Chapter 222 Are You Missing Hayden?
Albert hadn't been back to the old Valdemar house in years. As a child, he and David had spent countless weekends and holidays there.
Albert headed straight to the back garden. As soon as he stepped in, the sweet smell of flowers hit him.
He was about to turn around to look for Cheryl and Yvette when he heard a soft gasp.
It was Yvette's voice, gentle and clear.
Albert looked up just in time to see Yvette accidentally bump into a blooming tree. She looked up, and white and pink petals started to drift down around her.
Some petals fell to the ground, while others landed on Yvette's dress and hair.
Yvette was wearing a snug white dress today. When the petals landed on her, it made her simple and elegant dress look even more stunning.
For a moment, Yvette seemed to be in a dreamy filter, bathed in the warm sunlight, making everything look beautiful and peaceful.
Albert stopped in his tracks, momentarily lost in thought.
Just then, a male voice came from behind, snapping Albert out of it.
David said, "Albert, you're here?"
Albert instinctively frowned. Before he could look away, Yvette also looked up at the sound of David's voice.
Their eyes met in the flower-scented air, with the afternoon sunlight between them.
The sun lit up Yvette's profile, making Albert squint a bit from the brightness. Her big, bright eyes were looking over, with a slight sparkle in them.
Yvette's expression shifted from surprise to awkwardness, bringing Albert back to reality.
He tried to play it cool and looked away, saying, "Yeah."
After that, Albert walked over to Yvette. He stopped in front of her, acting like nothing happened, and asked with a straight face, "Where's Cheryl?"
Yvette brushed off the petals on her dress and replied, "Cheryl's resting in the pavilion. I went to get her some water."
Yvette looked down at the petals on her dress, while Albert kept staring at a pink petal on her head. The petal was a bit misshapen, looking like a heart.
Albert frowned, his hand twitching slightly as he fought the urge to reach out and remove the petal for her.
"Got it," Albert said in a low voice and then turned to walk towards the pavilion.
When Albert reached the pavilion, he saw Cheryl leaning back, her eyes half-closed as she took in the scenery.
The pavilion was shaded from the sun, and a gentle breeze made it nice and cool. Albert walked over and sat down next to Cheryl. "Are you missing Hayden?"
Cheryl turned her gaze back and smiled, saying, "After living together for so many years, how could I not?"
Albert didn't say anything, just raised his hand to pat Cheryl's back twice before pulling it away.
Cheryl glanced back at Albert and grabbed his hand. Albert frowned and pulled away, clearly annoyed.
Knowing Albert's temperament, Cheryl wasn't bothered and just smiled. Albert had always had a bad temper, the most stubborn of her grandchildren. But Hayden had been the same, and both she and Hayden had loved that about him.
He wasn't great with comforting words, but he could read their emotions well. Just those two pats on her back had completely lifted Cheryl's spirits.
It was a simple gesture, but it always made her feel better. Cheryl thought it wasn't just because they were family, but also because they had a bit of an unspoken understanding.
David walked over and asked, "Grandma, are you warm?"
"Not really," Cheryl smiled and made some room for David. "Sit here."
"Okay," David said with a gentle smile and sat down.
Cheryl sat between David and Albert, just like when they were kids.
But things weren't the same anymore.
Albert stood up reluctantly and said, "I'll go see why Yvette hasn't brought the water yet."
Yvette had fetched the water and asked a servant for a fan, planning to head to the pavilion.
But the mansion was pretty big, and after a few steps, Yvette wasn't sure if she had taken a wrong turn or missed a path, and she couldn't find the pavilion where Cheryl was sitting.
Yvette was about to ask someone for directions when she bumped into Albert while passing through a cluster of flowers.
The solid chest and familiar scent made Yvette's body instantly tense.
Yvette looked up and met Albert's gaze from above.
The sun wasn't too strong, but standing under it for too long still made Yvette feel a slight burning sensation on her skin.
Her cheeks also felt a bit hot, and she quickly stepped back from his embrace.
Yvette's mind flashed to the image of him sleeping peacefully last night. She bit her lip and apologized, "Sorry, I accidentally bumped into you."
Albert frowned and said, "What are you doing here?"
Yvette's face showed a hint of embarrassment. "I was trying to find the right path."
"Follow me," Albert said and turned around.
Yvette, holding the cup and fan, followed behind Albert.
She looked up at his broad back and long legs. Maybe it was the environment, but Yvette felt a sense of calm between them that hadn't been there for a long time.
Even though they were both silent, the tense atmosphere was gone, making Yvette feel much more at ease.
Back at the pavilion, Yvette opened the cup lid and handed it to Cheryl. "It's hot outside; you should drink more water."
Cheryl took it, drinking while looking at Albert.
Yvette raised the fan in her hand and fanned Cheryl. Cheryl tilted her chin towards Albert and asked Yvette, "Did you get lost?"
Yvette nodded. "Yes, I remembered the route when I went, but all the paths in the garden look similar, so I didn't know where I ended up."
"Albert brought you here?" Cheryl asked.
"Yes," Yvette answered.
"No wonder," Cheryl chuckled. "He said he was going to find you, but it took him this long. I figured you must have gotten lost."
Hearing this, Yvette didn't react much, but Albert immediately spoke up in defense.
His voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction. "She took so long just to get a cup of water."
David explained, "The paths in the back garden are confusing. Albert and I used to get lost all the time when we were kids. Hayden and Cheryl would have to call us in for meals."
Yvette was a bit surprised and asked, "You needed to be called in for meals? I thought you were always the one rounding everyone up for dinner."
After speaking, Yvette suddenly froze, looking up in a panic and meeting Albert's probing gaze.
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