Chapter 826

My parents were absolutely beaming with joy. I quietly sized up this girl called Sophia Danning. Though her family’s background was modest, generations of them valued education, much like ours. We seemed to share the same outlook on life and values.

Dinner was lively and full of laughter. As the eldest sister, I presented Daphne with a small welcome gift. She accepted it politely, gratitude shining warmly in her eyes.

Thinking back to that girl, Sophia–even before she and my brother got married, she was already dropping not-so-subtle hints that we should go out of our way to treat her and her family extra nicely. Compared to that, having families that really match up in values and backgrounds becomes all the more important when it comes to marriage.

Mid-August rolled around, and I took Si You abroad for a ten-day trip. She was different now–gone was that wide-eyed girlish wonder; instead, she was thoughtful, almost grown up. She even asked me to teach her how to launch her own business, said she wanted to pick up new hobbies and get her imagination fired up.

If this was the kind of life she wanted, Jared and I would lift her up as high as she dreamed. But that was only if she was truly worth it.

“Mom, Dad says you’re gonna marry Ryan. Is that for real?” Yvonne asked, propping her chin on her hand and gazing out at the clouds through the airplane window.

I didn’t give a real answer, just nodded.

“Ryan’s great. I bet you’ll be super happy with him,” Yvonne turned to me with a big smile. “What matters most is that you really like each other, right?”

“Since when do you understand all that at your age?” I laughed.

“Mom, I’m not a little kid anymore. I know a ton of stuff. And if Dad ever wants to find a new wife, you can bet I’ll help him pick the best one,” Yvonne said, totally serious.

“Sure, your dad totally trusts you–go ahead and help him pick,” I laughed, feeling even more certain deep down that Yvonne must’ve gone through something awful in her previous life, maybe even lost it altogether.

Suddenly, I found myself wondering–what was it that gave our little family a second shot at life? How did all three of us end up with another chance together?

Racking my brain, I kept searching for the answer–was there something all of us did back then that brought us here?

“Mom, there’s something I need to tell you,” Yvonne said, thinking for a moment before blurting out, “I accidentally broke that valuable statue at our place. You’re not gonna yell at me, right?”

I was so deep in trying to figure out this whole reincarnation thing that her confession jolted me like an electric shock. ‘Wait, what?’

That statue… I’d got it from an auction, and it did cost an arm and a leg. When I got it home, I put it on display, thinking maybe it’d bring our family some extra luck. And now, Yvonne had gone and shattered it.

“Mom, I buried every last piece out in the garden. You won’t hold it against me, will you?” Yvonne had eyes bright and almost cunning, like she was testing me or plotting something.

I felt a jolt in my chest. Wait, could it really have been that statue that gave the three of us a chance to start over?

And why did Yvonne say she smashed it? Could she actually know the real reason behind all this?

“Mom, I really do love you and Dad,” Yvonne said, suddenly cuddling up and grabbing my arm. “Honestly, splitting up was the right call–you guys just couldn’t make it work.”

“Yvonne, do you resent me for leaving you?” I asked softly.

“Not at all. I think if a family’s broken, you’ve got to fix it. Right now, I like things just the way they are,” Yvonne said, cuddling closer to my arm.

Hearing all that, everything clicked–I knew for sure now: Yvonne had really come back. And she was aware that the statue was probably the key to all this. She shattered it… but what was she trying to keep away? What was she afraid of?

Maybe she was worried the old versions of me and Jared from our past lives would show up too. She just wanted to be our daughter again–but only if it was the new us, not the past we used to be.

My brain felt like it was about to explode from overthinking, so I just gave up and shut my eyes, hoping for a break.

First, I took Yvonne back to Braylin. My parents were all smiles and super welcoming, and with how much more mature she was now, they liked her even more.

Before I flew back, I shot Ryan a message to let him know my schedule.

So, on the third day after I got back to Braylin, he showed up too.

As dusk settled in, I slipped into a breezy floral dress that showed just a touch of curves and a bit of my back. My hair tumbled in soft, lazy waves down behind me. Looking in the mirror, I saw a woman who looked well-rested and radiant, her complexion glowing and eyes shining with life. Cherishing myself in my best years–it was like loving life itself.

Ryan invited me out to dinner, and I showed up just as we planned.

When I stepped into the private dining room, Ryan rose to his feet, his eyes sparkling with excitement. ‘He looks genuinely happy to see me,' I thought, warmth blooming in my chest.