Chapter 7

With the sale of the house finally sorted, Vanessa let out a sigh of relief. The weight on her shoulders felt lighter in an instant. As she signed the contract, she noticed that the property handover date coincided exactly with her departure date. That worked perfectly—she wouldn't have to explain anything to Keanu and Seamus. When she signed her name, a sense of liberation washed over her. Everything would be over soon. Only one final task remained. Vanessa went to the mall. After carefully selecting a massage device and a pair of emerald bracelets, she headed to Maya's house. As soon as she entered, Maya hugged Vanessa tightly. "Nessa, I'll miss you dearly. You've been in Xerton for so many years; I've come to see you as my daughter. I don't know how I'll get used to you being gone." Maya sighed, wiping her eyes and holding Vanessa's hand tightly. Vanessa couldn't help feeling emotional. Still, she managed a smile as she comforted her. "Aunt Maya, I'll miss you too, but we're family, and with planes and trains, it'll be easy to visit. I'll come see you for New Year's." Maya knew this made sense, so she slowly pushed aside her sadness, guiding Vanessa to the couch. "Sit tight, now. After knowing you're leaving, I took a few days off just so you could stay here for a bit. I'll cook all your favorite dishes!" Without giving Vanessa a chance to refuse, Maya went to the kitchen, preparing a few of Vanessa's favorite dishes and bringing them out with a smile. Seeing Maya busying herself, Vanessa couldn't help but smile. She gave in, agreeing to stay a few days to keep Maya company. When it finally came to the time when she could no longer postpone her departure, Vanessa had to say goodbye with a heavy heart. "Aunt Maya, I have to go now. In three days, I'll be heading back to Jirphia to get married." Maya held back her tears and nodded repeatedly, pressing an envelope of cash into Vanessa's hands. "I have three surgeries to perform that day. Lives are at stake. I'm afraid I can't make it to your wedding," she explained. "But this is my blessing for you, Nessa. You have to be happy." Vanessa's eyes reddened as she respectfully accepted the gift. "I will, Aunt Maya. Grandpa chose this person for me; you can trust it'll be alright." Just then, the elevator doors opened, and Keanu and Seamus stepped out on either side of Hannah. They were greeted by the sight of Vanessa, eyes red, saying her farewells to Maya. An inexplicable heaviness settled in both their chests as they instinctively asked, "Nessa, Aunt Maya, why are you two crying?" Seeing them, Vanessa quickly wiped her eyes and calmly replied, "It's nothing. I haven't seen Aunt Maya in a while. I'm just sad to say goodbye." Hearing this, Keanu and Seamus sighed with relief, their tension melting away. "Well, we're all in Xerton, so it's not like you're far. You can visit her anytime." Seeing them still in the dark about Vanessa's marriage, Maya wondered if they would be devastated once they finally learned the truth. She seemed like she had something to say, but just as she was about to speak, Vanessa quickly changed the subject. "What brings you all here?" she asked, looking at Hannah. Coming back to their senses, Keanu and Seamus exchanged slightly flustered glances before each hurriedly explained, "It's Independence Day today. Hannah was feeling a bit lonely, so we thought she could celebrate with us." "Yeah, don't get the wrong idea. We tried calling you, but you didn't pick up." They seemed anxious, likely because, in previous years, both had vied for the chance to take Vanessa home for Independence Day. This holiday, symbolizing unity, was a meaningful occasion, and inviting someone over on it meant they were considered family. Vanessa had always found herself caught in the middle, going first to the Lowe residence and then to the Klein residence. But this year, Keanu and Seamus had chosen to bring Hannah home instead. It was clear what that implied. However, Vanessa didn't say anything about it. She merely replied, "Alright, I understand. That's nice. You all enjoy yourselves; I'll go back to finish packing." With that, she turned to leave, intending to catch her ride. But just then, both Keanu and Seamus called out in unison. "Nessa!"