Falling for the Goddess

Returning to the Old Manor

In the early morning, when Sara Hart woke up, Adrian Blake was already gone. His side of the bed was neatly made. It was strange - her sleep was not particularly deep, yet she rarely noticed when Adrian got up.

Her eyes felt sore and swollen, likely from all the crying last night. There was a narrow gap in the curtains, allowing a bit of sunlight to filter through and brighten the dim room, but it wasn't harsh. Sara sat up, recalling the dream she'd had, feeling slightly disoriented.

Once again, she had dreamt of her grandmother. In the dream, she was crying and pleading for her grandmother not to leave her, but all her grandmother did was smile.

"Sara, someone will come to love you in my place. You have to be happy," her grandmother had said.

Sara Hart had shaken her head vigorously; she didn't want anyone else, only her grandmother. Yet, no matter how much she reached out, her grandmother drifted farther and farther away, beyond her grasp. Sara had cried so hard, overwhelmed by a deep sense of despair, until Adrian's voice pulled her out of the darkness.

He had been like a ray of light, piercing through the clouds and dispelling the gloom, just as he had been in high school.

Her gaze landed on the pillow beside her, which was slightly indented. Everything seemed to be moving in a better direction, wasn't it?

Sara placed a warm towel over her eyes, trying to reduce the puffiness. She didn't want to show up at school with red, swollen eyes, and she certainly didn't want Adrian to see her like that.

When she went downstairs, breakfast was already set out on the table: two bowls of porridge placed at their usual spots. As Sara approached the dining table, Adrian emerged from the kitchen, carrying two glasses of milk and a plate of eggs.

"With Alice Miller not here, the breakfast is simple today," he said.

Sara Hart looked at the spread and found it quite sufficient. "I'm not picky, anything is fine."

Adrian Blake gave a slight nod and sat down, eating his breakfast with his usual composure. Sara Hart smiled faintly and joined him.

The oatmeal was soft and flavorful, melting in her mouth. Remembering the last time Adrian Blake had made it for them, Sara Hart hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do you cook often?"

His cooking skills suggested he wasn't a novice.

"I used to cook occasionally when I was in college and living alone," Adrian replied.

Sara nodded, finishing the rest of her breakfast.

After breakfast, Adrian drove her to school before heading to the office himself. The same routine continued for several days.

---

Soon enough, Thanksgiving arrived.

In previous years, Sara Hart would hangout with Ella Duvall, but this time, she wanted to see what plans Adrian Blake had in mind.

In the morning, Adrian went to the company, while Sara made a trip to the mall to buy some gifts.

Although Grandma Blake always told her not to bring anything, Sara Hart still felt it was proper to observe the usual courtesies, especially during the holiday, when there might be other relatives present.

Adrian Blake returned to the Villa in the afternoon, and after a bit of tidying up, they headed to the old Blake manor.

As they reached the entrance, the sound of laughter could be heard from inside. Sara Hart paused slightly, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Young Master, Young Madam," a housekeeper quickly approached to take their belongings.

"Who's here?" Adrian Blake asked.

"Miss Zelda and Young Master Kyle," the housekeeper replied.

As they walked inside, Adrian Blake explained to Sara Hart, "That's my aunt and her son. You met him at the bar last time."

Sara Hart nodded, though her heart felt a bit nervous.

Alice Miller was the first to notice them enter. She smiled and said to Grandma Blake, "Young Master and Young Madam are back."

The people seated on the sofa all turned to look at them.

"Adrian and Sara are back!" Grandma Blake said with a warm smile, standing up and taking Sara Hart's hand to gently pat it.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Grandma," Sara Hart said sweetly.

"Thank you, dear. Happy Thanksgiving to you too." Grandma Blake led Sara to the sofa. "Zelda, you haven't met Sara yet, have you? This is my youngest daughter. You should call her Aunt."

"Hello, Aunt," Sara greeted, smiling.

Ever since Sara walked in, Zelda Blake had been observing her. She had heard about Sara from her mother, but meeting her in person was different. Sara seemed like a gentle, well-mannered girl, with a quiet scholarly air about her that made her appear very pleasant.

Zelda Blake returned the smile and removed a bracelet from her wrist. "This is our first time meeting, and I didn't have time to prepare anything else. Please accept this as a small gift."

"It's too valuable, Aunt... I can't accept it," Sara Hart hesitated.

"Take it," Grandma Blake interjected with a smile.

Sara Hart instinctively glanced at Adrian Blake, who watched the exchange with a calm expression. He neither encouraged nor discouraged her.

"If you don't like that I've worn it before, I can get you something else next time," Zelda Blake teased.

"No, that's not what I meant at all..." Sara Hart protested.

"Then take it."

"Go ahead," Adrian Blake added.

Feeling a bit uneasy but unable to refuse, Sara Hart finally accepted the gift. "Thank you, Aunt."

"We're family. No need for thanks."

Grandma Blake had two children: her son, Thomas Blake, and her daughter, Zelda Blake, who had married the second son of the Thorne family, and had a son named Kyle Thorne. The Thorne and Blake families were in-laws, deeply connected.

Zelda Blake was an elegant woman, with refined features that resembled Grandma Blake's, sharing some of the same graceful demeanor and beauty.

At this moment, Kyle Thorne, who had been sitting quietly, seized the opportunity to speak up. He waved to Sara Hart, "Hey, Sara, good to see you again."

"Hello," Sara Hart replied with a smile.

Kyle Thorne felt a bit guilty looking at Adrian Blake and Sara Hart, recalling how he had exchanged information about them for a car with Eric Thorne. He wondered if they would be upset if they knew.

He had only recently found out that his cousin Adrian Blake and Sara Hart were already married! Being grounded at home with his bank accounts frozen, he had been bored to death. If not for this visit to the old residence, he wouldn't have found a way to escape.

But as he observed Adrian and Sara, he thought this visit was definitely worthwhile.

Grandma Blake led Sara to sit down on the sofa, engaging in some casual conversation with Zelda . Sara listened with a soft smile, occasionally nodding or replying.

Adrian sat on a nearby sofa, keeping a polite distance from Sara, though the air of estrangement between them seemed to have lessened.

Zelda discreetly observed the couple, noting their subtle interactions.

Meanwhile, Kyle tried to join the conversation, only to be scolded again by his mother. The room was filled with laughter and lively chatter. Seeing her children and grandchildren together brought joy to Grandma Blake's heart, her eyes crinkling with happiness.

Just as everyone was laughing at something Kyle had said, a teasing voice came from outside, "Looks like we're late to the party!"