The contrast between the two couldn't be more striking.
After gobbling down her breakfast, Morwenna hopped on the bus to Windcharm Villas.
As soon as she arrived at the local farmers' market, she greeted everyone she passed with a bright smile.
Her presence seemed to inject a lively buzz into the otherwise busy and mundane atmosphere of the market.
It was as if she had this invisible power to spread vitality around her.
From a distance, she waved and called out, "Mr. White and Mrs. White, I'm back!"
Mrs. White was in the middle of scolding Mr. White but didn't hesitate to retort to Morwenna, "We're not short-handed here. Why rush back?"
Morwenna was used to Mrs. White's rough-around-the-edges way but she knew she meant well, so she didn't let it bother her.
She slipped on an apron and hustled over to help with the fish delivery. "Mrs. White, let me handle this! You shouldn't strain yourself. Mr. White hired help so you could rest. Now that I'm back, you should take it easy."
"You and your sweet talk won't get you any special favors," Mrs. White grumbled, but she stuffed a boiled egg into Morwenna's pocket anyway. "I can't eat this. Make sure you're well-fed for the work." Mrs. White was always a bit contrary.
She had once offered fish to Morwenna under the pretense that they were nearly dead and worthless.
Morwenna, who loved eggs, beamed and said, "Thank you, Mrs. White, you're kind."
That only made Mrs. White more flustered.
Mr. White chuckled quietly at the scene.
Working at the market was tough, but Morwenna truly enjoyed it.
After the morning rush, she usually finished her rounds by noon and could clock out.
While checking the delivery orders, her smile faltered when she saw a request from District One.
What was Stuart up to now?
She wasn't keen on seeing him.
She was uncertain how to face Stuart but thinking of his recent injuries, Morwenna decided she should go.
After all, she needed to pick up some of her things from Windcharm Villas too.
Stuart hadn't left his house all morning.
He spent hours poring over the data streaming in on his computer about Morwenna's background.
At five, her mother passed away, and her father disappeared.
The village tried to contact her maternal grandparents who declared her a financial burden and refused to take her in.
An aunt living in the next town over also declined, saying she had no time for a burden.
No one wanted her.
The village head had no choice but to organize some support from the community.
From the age of five, Morwenna had lived on her own.
Even with some help, surviving was a daily struggle for such a young child.
At eight, she met a teacher named Melvin who helped her attend school.
The details were meticulous and clear, documenting how a five-year-old managed to survive on her own.
They also detailed her chance encounter with Norbert.
After reading her file, Stuart felt perplexed.
Despite her hardships, how could she still smile so brightly?
She strove to learn, grateful to everyone who helped her, yet she harbored no bitterness toward her misfortunes.
Could such people really exist?
If it weren't for Stuart's investigation, he would never believe it.
But now, he believed Morwenna a little.
If Norbert knew of Stuart's change of heart, he'd probably cry from relief.
Though it was just a little faith, to Stuart, that was significant.
Meanwhile, Morwenna had finished her other deliveries and arrived at District One.
Standing at the gate, she sighed. Interacting with Stuart always felt pressured.
His unpredictability made her anxious.
If you replace any errors (non-standard content, ads redirect, broken links, etc..), Please let us know so we can fix it as soon as possible.
Report