Chapter 407 Grace Faces Mockery
Unaware of Shane's subtle reaction to her sketches, Grace was, bursting with pride, launched into an explanation of her work.
"Grandpa, we were assigned to explore ‘affection'the theme of affection in our project. Love, as an affection, binds hearts, so I created this ‘'arrow through the heart' necklace. Pretty creative, don't you think?"
Shane; "...??" was speechless.
Misinterpreting his silence, Grace thought he didn't grasp her idea and continued, "It's an arrow linking two hearts together, a symbol of unwavering love. It's meaningful, right?"
Shane couldn't bear to crush her eager spirit with the critique that lingered on his lips,.
bBut he wasn't capable of giving false praise either.
Finally, hHe managed a strained smile, patting her head with affection,. "You have quite the imagination,. kKeep it up!"."
To say he wasn't disappointed would be a lie, b.
But even that disappointmenthe was something to buriedy it deep inside.
Grace , oblivious to the half-heartedness of his words, nodded happily,. "I'll work hard, gGrandpa,; I won't let you down."
Ariel, supporting Shane, was speechless.
Honestly.
This design... um...
It was, toTo put it kindly, it was marginally better than something a grade-schooler might craft.
The composition was one thing, b.
But the idea, the concept, was so clichéd.
Arrow through the heart – Yyou could find that sort of necklace theme at any street vendor;.
it was hHardly worth showcasing.
Yet, nNot wanting to dampen her sister'scousin's enthusiasm, Ariel kept her critique to herself, saying nothing.
Shane wanted to laugh, but it wouldn't come out; he just nodded and moved on to Patricia's side.
The momentWhen he saw Patricia'sher design, his eyes clearly lit up with amazement.
Not just Shane, evenEven Ariel's eyes widened in disbelief.
Patricia had also made a necklace.
Her design was simple, direct, and bold.
aggressive. She had crafted the word ‘'love' in an artistic font, e.
Encircled by tiny diamonds., Tthe piece radiated the creator's heartfelt emotion.
Beyond that, it was unornamented.
"DeborahLaura..."
Hearing the name called out, Patricia looked up with a smile and said, "JustPlease just call me Patricia, please!." I prefer being addressed by my first name."
Each time thate name 'Deborah' 'Laura' was mentioned, it conjured up images of Hunter, that devilmonster.
It made her feel sick.
Ariel, indifferent to formalities, chuckled before continuing,. "Patricia, did you come up with this design yourself?"
Though it wasn't the polite way to askphrase it.
But, she was genuinely curious.
Sensing something off in her tone, Grace sidled up to Patricia as well and glanced down at the sketch, with a pouting and an air of disdain.
"You were supposed to design something about 'affection.'affection. Don't you think your piece is a bit half-hearted?"
Shane and Ariel both shot Grace a look.
Shane , with his affection, was a bit disappointed but didn't show it.
Ariel's gaze, on the other hand, was much more straightforward.
"I think we should hear what Patricia has to saysays," Ariel suggestedsaid.
Jeremy, unableUnable to resist his own curiosity, Jeremy leaned in to take a look at Patricia's design and, not quite understanding it, asked, "Patricia, Ccan you explain why you designed it this way, Patricia?"
Bernice also approached and glanced at Patriciaher, signaling her to go ahead and speak up.
With a nod, Patricia nodded and began tracing her delicate fingers over the sketch while she explained.
"I believe 'affection' encompasses many aspects; it's not just about romantic love, but also familial love, friendship, gratitude, and so much moreetc!. The most direct way to express your emotions to someone is to tell them, to let them know. Jewelry design can't always revolve around romance; that's too limiting. It should be all-encompassing, embodying all forms of affection."
Her words, indeed, overturned Grace's previous statement and smacked Grace's face, so to speak. Yet, everyone seemed to think Patricia had a point.
Smacked Grace's face, so to speak.
And yet, everyone seemed to think Patricia had a point.
Without hesitation, Ariel expressed her admiration, "What are you, in your twenties?" Ariel said. "It's rare to meet someone your age so clear-sighted. Most are still hung up on romance."
Her words weren't aimed at Grace.
But, but when Grace heard them, she took them as a jab at herself.
Even Jeremy, who had always been supportive and dotingof Grace, clapped and cheered,. "Patricia, your design philosophy is brilliant!. When I heard about this exam topic, my mind went blank, and yet here you've thought of so much. Amazing."
Shane had been silent all this while. His eyes were slightly red-rimmed. He couldn't believe it, but there it was again—his daughter's reflection flickering across Patricia's face.
His eyes were slightly red-rimmed.
He couldn't believe it, but there it was again - her daughter's reflection flickering across Patricia's face.
The way she spoke, ther tone, her expressions, and the lively sparkle that lit up her eyes when she talked about her work - it was all so eerily reminiscent of Elise.
For one confounding moment, he couldn't tell if it was Patricia was standing before him or his daughter, Elise.
"Miss Watson truly has a remarkable talent for jewelry design," they said. "With the right guidance, she's destined to shine bright like a star."
As everyone heaped praise on Patricia, Grace's eyes burned with envy. Her gaze, fixed on Patricia, was venomous like a snake's - reminiscent of a snake lurking in the shadows.
The exam had concluded.
Without a doubt, Patricia had earned stellar approval from the teacher.
And when When Shane checked in again, his admiration for Patricia was generous and unequivocal.
This bred a seed of hatred in Grace's heart.
Half a month whisked by in no time.
Sometimes, Patricia would visit Hunter in the hospital to avoid arousing any suspicion from in the Koch family. These However, these were mere gestures; she'd sit for a momentbriefly and then leave without exchanging a single wordwords with him.
Hunter tried to strike up several conversations several times, but Patricia wouldn't engage. She just stood on the balcony, gazing outside.
Hunter's recovery was slower than anticipated. His head still felt dizzy at times. The fracture in his arm was severe, so; he couldn't move it at all. Despite his frustration, he was helplessHowever, he was utterly helpless in changing the situation.
His head still felt dizzy at times.
The fracture in his arm was severe; he couldn't move it at all.
Despite his frustration, he was helpless.
TodayThat day was the Koch family's gathering reunion day.
Mr. LangleyShane was advancing in age, and .
And with the kids all busy with their own careers, it was rare to see each other even once a week.
To maintain their close ties, they established a rule; to have of having a family dinner at the end of every month. No matter how busy they were, everyone was expected to drop what they were doing and come home to for reunitea reunion.
Patricia felt out of place at such an event.
But, but after persistent urging from Shane and Riley, she reluctantly agreed to attend.
They all sat together, chatting about everything under the sun.
After lunch, Riley, Jeremy, and Sebastian sat down for a game of poker with Mr. Langleyto play poker with Shane, with Miles acting as his strategist. On the other hand, Ariel was engrossed in a deep conversation with Brooke, and Kevin went back to his room to nap.
Kevin Koch went back to his room to sleep.
Meanwhile, Ariel was deep in conversation with Brooke.
And Miles sat next to Shane, acting as his strategist...
Feeling stifledsuffocated indoors, Patricia stepped out for someoutside to breathe fresh air, wandering and unconsciously wandered into the garden.
Winter was on the doorstep; t.
The once vibrant flowers had withered away, leaving only the laurels and cedars, which stood resilient in the cold.
Bored and aimless, Patricia was about to check her phone when someone suddenly caught her wrist....
Chapter408
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