Chapter 34: A Twist of Fate

Chapter 34: A Twist of Fate

Lydia Moore was suddenly pushed away from the counter, stumbling several steps back. By the time she regained her balance, her aunt and uncle were standing right in front of her, and behind them were Julian Reed and a young girl whom Lydia vaguely recognized.

Her aunt stepped forward and took Lydia's hand, introducing her, "This is my son, Julian. He's in the same school as you. And this is Jenny Lin; you two met three years ago."

Julian Reed is her aunt's son? Lydia was taken aback, unable to believe such a coincidence could occur in the world. However, his gentle and kind nature must have been inherited from his parents; no wonder she felt so at ease and familiar with him.

Julian Reed was just as surprised.

He had heard from his parents that Uncle Luo's daughter was studying at Sakura Academy, but he never had the opportunity to seek her out. He never imagined that Uncle Luo's daughter would turn out to be Lydia Moore. He had already been fond of this music-loving, naturally cheerful girl, and this coincidence only deepened his admiration for her. It also made him even more convinced that Jenny Lin could move past her painful memories, and he felt an inexplicable joy at the thought.

With a sincere smile, he said to her, "I never expected you to be Uncle Luo's daughter. It's a pleasure to meet you again." His brow radiated a faint, noble light, making people irresistibly drawn to his pure and gentle presence.

"The pleasure is mine, Julian," Lydia Moore responded with a heartfelt smile. She then turned her gaze to the little girl standing next to Julian, who was nervously lowering her head, too frightened to meet Lydia's eyes. Lydia's gaze softened. She knelt down to meet her eye level, gently pinched her pale cheeks, and said with a smile, "It's been three years, and Jenny Lin has become even more beautiful, but it seems you've lost some weight. Little girls should be chubby to be cute, you know." Her voice was soft and gentle, like a refreshing stream flowing gently through the air.

Three years ago, at her father's funeral, Jenny Lin had locked herself in a room out of guilt and refused to see Lydia. To think that she still hadn't walked out of that shadow even now… Lydia couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache as she thought of all the pressure Jenny must have endured over these three years. She pulled the frail girl into a tight embrace, gently stroking her long hair.

Suddenly, tears that Jenny Reed had held back for so long began to spill from her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Lydia's neck and cried out loudly, "I'm sorry, Lydia. It's all Jenny's fault. It's all my fault."

"Don't be silly! It's all in the past," Lydia said, wiping the tears from Jenny's cheeks without a trace of blame in her voice. "I never blamed you. In my heart, I've always seen you as my own sister, so how could I blame you? But you have to promise me, from now on, to listen to your mom, dad, and brother, and to be happy every day, okay?" She affectionately tapped Jenny's nose and made funny faces, trying to coax a smile from the little girl.

What is happening here? Did that girl do something wrong? Aaron King stared at the scene before him, still in shock. But before he could process it, Lydia's aunt's voice reached his ears. "When Jenny was little, her father and I were busy running the company and didn't spend much time with her. After Julian went abroad for his studies, Jenny became more and more withdrawn. Three years ago, after witnessing a terrible argument between her father and me, she ran to the beach intending to take her own life. Fortunately, Lydia's father saved her, but…"

Her aunt's eyes welled up with tears as she choked on her words, "But her father drowned in the process. Ever since then, Jenny has believed that she was responsible for his death and has been unable to face Lydia or her mother. After that incident, her father and I learned a lot and have always felt guilty towards Lydia."

"We later ended our business and bought this bakery that Lydia's father used to run, hoping to continue his dream of bringing happiness to everyone who eats his cakes. The bakery is named 'Sprite' because sprites are closer to people than angels; they can bring happiness to everyone. Lydia is a kind child. From the day her father had his accident until now, she has never blamed us. Instead, she's treated us like family. I'm very grateful to her and her father; they taught me that family happiness is something money can never buy."

She's been through so much… Aaron King's fingers curled slightly as he gazed at Lydia Moore's profile as she made funny faces, not daring to believe how much pain was hidden behind her bright smile.

In his memory, she had always maintained a radiant, cheerful smile. No matter how others treated her, she never got angry, only shrugged helplessly before laughing it off alone. Stubbornly wanting to bring happiness and smiles to everyone while never considering her own feelings—was that what made her a sprite? But to him, she seemed like… a fool.

Under Lydia Moore's barrage of funny faces, Jenny Reed, who had been crying uncontrollably, finally broke into a smile, her expression as clear and pure as crystal. Lydia's aunt and uncle stood by, their eyes red with emotion but their faces glowing with the happiest smiles. Julian Reed watched her quietly, his eyes shining like dazzling silver gems.

The customers in the bakery, though unaware of what had transpired, couldn't help but smile along as they saw the little girl's face light up. They were all deeply moved by the kindness of the girl making funny faces.

The atmosphere in the bakery was warm and filled with affection. Outside the window, within the white picket fence, yellow and white chrysanthemums bloomed with intricate, pure white or bright yellow petals, soaking up the fresh air with each gentle breath.