Chapter 54: Growing Bonds

The halls of the newly established Fairchild-Thorne Academy were alive with the sound of laughter and learning. What had once been a dream shared between Eleanor and Victor was now a thriving reality—dozens of children, many of whom had never held a book before, now sat at desks with eager eyes, soaking in knowledge.

James Fairchild stood at the front of a small classroom, his sleeves rolled up as he guided a group of boys through a lesson on arithmetic. His easy demeanour made the most difficult sums feel conquerable, and when one child hesitantly solved a problem correctly, James ruffled the boy’s hair with a proud grin.

Across the hall, Amelia Thorne sat among a group of young girls, teaching them to read. She had always dreamed of being a teacher, and now, seeing the way the children hung on her every word, she knew this was exactly where she was meant to be.