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    Christine made the decision to leave Vista Town with Merritt, not out of a profound trust for him, but because she suddenly felt that even living in Elmwood Vis wouldn''t shield her from bumping into Dailey.


    She knew Gregory wouldn''t be a solid barrier against Dailey. He always seemed to enjoy watching the drama unfold from a safe distance, asionally stirring the pot just to see what would happen. He liked to pacify Jane without really taking sides.


    So, she wanted to put some distance between herself and the whole situation.


    Of course, there was another reason for apanying Merritt to his hometown. She wanted to uncover the truth about that night. She could wait for Dailey to finish his investigation, but who knew how long that would take. She felt Merritt wanted to tell her; he just had his reservations. Once they were in his hometown, she nned to coax it out of him.


    Mistwood was a picturesque andfortable city.


    Merritt was returning home because his grandmother''s illness had taken a turn for the worse. The olddy wanted to spend herst days in her hometown. Plus, the movie he was working on had some scenes to shoot in Mistwood.


    Vista Town was on the cusp of winter, while Mistwood still retained its warmth. Aside from the chilly mornings and evenings, sitting out in the courtyard under the midday sun was a delightfully warm experience.


    Helena, Merritt''s grandmother, had already left the house when Christine woke up. Merritt must have gone off to shoot his scenes. The trust they ced in her was surprising, but then again, their cozy home, despite its beauty andfort, had little of material value to tempt a thief.


    "Sweetie,"


    Helena walked in, "I dug up some sweet potatoes and mushrooms. How about I make us some mushroom soup and bake these sweet potatoes for lunch?"


    The countryside had its charms, and Helena''s cooking on the wood-fired stove was one of them. The stove''s design allowed for cooking on top while baking sweet potatoes underneath, filling the air with a delightful aroma.


    Christine reminisced about her own childhood which, despite its hardships, included simr moments of warmth shared with a neighborly grandmother who cooked in much the same way.


    "I''ll help you," she offered.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Helena brought in the mushrooms and sweet potatoes, and by the time they reached the kitchen, Christine had already got the fire started.


    Helena''s impression of Christine had primarilye from Merritt''s descriptions. Now that she had


    l.n


    given up on treatment to spend herst days back home, she was getting to know Christine firsthand. The girl''s genuine kindness and savvy, yet unworldly nature


    impressed her. It was clear why her grandson was so fond of Christine.


    "Merritt always tells me he made a mistake that hurt someone''s trust," Helena shared as they prepared the meal. "I''ve told him to clear the air, to apologize and seek forgiveness, but he says the time isn''t right to tell the truth Sweetie, in all these years, you''re the only one who seems to truly care for Merritt. If you know something, could you share it with me? I''ve only got Merritt, and I can''t bear to see him unhappy."


    Christine believed in keeping things separate. Merritt might have erred, but that was no reason to involve his grandmother. Besides, Helena was kind and caring, never prying into Christine''s past, always making her feel wee and well-fed.


    Facing her own mortality without bitterness or me, Helena still treated the world with kindness. But everyone''s timees, and not everyone can stay forever.


    Christine decided to be honest.


    After hearing everything, Helena said, "Merritt was wrong in this matter. Sweetie, when hees back, I''ll talk to him. He needs to apologize to you and tell you everything about that night, every little detail."


    Christine nodded, "Thank you, Grandma."


    "I''m ashamed to have raised a grandson who''s lost his way."