Chapter 23

Nina was so overjoyed that she didn't know what to do. Clutching the travel documents, she wiped her tears, but they kept falling. She laughed and cried all at once, taking a moment to pull herself together. It was obvious who had left the documents there. For a moment, her heart twisted with a mess of emotions. She sat on the tree trunk in a daze, not bothering to climb back up to her room. Instead, she slid down and landed in the front yard. Fortunately, the Lawson residence was empty. She rushed to the backyard, a quiet spot rarely visited except by the occasional gardener. By the edge of the loveliest flower bed, Yvan sat on the grass. This place had once been their secret hideout. The flower bed sat right below what used to be Nina's room—now Wendy's. The day Wendy returned, she threw out all of Nina's things without a second thought. When Nina stepped into view, Yvan shot to his feet, his eyes brimming with astonished delight. "I'm glad you'd still see me," he said. "Thank