Never Too Far Novel

Chapter 1501-1510

When Ellen returned home, she was hesitant to turn on the lights. As the light was dim, she turned on anightlight and began cleaning the house. After Jessica informed her that macaroni and cheese wouldbe on the menu for dinner that day, she retrieved a box from the back of the cupboard and set it to boil.

One of Jessica’s favorite pastimes was chatting with the other retirees in her neighborhood. Hence, shewould return by 6.00PM, and Ellen would prepare dinner in advance while she awaited her return.

After Ellen had finished setting the table with the cutlery, Jessica returned home. She had turned sixty-six, and despite her silver hair and wrinkled face, she was full of life and vitality.

“Ellie, is dinner ready?”

“Grandma, did anything interesting happen today?” While cooking the macaroni, Ellen engaged her inconversation.

Jessica happily filled her in on the local tidbits, such as which family had been childless for yearsdespite being married and whose daughter-in-law was going through a divorce. Ellen found it enjoyableto converse with her because she knew it would help Jessica’s memory and slow the progression ofher dementia.

On the other hand, Ellen mentioned how she had met Selena earlier that day at the cafe. When Jessicaheard that, she let out a sigh of sympathy for Ellen. Both Selena and Ellen were around the same age,but Selena had the privileged life of a wealthy daughter while Ellen was forced to make do with less.

“Ellie, please hear me out on this.”

“What is it?”

“If I pass away someday, you ought to look for your uncle and move in with them.” When Ellen returned home, she was hesitant to turn on the lights. As the light was dim, she turned on a

nightlight and began cleaning the house. After Jessica informed her that macaroni and cheese wouldbe on the menu for dinner that day, she retrieved a box from the back of the cupboard and set it to boil.

“Grandma, what are you saying? You have a long life ahead of you.” Ellen hurriedly stopped her fromcontinuing.

“Grandma, what are you saying? You have a long life ahead of you.” Ellen hurriedly stopped her fromcontinuing.

Jessica chuckled. “I meant “if”, silly. So, remember to go live with your uncle when the time comes.”

“Uncle Connor has his own family. I can’t live with them anymore.” Ellen had never considered thepossibility of such a scenario.

“It’s better to be turned down than to have nobody to rely on. After all, Connor is your uncle, so he willnot leave you alone,” Jessica spoke firmly. She was getting on in years, so naturally, she wasconcerned about Ellen.

Ellen’s eyes turned misty as she nodded. “Okay.”

“If there’s one thing you’re not good at, it’s winning over others. If you spent more time with your uncle,you wouldn’t have to suffer alongside me.”

Ellen pursed her lips, knowing that Jessica had suggested that for her own good, but she was contentwith her current situation.

“Grandma, this month I was awarded a bonus. So, let me take you out for a delicious meal.”

“Nah. You need to put that cash aside for a rainy day. Then, when you marry, you will need a dowry!”Jessica laughed.

Ellen’s pretty face flushed. “Grandma, it’s too soon for me to marry!”

“I hope I live long enough to witness your wedding. I’m curious what kind of boy you’ll marry.”

A deeper flush of redness spread across Ellen’s face. “Grandma, hurry and eat your dinner before itgets cold!”

Meanwhile, at Aguirre Residence, Olivia bought a new set of clothes and wore them to show herhusband. However, Connor seemed distracted, and without even looking at her, he said, “You lookgreat in them, but you shouldn’t go out and spend so much money on clothing.”

“Why not? I am delighted to spend it on them,” she snorted. She was frustrated by her husband’sinattention and asked, “What’s the matter with you lately?”

“I wonder if Ellie has been treated unfairly. My conscience is bothering me.”

Then, Olivia sneered, “What’s the use of being sorry?”

“We can make amends for her loss by providing financial assistance so that she does not have toendure as much suffering in her daily life.”

“No way. Life is what you make of it; unfortunately, Ellen’s life is destined to be difficult. Moreover, wehave no control over it,” Olivia stated sarcastically. “We have not yet secured a job for our daughter!”

“I called Mr. Wenlock, but he was away on business. When he returns, he will arrange a position forLena.”

Seeing how soft-hearted Connor was, she sat beside him and persuaded him, “Think about it, Connor.What if helping Ellen leads to her becoming entangled with our family? If you lend a hand to her once,she’ll be back for more. So, will she move in with us after the passing of Aunt Jessica? Worse yet, what

if she chooses to live off of us for the rest of her life? If you don’t give her money right now, you aretelling her we are not people she can rely on. There’s no harm in being ruthless sometimes, right?”

Connor was brainwashed time and time again by Olivia, and since he also valued profit, he ruthlesslyneglected his niece for years.

“Fine!” Connor had no choice but to listen to his wife and be ruthless.

Due to their conversation, Olivia was no longer interested in trying on clothes anymore, so she calledher daughter and reminded her to come home early.

Meanwhile, Selena was hanging out with a bunch of foreign friends in a high-end bar. Selena’s circle offriends were all rich kids in Averna who were open to meeting new people and going to parties.

In the blink of an eye, it had been a few days since Selena returned. Today, she and her friends madean appointment to visit the golf course where Ellen happened to be. She wasn’t here for fun. Instead,she was there as a cleaner. The daughter of Jessica’s good friend worked as a janitor here, but shewas hospitalized because she was not feeling well and couldn’t ask for leave, so Jessica asked Ellen tohelp her out for a few days.

Ellen had been working for two days in a row now, and she had also requested to take over the nightshift for her cafe job so that she could make time during the day. On this day, she wore the janitoruniform and a sun hat. No one could tell that she was just a young girl.

Just as she was cleaning a particular area, four fashionable young ladies walked toward her whilechatting. Ellen took a glimpse at them curiously before quickly recognizing Selena. At the same time,Selena turned in her direction, so Ellen called out to her, “Selena!” Connor was brainwashed time and time again by Olivia, and since he also valued profit, he ruthlesslyneglected his niece for years.

Selena was looking at the scenery at first, but she was startled by the sudden call of her name. Onlythen did her gaze fall on the janitor.

Selena was looking at the scenery at first, but she was startled by the sudden call of her name. Onlythen did her gaze fall on the janitor.

Surprisingly, the janitor turned out to be Ellen! Moreover, she was holding a garbage bag in one hand,while the other hand wearing gloves, and she was wearing an unfashionable sun hat. It was soembarrassing to watch.

“Do you know her, Lena?” one of the girls asked curiously and took a glance at Ellen. Since when didSelena have such a bum-looking relative?

Ellen felt the complicated gaze in Selena’s eyes as she looked at her. Thereafter, the latter smiled andreplied to her friend, “No, I don’t know her.”

Feeling as if she had been stabbed in the heart, Ellen hurriedly turned around to leave, not wanting toembarrass Selena.

Selena watched Ellen’s embarrassed back with a smile, and there was no trace of guilt in her eyes.Ellen almost made her lose pride in front of her friends, for goodness sake!

She used to brag in front of her friends that her family was all wealthy, so it did not make sense thatshe had a relative who worked as a janitor!

Just then, one of the girls covered her mouth and exclaimed, “Oh my! Look at that man! He’s sohandsome!”

The backs of two men were facing them, and the younger one resembled a prince under the morninglight.

His thick raven hair was brushed backward, revealing a flawless face and sharp features. He had thickbrows, a sharp nose, and beautiful lips. His overall temperament was elegant and charming.

Although they were nearly 30 feet away from him, all of them were in awe of the man’s good looks.Even Selena could feel her heart racing. Whether it was his temperament, figure, or his face, he washer ideal type.

“I wanna know him! Which family does he belong to?”

“I don’t think I have seen him before, but I can tell that he’s extremely well off.”

“He must belong to a higher class than us! How great would it be to know him? Why don’t we ask forhis phone number?” one of the girls suggested.

“Then let’s decide with a game!” The four girls were here to take pictures of the scenery so that theycould upload them online and maintain their perfect rich girl setup.

Eventually, Selena lost the game. She took a deep breath, and with eyes filled with ambition anddesire, she mused, If I get his number, I won’t share it with anyone else!

“I’m going over now,” she declared while combing her hair with her digits and checking her outfit. Onceshe was content with her preparations, she walked up to the two men.

Beside the young man stood a middle-aged man. The duo was playing golf while chatting away.

When Selena approached them, she heard the middle-aged man respectfully addressing the youngman, “Sir, it’s getting late. Shall we head back?”

“Sure. Let’s leave in a few minutes.” The man’s voice was crisp and clear, carrying a hint of masculinecharm.

After he swung the golf club, Selena approached him. The middle-aged man turned to look at her andasked, “Is something the matter, miss?”

“Well, my friends and I… made a bet. Whoever can get this young man’s number will win the game.May I ask… if you are willing to help me out, sir? Can I get your contact number, please?” As Selenaraised her head, she realized that the man had such a stunning face that she dared not look him in theeye. If she did so, her heart might beat even faster, and she might even risk stuttering in her speech.

Before the young man could reply, however, the middle-aged man rejected her request. “Sorry, miss.We cannot allow just anyone to have his phone number.”

Selena couldn’t help taking the opportunity to look at him and noticed that the collar of his white shirtwas unbuttoned, and the cuffs of his shirt were rolled up to the middle of the arms, which revealed hisfair and delicate skin. He had a pair of gleaming deep-set eyes, a sharp nose, and sexy lips. When allof those aspects were combined in one frame, he looked as perfect as a sculpture. Beside the young man stood a middle-aged man. The duo was playing golf while chatting away.

Without backing down, she boldly asked the man, “Sir, please. Please help me out!”

Without backing down, she boldly asked the man, “Sir, please. Please help me out!”

In response, the man took a glimpse at her and replied indifferently, “Sorry, I can’t.”

Even his voice is charming!

Though she was extremely disappointed by his response, she dared not act presumptuously anymore.She stared at the man greedily for a few seconds before turning around to leave.

“Let’s go, sir!” the middle-aged man initiated.

When Selena returned to her friends, she had to disappoint them by telling them that she couldn’t gethis number, so the girls became depressed as well. They just missed out on getting to know ahandsome man!

But Selena was even more disappointed because she had admired the man up close. The feeling shehad for him had intensified after their brief exchange.

He honestly looked straight out of a comic!

Ellen, on the other hand, had been picking up garbage for some time and had to drag an extremelyheavy bag of garbage on the road. A buggy stopped in front of her as she struggled to drag it, and adeep male voice asked, “Need help?”

She turned her head abruptly before widening her eyes. She felt dizzy as if being shone by the sun.

Except that it was not the sun, but a man’s face.

“N-No, thank you! I can do it by myself.” Ellen did not expect a handsome man would have such a kindheart.

“Let us give you a ride, miss! You’re working too hard.” After saying that, the middle-aged man got offthe vehicle and helped her carry the garbage bag onto the buggy. Seeing that, Ellen thanked them witha flushed face.

“Don’t worry about it.” The young man smiled as he started scanning her before asking curiously, “Whyare you working as a janitor here at such a young age?”

“This is not actually my job. The daughter of my grandma’s friend works here, but she fell sick, so Icame over to take over her job for a few days.” After Ellen finished speaking, she wrung her handsnervously. She felt uneasy by the man’s stare.

Involuntarily, her face turned scarlet. She would rather drag that bag of garbage alone than bescrutinized under the gaze of such a handsome man!

She felt embarrassed.

When they arrived at the parking spot, the middle-aged man even carried the garbage bag down forher, but when she intended to thank them for their kind act, she realized that the young man hadwalked away with his elegant back facing her.

It made her stare blankly for a while, and when she came back to her senses, she felt quite puzzled butdeep inside, she felt touched by their kindness.

After ending her job, she changed into a casual outfit and left the golf club. Since buses did not stopnearby, she had to walk about 20 minutes to the nearest bus stop. While strolling on the road, shehummed a tune and enjoyed the scenery, feeling carefree.

Right then, a Bentley drove up from behind her.

Selena was in the driver’s seat. Her eyes glinted with hatred when she saw Ellen. Why does she haveto be around all the time? Selena pressed down on the gas pedal and sped forward. She was afraidthat Ellen would see her driving the car—that would make her seem like she was a heartless person.Selena didn’t want to pick Ellen up—she felt embarrassed to show her friends that she had a relativeas poor as Ellen.

“Selena, did you say that your father’s going to send you to work at Presgrave Group? Is that true?”Selena’s friend asked.

“Yeah. My father’s looking for connections,” Selena replied.

“Can you help me to get into the company too?!”

Selena shook her head. “His friend can only help me to get a job there.”

“You don’t even need a job! You can do any other job since your family’s so well off,” her friendcommented.

“What do you know? I’m here to hunt for my future partner! I heard that tons of talented figures earnmillions a year in that company! They’re way better than the regular person! They’re smart and rich…It’d be a plus if they are also handsome.” The group of girls chuckled among themselves—they were allpicturing their ideal romantic encounters.

However, Selena was already hooked on the young man she had seen at the golf club earlier. That wasthe man she wanted to get married to. I wish I could find a way to get to know him!

Ellen walked for nearly 20 minutes to get to the bus stop. It was late at night, and she felt rather sorryfor herself as she stood alone at an empty bus stop. When the bus finally arrived, she got on the busand leaned her head against the window as she felt the air-conditioning against her face. She felt like aspeck of dust in the universe as she looked at the bustling city outside the window. Oftentimes, she feltunworthy of being in this city. Those tall buildings and those brightly lit condominiums… I wonder whatsort of people live there. Right then, a Bentley drove up from behind her.

Selena was in the driver’s seat. Her eyes glinted with hatred when she saw Ellen. Why does she haveto be around all the time? Selena pressed down on the gas pedal and sped forward. She was afraidthat Ellen would see her driving the car—that would make her seem like she was a heartless person.Selena didn’t want to pick Ellen up—she felt embarrassed to show her friends that she had a relativeas poor as Ellen.

I know I’m in the lowest class among all these people. Even though I graduated from university, findinga job is simply too hard. It’s practically impossible to find a good job without having some connections.Ellen had gotten into a decent company once, but the manager kept harassing her. In the end, she had

to quit her job because she was too afraid of him. She didn’t have the guts to tell anyone else aboutthis matter because she knew that no one was going to support her even if she told them about it. Shedidn’t dare to tell her grandmother about it either—she was worried that she would make hergrandmother worry and cause her grandmother’s health to deteriorate.

I know I’m in the lowest class among all these people. Even though I graduated from university, findinga job is simply too hard. It’s practically impossible to find a good job without having some connections.Ellen had gotten into a decent company once, but the manager kept harassing her. In the end, she hadto quit her job because she was too afraid of him. She didn’t have the guts to tell anyone else aboutthis matter because she knew that no one was going to support her even if she told them about it. Shedidn’t dare to tell her grandmother about it either—she was worried that she would make hergrandmother worry and cause her grandmother’s health to deteriorate.

So, Ellen was like a lone kitten that was terrified yet curious about the rest of the world around her. Shecouldn’t help but recall her brother sometimes. Her brother was the only person who had ever riskedhis life to protect her. From what she could remember, her brother was both bold and warm. Wheneverhe had good food, he made sure to share it with her; whenever he had nice toys, he would give them toher as well. However, her loving brother had left her all alone.

When Ellen finally got home, she was greeted with her grandmother’s warm meal. Even though it wasnothing special, she felt her insides warming up as she ate the meal.

Meanwhile, in the Fraser household, Selena told her mother all about how she had bumped into Ellenat the golf club. “She was so disgusting. I nearly got embarrassed in front of my friends because ofher,” Selena complained.

“Alright. The next time this happens, you should just pretend not to know her. She can’t blame you forit.” Olivia had a beauty face mask that cost 1000 on her face, and she was enjoying herself while lyingon the couch.

“Of course. I wouldn’t make eye contact with her even if I saw her on the streets. She totallyembarrassed our family.” Selena had a resentful look on her face as she spoke.

“You should stay away from her. You don’t want her bad luck to rub off on you,” Olivia reminded herdaughter. The truth was that she didn’t want her daughter to get close to Ellen as she was afraid thatEllen would start pestering their family someday. If they showed enough hostility toward Ellen, thenEllen wouldn’t have the guts to get too close to them.

“I know!” Selena nodded. “Mom, I have a question! How did we get so rich? Some people’s familieshave a company that they’re waiting to inherit. Do we have a company too?”

Selena reproachfully. “Didn’t I already tell you about this? Your father and I met a benefactor whoprovided us with a venture capital fund. Thanks to that, your father made a fortune in trading stocks.”

“And who is that benefactor?” Selena couldn’t help wondering even more curiously.

“That benefactor will reveal himself to you if the opportunity arises,” Olivia replied mysteriously.

Feeling extremely curious about this person, Selena thought to herself, A benefactor who can make ourentire family rich overnight must be extremely wealthy. I need to get to know him!

“This benefactor not only helped our family but also helped me. Without him, I would never have beenable to enter such a prestigious university. Although it was tough for me to graduate with a diploma,nobody will dare to look down on me when I introduce myself in the future.”

“Of course.” Likewise, Olivia was very proud.

“Mom, I met a super handsome man on the field today. It’s a pity I failed to get his phone number.”

“How handsome?”

“How should I put it? He is the kind of person who was born from true wealth. His entire body radiatedwith a sense of nobility and an extraordinary aura. I practically swooned on the spot when I saw him.”Selena described the man to her mother in detail; there was no restraint in her words whatsoever.

“If you wish to marry into a good family in the future, then you shouldn’t randomly fall in love or enter arelationship with a man. Don’t let those useless men take advantage of you,” Olivia advised herdaughter.

“Mom, I know what I’m doing in this regard. An ordinary person wouldn’t catch my fancy anyway.”Selena assured her mother. Beneath the beauty face mask, Olivia’s expression stiffened. She turnedaround and looked at Selena reproachfully. “Didn’t I already tell you about this? Your father and I met abenefactor who provided us with a venture capital fund. Thanks to that, your father made a fortune intrading stocks.”

At one of the top villas along the hillside of Averna, Jared stood by the floor-to-ceiling window andstared out at the lights in the distance. He was reminiscing about all the fun things he experienced withhis parents when he was younger. At the same time, he also recalled the disaster that struck him whenhe was ten years old.

At one of the top villas along the hillside of Averna, Jared stood by the floor-to-ceiling window andstared out at the lights in the distance. He was reminiscing about all the fun things he experienced withhis parents when he was younger. At the same time, he also recalled the disaster that struck him whenhe was ten years old.

His life nearly came to an abrupt end on that fateful day, but God had given him the chance for asecond life.

His family had been very grateful to the parents who had donated the heart to him and saved his life asa result. Even now, his family continued to help the donor’s family to show their gratitude.

The heart he received back then had long since merged seamlessly with his body to provide him withgreat health and vitality.

He took off his shirt. Holding his shirt in his hand, he walked toward the bathroom. There was a visiblescar on his chest that remained from the surgery he underwent back then, but the scar did not takeaway from the beauty of his strong figure. On the contrary, the scar added a touch of masculinity andsensuality to his character.

In the early hours of the morning, Ellen was sleeping deeply when she heard her grandmother callingher name. “Ellie… Ellie…”

She immediately bolted awake and jumped out of bed. Pushing open the door to her grandmother’sroom, she saw her grandmother lying on the dimly lit ground. Her grandmother had fallen down.

“Grandma!” She screamed in horror. Hastily turning on the light, she saw her grandmother lying theremotionlessly with an ashen complexion. Then, she quickly rushed back to her room and grabbed herphone to dial the emergency number.

After her grandmother was sent to the emergency room at the hospital, the nurse urged her to pay themedical fees first. She had taken out all the money she had on her, but the nurse informed her toprepare another 20,000 by tomorrow morning to cover any unexpected medical expenses that mightincur.

Ellen was terrified and quickly contacted her great aunt, Lilac Aguirre, for help. Unfortunately, Lilac hadjust recently paid for her son’s wedding and had no money to spare. She told Ellen to ask her nephew,Connor, for help instead.

At this point, Ellen had no other options left. She could only hope that her uncle would be willing to loanher 20,000 to pay for her grandmother’s medical expenses.

Jessica Aguirre was rescued from the brink of death. Be that as it may, the doctor warned Ellen toprepare herself for the worst. Jessica’s fall had resulted in serious cardiac issues, so there was a highpossibility that she would lose her life at any time. Combined with her advanced age, the possibility ofsaving her was low.

When Ellen heard the news, she covered her mouth with her hands in horror as tears began to flowdown her cheeks. She felt an absolute sense of despair and helplessness.

“Doctor, I have the money. Please save my grandmother no matter what,” she begged the doctor.

The doctor glanced at her frayed clothes and the worn-out phone clutched in her hands, but he noddedcomfortingly. “Of course. I will do my best.”

Inside the hospital ward, she accompanied her grandmother throughout the night. When 7.00AM finallyrolled around, she hurriedly left the room and dialed Connor’s number.

When Connor received the phone call, he immediately showed concern. “What? She fell? Is itserious?”

“The doctor says that it’s serious. Uncle Connor, can you please loan me some money? I want to treatGrandma’s illness.”

“How much do you need? Just let me know!”

“I… I want to borrow 100,000.” Ellen took into consideration that she might need more money later, soshe decided to ask for more from the beginning. No matter how tiring it would be, she would definitelywork hard to pay back this debt.

“100,000? That’s not a problem. I’ll bring the money over to you right away.” After a few seconds ofhesitation, his conscience prevailed.

When she ended the phone call, she heaved a sigh of relief. At this moment, she was delighted to havea rich uncle who could help her during the most difficult time of her life.

Just as Connor was leaving the house, Olivia caught sight of him and hurriedly asked, “Where are yougoing?”

“Aunt Jessica fell last night and is being hospitalized right now. Ellen lacks the funds for the medicalexpenses, so I’m bringing some money over to her.”

Olivia’s expression fell instantly, and she immediately probed further. “How much do you plan to giveher?”

“100,000.”

“What!? She asked you for 100,000!? No way! The most you can loan her is 20,000. And you mustinsist that she pays you back,” she declared forcefully.

“How… How can you be so heartless? She is my Aunt Jessica.”

“You have to know that an elderly person like Aunt Jessica will need a lot more money down the roadfor her medical expenses after suffering from a serious fall. Besides, she won’t be saved even if wespent all that money on her. Why waste our money on something so useless?” After saying that, shecontinued, “If you help Ellen on this occasion but Aunt Jessica unfortunately passes, she will definitelyapproach us for money again.” When Connor received the phone call, he immediately showed concern.“What? She fell? Is it serious?”

He was forced to compromise with her. “Alright, I’ll only lend her 50,000 then! It’s not easy for a childlike her.” After saying that, he opened the door to leave.

He was forced to compromise with her. “Alright, I’ll only lend her 50,000 then! It’s not easy for a childlike her.” After saying that, he opened the door to leave.

However, Olivia’s anger was not assuaged. She stood there scolding him angrily. “Where are yougetting that money from? Our money is for retirement! How can you spend that money so carelessly?”

“Mom, what are you yelling about?” Selena came downstairs with a huge yawn.

“Your father’s aunt, Aunt Jessica, fell last night and was hospitalized. Ellen asked us for money earlythis morning, and your father agreed to loan her 100,000. Of course, I have to say no.”

“What? Borrow 100,000!? When will she be able to pay us back!? She only earns a meager salary of3,000 a month!” Selena couldn’t help feeling distressed over her family’s finances.

“That’s what I was saying! Even if she did her best to starve herself, it would take more than threeyears for her to pay us back!” Olivia snorted disdainfully.

Selena felt that it was unlucky to learn about something like this so early in the morning. “Mom, I’mgoing shopping later. You mentioned that you’d give me 500,000 last time. Can you transfer thatamount to my card now?”

“Sure! I’ll do it in a bit.” Olivia’s expression immediately became gentle. She would never skimp on herdaughter’s expenses.

That was because she had believed in a certain principle since she was young. A daughter should beraised in luxury to raise her horizons and connections to marry a rich man in the future.

In the hospital, Jessica had woken up by the time Connor arrived at the hospital. She could sense thatshe no longer had much time left to live. Therefore, she encouraged Ellen to remain strong and waitedfor Connor to arrive.

Connor handed the money over and sat down beside her bed. She spoke to him with tears in her eyes.“Connor, I won’t be alive for much longer. The one thing that worries me the most is Ellie. When I’m nolonger around, please take her in!”

Seeing that his relative was about to pass away, he naturally felt very distressed. Not to mention, hehad always been a kind-hearted man.

“Alright, Aunt Jessica. I promise you. I will bring Ellie home with me.”

“Good. Ellie is your sister’s only child. As her younger brother, you have to help care for her child,” shesaid. “After all, that was how your sister took care of you when she was still alive.”

He nodded hard at those words. At this moment, everything his wife exhorted earlier had beenforgotten. He felt like he had just woken up from a dream. This child was his sister’s daughter, and hecould not bring himself to abandon her without a care.

“Ellie is a good girl. Find a good husband for her when the time comes. Don’t let others bully her.”Jessica was not afraid of death. The only thing she feared was that Ellen would be all alone in theworld with nobody to take care of her.

His promise made her feel relieved and reassured. With that, Jessica calmly accepted her fate.

When Ellen walked in through the door, her eyes were swollen from crying. She knew that hergrandmother would pass away soon, and the pain in her heart was so intense that she nearly passedout from the distress.

Jessica had refused any form of treatment because she wanted to leave all her money to Ellen. Forthat reason, she passed away peacefully during the early hours of that very day.

As Jessica’s elder sister, Lilac came over with her son to help with the funeral procedures. Connorhung around too. On the other hand, Ellen was too young and could not understand anything.Nevertheless, her tears did not stop flowing down her face. She could not accept the reality before her.

“Grandma! Grandma!”

When Jessica was carried into the hearse, she wept sadly as she kneeled on the ground. Her sorrowwas immense.

Connor brought Ellen to the crematorium in his car. It didn’t take long before the urn containingJessica’s ashes was placed in front of Ellen. She hugged the urn to her chest, and Connor bought aburial plot for Jessica on her behalf. The urn was buried three days later.

Jessica had asked Connor to bring Ellen home with him, worried that Ellen would be depressed andscared to be all alone at such a young age. After all, there was nobody to take care of Ellen once shewas gone.

Therefore, Connor brought Ellen home to retrieve her clothes before taking her back to his house.While he was driving on the road, he worried about his wife’s opinion regarding this sudden turn ofevents.

He quickly took the opportunity to contact Olivia when he stopped to buy a pack of cigarettes.

“What!? She’s going to stay at our house for a few days!? No way!”

“Olivia, Aunt Jessica just passed away. Ellie is just a child. She is scared and all alone. I promise that Iwill do whatever you want next time. Please just let Ellie stay for a few days!” When Ellen walked inthrough the door, her eyes were swollen from crying. She knew that her grandmother would pass awaysoon, and the pain in her heart was so intense that she nearly passed out from the distress.

When Olivia heard his promise, she grudgingly agreed. “Fine! But only three days!”

When Olivia heard his promise, she grudgingly agreed. “Fine! But only three days!”

Connor stopped for dinner with Ellen along the way. By the time they arrived home, it was already10.00PM. Olivia had been waiting by the door and remained courteous to Ellen for Connor’s sake.

“Hey! You’re here, Ellie! Come inside quickly!” she greeted them warmly.

Ellen’s eyes were red and swollen from crying. Nevertheless, she greeted Olivia politely. “Aunt Olivia.”

“Alright, it’s very late. I’ve prepared a room for you. Come with me.” After saying that, Olivia led Ellen tothe housekeeper’s room.

Connor couldn’t help glancing sideways at Olivia when he saw the room. So that’s why Olivia sent thehousekeeper away. She wanted to vacate the housekeeper’s small room for Ellen.

It had to be said that their house was a two-story duplex. Aside from the master bedroom, there weresix other guest rooms available. However, Olivia was not willing to let Ellen stay in any of the guestrooms.

Be that as it may, Ellen was highly grateful for the treatment she received. In fact, she couldn’t helpfeeling uncomfortable and awkward just standing in the bright and luxurious hall in her casual clothes atthis moment.

“Thank you, Aunt Olivia,” she said gratefully.

“No need for such reservations. It’s late. There’s a bathroom inside the room. You should go straight tobed after a shower!” Olivia suggested warmly.

“Okay.” Ellen nodded obediently. For her, this small room was already more luxurious than any otherroom she had ever been to before.

As soon as Olivia closed the door, Connor grabbed her by the arm and dragged her into the othersmaller living room. Then, he angrily questioned her, “There are so many guest rooms in the house.Why must you let Ellie stay in the housekeeper’s room!?”

“You’re asking me why? Didn’t you see how dirty her clothes were? Besides, I never agreed to bringher home in the first place. You’re the one who stubbornly insisted on bringing her home!” Oliviasnapped furiously. She seemed even more upset than him.

At this moment, Connor had no intention of arguing with her. He was worried that Ellen would no longerwant to live in this house if she overheard their argument.

“Where is Lena?” he asked.

“Lena is out with her friends!”

“Ask her to come home immediately. How can a girl stay out so late? That’s highly improper!” Hedirected all his resentment and frustrations upon the fact that his daughter was staying out late.

Her expression immediately darkened at those words. “What did you mean by that, Connor Aguirre?What’s wrong with our daughter having fun with her own circle of friends?”

However, he could not be bothered to argue with her. The last two days had exhausted him.

On the other hand, Ellen gingerly sat on the bed inside the small room. She could tell this roombelonged to the housekeeper, but she was not bothered by it.

Not long afterward, Selena returned home. She was changing her shoes at the doorway when Oliviacame and whispered something in her ear. “Ellen has come to live in our home.”

“What!? Ellen!?” She wondered whether she had misheard her mother! Although she knew that herGreat Aunt Jessica had passed away, was Ellen really going to stay at their home from now on?

“How long will she be staying?” Selena expressed her dissatisfaction on her face. “I don’t like havingstrangers in the house.”

“Of course, I won’t let her stay here for a long time. I plan to kick her out after three days.” After sayingthat, Olivia made a shushing sound. “Don’t be so loud. Why don’t you return to your room? I’ve placedher in the housekeeper’s room, and your father is unhappy about that.”

After hearing those words, Selena became even more upset. She was jealous that her father wasbeing so lovely to Ellen.

The last two days had been extremely exhausting, so Ellen fell asleep as soon as she lay down on thebed. She dreamt of her grandmother that night, causing tears to flow down her face again.

The next morning, a knock sounded on Ellen’s door. She immediately got out of bed and changed herclothes. When she opened the door, she saw Olivia standing outside.

“Good morning, Aunt Olivia.”

“Ellie, do you know how to make breakfast? Our housekeeper is on leave, so there’s nobody in thehouse to make breakfast for us.”

“Yes, I can make breakfast. I know how to make spaghetti.”novelbin

“Good! Follow me to the kitchen!” Olivia guided Ellen to the kitchen and took out some pasta,vegetables, and eggs so that Ellen could make breakfast for the entire family.

By the time Connor and Selena woke up, there was already a large bowl of spaghetti on the table.Moreover, Ellen had prepared several beautiful poached eggs to go with the meal. Olivia looked at thesight and sneered silently. So, it’s true that children from poorer families learn to take care of theirfamilies from a young age.

Although her daughter did not know how to cook or make any kind of breakfast, she firmly believed thather daughter would marry into a family that would not require her to cook. This way, her daughter’shands wouldn’t be dry or cracked. “How long will she be staying?” Selena expressed her dissatisfaction on her face. “I don’t like havingstrangers in the house.”

She grudgingly praised Ellen in front of her husband. “Connor, look! Ellie woke up early in the morningjust to prepare breakfast for us! It looks absolutely delicious!”

She grudgingly praised Ellen in front of her husband. “Connor, look! Ellie woke up early in the morningjust to prepare breakfast for us! It looks absolutely delicious!”

Connor exclaimed in surprise, “Ellie, why did you wake up so early to prepare breakfast?”

“I… I woke up early, so I decided to make breakfast.” Ellen did not dare to tell him that Olivia hadwoken her up to cook breakfast.

Olivia immediately beckoned Ellen. “Come, Ellie! Let’s sit down and have breakfast together!”

Seeing that Selena had not greeted Ellen, Connor turned toward her and scolded, “Lena, why didn’tyou greet Ellie?”

“Good morning, Ellen,” Selena greeted in a perfunctory manner.

“Good morning, Selena,” Ellen greeted in return.

During breakfast, Selena began to tell her mother about her plans for the day. In the morning, sheplanned to head to the spa for a massage. Then, she was going shopping with her friends in theafternoon followed by a gathering with her classmates at night.

Just listening to her schedule for the day was enough to make anybody envious.

Connor listened to his daughter’s schedule and suddenly blurted out, “Lena, why don’t you bring Elliewith you? You can show her around.”

Selena froze in the middle of eating her noodles “Dad, Ellie is not acquainted with my friends. How canshe hang out with us?”

“That’s right! Lena and her friends are students who came back from studying abroad. She won’t fit in.”Despite expressing her discontent, Olivia did not forget to boast about her daughter’s superiority at thesame time.

Ellen blushed furiously and told Connor, “Uncle Connor, I’ll just rest at home today.”

After pondering for a moment, Connor did not force the matter. “Alright then. Have a good rest at hometoday, and we’ll visit the cemetery together tomorrow.”

He had an appointment with a friend after breakfast. Since he was also going out, only Olivia and Ellenwould remain at home.

The truth was that Olivia originally had an appointment. It was just that she felt uneasy about leavingEllen at home alone. What if she lost something important? It had to be said that both she and herdaughter’s jewelry were very expensive.

That was why she decided to stay at home and watch Ellen.

“Ellie, I hurt my wrist recently and can’t do the laundry. Can you help us with the laundry?”

“Okay, Aunt Olivia.”

“Ellie, the floor looks a little dirty. The mop is in the storeroom. Can you mop the floor, please? Don’tforget to mop the staircase while you’re at it. It’s getting dusty.”

Ellen was treated like a servant and ordered around by Olivia to do various chores.

Olivia also instructed Ellen to cook lunch at noon. After Olivia finished her lunch, she relaxed in front ofthe television as though she were a queen.

As for Ellen, after she finished doing those chores, she was so tired that she fell asleep in theafternoon. It was at this moment that she received a phone call from her colleague. Their boss waslaying off some employees since business at the cafe was not doing too well. As she happened to beon leave for the week, he decided to terminate her employment immediately.

Ellen’s tears welled up in her eyes again in her disappointment, and the tough demeanor shemaintained fell apart in an instant.

No matter how unfairly life treated her, she could always face it with a smile. Nevertheless, she feltabsolutely powerless and weak at this moment.

That evening, Connor offered to take Ellen and Olivia out for dinner after he came back from hisappointment.

They went to an upscale steakhouse near their residence. Having lived in the area for more than tenyears, they had gotten into the habit of eating at such places. Olivia couldn’t resist using thisopportunity to show off.

“Ellie, here. Try this. I’m sure you’ve never tasted these before.” Olivia handed Ellen a plate ofdesserts.

Ellen quickly thanked her aunt. “Thank you, Aunt Olivia.”

“It’s nothing! We often eat these, so we’ve gotten tired of eating them,” Olivia added.

Connor immediately glanced sideways at her, warning her not to boast to Ellen. After all, it was allthanks to Ellen’s brother that they could enjoy their current lifestyle.

He could not bear to watch how she enjoyed the blessings that Ellen’s brother gave them whileexpressing disparaging remarks about Ellen.

Olivia looked away, upset at being rebuked. As Ellen was a sensitive person by nature, sheimmediately lowered her head and ate quietly without saying anything else.

After dinner, Connor brought Ellen to the nearby shopping mall and bought some clothes for her.Although Ellen kept refusing his goodwill, he stubbornly insisted on buying the clothes for her. His littleshopping spree immediately racked up a bill of more than a thousand dollars. Ellen’s tears welled up in her eyes again in her disappointment, and the tough demeanor shemaintained fell apart in an instant.

Olivia fumed at the sight and thought to herself, In order to prevent Connor from buying clothes for heragain, I’m going to give my daughter’s old clothes to her tonight!

Olivia fumed at the sight and thought to herself, In order to prevent Connor from buying clothes for heragain, I’m going to give my daughter’s old clothes to her tonight!

By the time they reached home, it was already 9.30PM. Ellen stayed inside the housekeeper’s roomand did not come out again. On the other hand, Olivia rummaged through the wardrobe on the secondfloor and packed up all the old clothes that Selena no longer wore. Connor walked into the wardrobeand asked, “What are you doing?”

“Packing up Lena’s old clothes for Ellen.”

“We can just buy new clothes for her. Why are you giving her old clothes?”

“Lena no longer likes wearing these clothes, but they aren’t old. If you sold any of them, these useditems would still fetch a price of several hundred!” she responded indignantly.

Nevertheless, he did not feel comfortable with her actions and asked her to stop. “Stop it. No matterhow good the condition of the clothes may be, they are still clothes that Lena has worn. I’m sure Elliewill feel unhappy about getting these old clothes.”

“Why would she be unhappy? These clothes are better than the rags she’s wearing at the moment! Idon’t know if it’s because her clothes were shedding, but I found a lot of lint on my clothes when I wasputting the laundry away today!” she immediately complained.

He snapped at her in frustration. “That child is so pitiful. Can’t you just bear with her for the timebeing?”

“Connor, I’m being serious with you! You’d better not let Ellen stay here for too long. Don’t you dareblame me if I accidentally tell her about how her brother donated his heart! I’m a talkative person bynature after all. It’s not like you don’t know that.”

“How could you say that?” He couldn’t help panicking slightly.

She snorted and sneered. “We could just tell her the truth! The money is in our hands anyway. What isthere to be afraid of? Do you think a little girl like her can do anything to us?”

“You must never tell anybody about this matter, or we will drown in the criticisms of the public.”

“Fine, I’ll keep my mouth shut. In return, you’d better make the girl leave as soon as possible. Justlooking at her makes me uneasy. It feels like she is going to steal everything away from us at any time.”

After warning her husband, she continued to pack up the clothes.

It didn’t take long for her to go downstairs with a big bag of clothes in her hand. She carried the bag toEllen’s room and said, “Ellie, I’m sorry for troubling you. These are Selena’s old clothes. She’s too pickyand refuses to wear them again after a few times. These clothes are all in good condition, so I’m givingthem to you. I hope you don’t mind.”

Ellen was stunned. She never imagined that her aunt would give her so many clothes. Regardless ofthe reason, she felt grateful for the kind gesture. “Thank you, Aunt Olivia. These clothes are of greatquality!”

“That’s what I think too! Lena loves buying clothes. In fact, she spends so much money without evenbatting an eyelid. Look at these clothes, each piece costs at least several hundred!” Olivia evenboasted.

“Thank you, Aunt Olivia.” Ellen expressed her gratitude once more before Olivia finally left.

Ellen certainly did not turn her nose up at the clothes. Now that she had lost her job, she would need tolive frugally and save as much money as she could.

She had used up all her money to pay for the medical expenses, and Connor was the one who paid forthe remainder. All she had on hand was her salary of 450. She had just received it.

It was nearly 1.00AM. Ellen was sleeping when she was awoken by the noises coming from outside herroom. She got off the bed and cracked open the door to peep outside.

“Mom, when is she leaving? I don’t even feel like coming home anymore!” Selena’s voice came fromthe living room.

“Be quiet. Don’t let her hear you.”

“Who cares if she hears me?”

“I’ll ask her to leave tomorrow. I’ve already discussed this matter with your father. We’ll never take herin.”

Ellen’s face flushed deep red with humiliation. It turns out that I’m unwelcomed here.

Early in the morning of the third day, Connor and his family headed to the cemetery with Ellen. Thefuneral was handled by Lilac and her family, so Ellen would only need to attend the funeral as part ofthe family.

Looking down at the urn that was being buried in the ground, Ellen felt her tears flowing down hercheeks. The person she loved the most had left her.

Selena had always been a cold-hearted person ever since she was a child. Despite seeing how hardEllen was weeping, she felt nothing. In fact, she thought that the entire funeral was a complete waste ofher time.

At this moment, Connor’s eyes were reddened. Recalling how his aunt had helped him in the past, hecouldn’t help feeling sad about her death. Ellen certainly did not turn her nose up at the clothes. Now that she had lost her job, she would need tolive frugally and save as much money as she could.

On the other hand, Olivia had gone out of her way to dress up for this event. Although she was dressedin black, she was decked in jewelry. Moreover, the jewelry that adorned her was very fancy.

On the other hand, Olivia had gone out of her way to dress up for this event. Although she was dressedin black, she was decked in jewelry. Moreover, the jewelry that adorned her was very fancy.

Finally, Jessica was buried peacefully. From now onward, Ellen was all alone with nobody to lean on inthis world.

Lilac walked over and said, “Connor, what are your plans for Ellie? You can’t expect her to be on herown. She’s just a child.”

“What child? She’s already 22 years old,” Olivia immediately retorted. How dare you try to put theresponsibility of taking care of Ellen on us? I won’t let you succeed!

Unable to persuade Olivia, Lilac could only sigh heavily.

Connor replied, “Aunt Lilac, I’ll definitely help Ellie.”

Olivia sneered coldly at those words. I won’t allow him to do that. Not only is Selena uncomfortable withEllen’s presence, but it is so inconvenient to have Ellen in the house. I used to be able to do whatever Iwanted in the past, but I have to accommodate her in everything I do now.

Ellen heard the conversation from nearby and walked over. “Uncle Connor, I’ll move back home tonight.I won’t disturb you any longer.”

“Ellie, why are you moving back so suddenly? We have room for you.” Connor couldn’t help asking.

“I want to keep vigil for Grandma. I’m not scared. Grandma was everything to me,” she respondedbravely. She did not want to return to her uncle’s house and continue being a burden to them.

“You’re right, Ellie. One must always repay the kindness one has received. Let’s heed her wishes andallow her to go home to keep vigil!” Olivia immediately agreed. She did not know why she was feeling asense of guilt and fear at this moment. She also couldn’t help feeling as though there was a chillypresence behind her whenever she looked at Jessica’s grave.

Connor was forced to agree with the arrangement. After the funeral, he sent Ellen back to her home.Looking at the dilapidated village that she was living in, he took out the card that he used last time andsaid, “There is 15,000 in this card. Take it.”

“I can’t, Uncle Connor. That’s your money. I can’t take that.”

“Just take it!”

“No, Uncle Connor. If Aunt Olivia learns about this, she’ll be very upset.” Ellen was a sensible child.

When Connor drove away from Ellen’s house, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID andimmediately stopped his car by the side of the road. Then, he solemnly answered the phone call.

“Hello, President Curtis.”

“Mr. Aguirre, I believe you previously mentioned that your daughter would like to work at PresgraveGroup. I’ve already made the necessary arrangements. According to her education and experience,we’ve temporarily placed her in the position of a financial analyst. Are you satisfied with thatarrangement?”

“Thank you. I’m very satisfied with the arrangement, President Curtis. However, I would like to makeanother request if possible. I have a niece who is very pretty and has just graduated from universityrecently. Can I trouble you to arrange a position for her as well?” He swallowed his pride and asked.