After all these days, he was the first person to visit her.
Johnson placed a bouquet of yellow roses by her bedside.
Cecelia’s eyes welled up with tears. “You still remember… They’re my favorite flower…” “No…” Johnson shook his head. “These flowers are for the child we never got to meet.”
With broken Ethrian, he added, “Cecelia, you were far too selfish.”
He then walked away from the ICU without looking back.
Cecelia tried to chase after him but only managed to fall off the bed, knocking over the untouched food tray in the process. Tears began streaming down her cheeks.
1/1
Chapter 25
Three years later, Jonah once again set foot on the Nyora continent. This time, he had been invited to attend the inauguration ceremony of a new base built by the medical aid team in Nyora.
Over the past three years, he had made annual donations to the medical team under his company’s name.
When Lionel personally came to pick Jonah up at the airport, he said, “Mr. Lawrence, our medical team’s situation has improved greatly over the past three years. We’ve made significant contributions to local medical development, and it’s all thanks to your help.”
“Not at all. It’s you doctors who’ve truly made the sacrifices. I’ve only done what little I can.”
When they arrived at the base, Jonah caught sight of a slender, graceful figure standing by the entrance from afar.
After three years, Pearl had grown out her hair. It flowed in the wind, a picturesque sight.
Jonah couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized by the sight.
But suddenly, the figure of a man carrying a child stepped into the frame.
Jonah’s brows furrowed faintly.
“Mr. Lawrence, come in and have a look at the new buildings in our base…” Lionel called out.
By then, Pearl had also noticed Jonah’s presence.
Perhaps time was the cure to all wounds of the heart. Seeing him again after three years, Pearl surprisingly felt nothing.
She walked up to him and gracefully extended her hand. With a smile, she said, “Mr. Lawrence, thank you for your support and assistance to our medical team over the past three years.”
She smiled graciously. The breeze brushed her soft hair against her cheek. Her eyes, still filled with vigor, now looked more gentle and resolute than ever before.
Jonah was momentarily dazed but then reached out and gently shook her fingers. “It was the least I could do.”
Their exchange was as polite and distant as any boring business meeting. However, only Jonah knew that whenever he looked into Pearl’s eyes, there were still waves crashing in his heart.
“Pearl, hold Paulie for a sec. I’ll go prepare some milk for her.”
Sean, now sporting a light beard, looked noticeably more mature than three years ago.
Jonah looked at the child in his arms with shock. “Are you two…”
Knowing that Jonah had misunderstood, Sean immediately burst out laughing. “Come on. There’s no way I could have a baby with Geonian genes…” Only then did Jonah notice the toddler, about a year old, had distinct Nyoran features. She had warm, tan skin and a head full of thick, curly hair. Realizing how ridiculous his assumption had been, he chuckled softly.
Pearl explained, “Last month, there was a minor earthquake nearby. Paulie’s parents both died in the disaster. Our medical team managed to rescue Paulie. Because the local welfare system is still underdeveloped, she is temporarily living with the team.”
So that was it…
For some reason, Jonah felt a wave of relief wash over him. Even though he had long suspected there was something special between Sean and Pearl, he had still clung to one last glimmer of hope.
Finally, after the team dinner, Jonah, emboldened by a bit of alcohol, asked Pearl, “Pearl, have you and Sean ever thought about settling down? Are you really planning to spend your whole lives in Nyora?”
“Why not?” She smiled brightly. “Everyone follows the light of their own moon, and mine… leads here.”
At the officiating ceremony for the new base, Pearl shoved Paulie into Jonah’s arms.
Only when he held her did he realize… She had just pooped, and that exact moment was captured by a photographer.
That night, Jonah looked at the photo. Pearl was smiling happily in the background, and for the first time in years, he felt a rare inner peace.
He picked up the phone and called his assistant. “I’m stepping down as CEO.”
Jonah had already made enough money to live comfortably for several lifetimes. Ignoring everyone’s opinions, he sold the company and inoved to the barren land in Nyora.
Near the medical aid base, he built an elementary school and named it Hope Elementary. After all, he was once a top student at Northriver University. In the beginning, he took on multiple roles to support the school by himself.
Later on, Hope Elementary grew larger over time. When the media interviewed him, they always praised his selflessness and noble character. However, Jonah would simply smile and say, “I’m simply… following the light of my own moon, going where it leads me.”
