Chapter 553
She could barely remember her name, but such etiquette was still etched deep in Penny’s bones.
“Madam, make yourself at home. Let’s talk inside.”
Olivia scanned the area casually. It was her first time coming to this loft.
Ethan pointed at a nearby guest room. “I asked Madam Burgess to clean that room. Mrs. Durst can stay there for the moment. If she lives under the same roof with you, she might be able to remember sooner.”
“Okay.”
“Let her get used to the place for a few days. I’ll ask someone to give her a thorough medical checkup after that.”
“Thanks.” Olivia had been giving him an aloof attitude as though they were neighbors.
Ethan sighed helplessly, knowing that this would last for a while.
“You should get some rest, Liv. You’re not fully recovered yet. From today onward, I’ll ask someone to come over to treat your hand.
“As for your father, there’s a medical team checking on him 24/7. Don’t worry, nothing will happen.”
Olivia couldn’t pick any fault out of his arrangements.
It was a long journey traveling to Mona’s hometown for her funeral. In addition to her restless sleep last night, Olivia felt exhausted.
She informed Madam Burgess about something before returning to her room to get some rest.
The sky was dark when she woke up. Ethan was working in the study room.
Madam Burgess and Penny were getting along well as they started sewing soles together.
“Mrs. Durst, your eyesight is perfectly fine. You’re in your 80s, and yet you can still sew perfectly!”
“Not to toot my own horn, but I’m the best seamstress in the village. Back in the past, the villagers always handed their clothes to me.
“When I moved to the city, I started learning the trendy designs.
“Ms. Nat-the miss I served-is pretty and young! The material and designs she wore were always the best,” Penny claimed proudly.
Olivia approached her. “Mrs. Durst, where did you and Ms. Nat live back then?”
“No. 23, Warlot Street.”
“Which Warlot Street? Could you be more specific? What is Ms. Nat’s actual name?”
Penny scratched her head. “I can’t remember. I’m old, and I can’t remember a lot of things.
“I do remember that there was a huge cherry tree in the yard. When it was the season, Ms. Nat would always pluck them herself. Then, we made cherry jam from them. Desserts are her favorite.”
“What is her name?”
“I don’t know. Back then, I wandered along the streets with a group of refugees all the way from home. Life was hard. I was close to starvation.
“Ms. Nat pitied me, so she brought me back. She was pregnant at that time. And I started looking after her.”
“What about her husband?”
“She never mentioned him. I asked a few times, but she didn’t say anything.
“So, I didn’t ask about him as time pa*sed. I don’t know where her origin was. Her accent wasn’t local. She’s the prettiest and most graceful woman I’ve ever met.”
“What happened next? Where did Ms. Nat go?”
Penny sighed. “War was common during those years. I headed outside to buy her favorite sweets, but a war broke out in the city.
“The traitors ma*sacred the city. Ms. Nat and her son went missing.
“The valuables in the house were stolen. I was able to survive because I hid in a well. I searched for her for months, but there was no news of her.
“She might’ve been… After all, she was pretty. No man would let her go.”
She began recollecting her memories with Ms. Nat, but there weren’t many useful leads.
After all, Penny was illiterate, and she came from a village. She didn’t understand anything.
That so-called Ms. Nat was a mysterious woman. She was all alone with a kid, and her husband was nowhere to be seen. No one knew of her origin either.
Olivia knew that she shouldn’t rush things. She comforted Penny before going to the study, where Ethan was busy with his work.
Olivia gave him the new leads. “No. 23, Warlot Street. There was a huge cherry tree in the yard. Would you be able to find this place?”
It seems Ethan only ever married Olivia to take revenge for what happened to his little sister. While Olivia is plagued by her sickness, he holds her chin and says coldly, “This is what your family owes me.” Now, she has no family and no future.
Her father becomes comatose after a car accident, leaving her with nothing to live for. Thus, she hurls herself from a building. “The life my family owes will now be repaid.” At this, Ethan, who’s usually calm, panics while begging for Olivia to come back as if he’s in a state of frenzy …
