floral path toward the rear gardens. The

sprawling yard was lined with several mature grapevines, their fush climbing o

tendris a long, elegant

trellis. The fruit was perfectly ripe,

filling the air with a sweet

intoxicating fragrance.

Simon had always loved chrysanthemums, and he had planted countless varieties across the property. They were currently in full bloom, bursting with vibrant colors The heavy clusters of flowers formed pristine, orderly borders

along the walkway.

A few minutes down the path, Norah spotted Gonzalez. He was sitting on a bench near a small stone fountain.

Dressed entirely in black-a fitted T-shirt and dark jeans—he leaned back against the wrought iron, exuding a casual, raw masculinity He seemed to have sensed her approach long before she arrived. The second she lifted her eyes, she found him already watching her.

Norah approached at a leisurely pace and took a seat opposite him, a bright smile

on her face. "So, you were home this whole time."