Chapter 154

She was dressed plainly in coarse, homespun clothes, yet every one of her movements seemed imbued with an innate elegance and composure. Most striking were her almond-shaped eyes; clear and pure, as dazzling as the brightest stars in the night sky, or as pristine as a mountain stream. At this moment, Cade finally understood why his mother was so convinced that Willow was not a bad person. How could a person full of scheming plots and intrigue have such clear eyes? In fact, had he walked a couple more steps that night to meet this young girl, he would never have believed the lies Isla and the others told. "Uncle?" Hearing Willow's call again, Cade snapped back to reality. The flash of shame on his face was fleeting, followed by a benevolent smile, "You must be comrade Willow. Do you remember a few days ago at the state-owned restaurant, you gave an old lady a jar of jam?" Willow recalled the instance immediately. The old lady had reminded her of her own grandmother. She quickly nodded a