Joanna was unperturbed by her recent stint in the trending news. After washing up, Joanna wore a black dress and light makeup, ready to visit her parent's gravesite.
Today was a special day. It was the ninth anniversary of her parent's death.
"Do you need my company?" Clara asked thoughtfully.
"No. I can deal with this myself."
Joanna was away from the City for four years. It was her first time back and the first time she'd be paying her respect to her late parents. She had a lot to speak to them alone.
She got into the same red Ferrari from yesterday and sped all the way to the cemetery.
It was the height of summer in August, but the gravestones that lay silent among the lush grass in the cemetery were cold and quiet all year round.
After parking her car, Joanna put on her black sunglasses, then headed to her parents' graves with a white daisy bouquet in hand.
However, despite arriving early, she was surprised to see that a fancy bouquet had already been left in front of the grave. The bouquet was the same as the one she had seen many years ago. She wondered if someone had been secretly visiting her parents all these years.
"Who could it be?" Joanna silently guessed in her mind.
Many years ago, a kind soul left an exquisite Amber pendant at her parent's grave. Ace coincidentally had an identical pendant, so Joanna suspected it must've been him who paid respects to
her parents back then. However, after thinking about it again, it didn't make sense.
Ace was such a cold man. He was so indifferent and did not care about her. How could he be so kind to pay respect to her parents, who had nothing to do with him? Besides, she and Ace had divorced for so many years. They had lost touch and were complete strangers. It was unlikely for him to pay his respects…
"Forget it. I don't want to think about it!"
Joanna shook her head and stopped her nonsensical thoughts.
Joanna's parents were good people, so Joanna simply assumed that her parents had a friend who always missed them and thought of them. That friend probably sent them flowers yearly to pay respects.
Joanna put the white daisies next to the bouquet. Her eyes turned red as she looked at her parents' photo on the tombstones.
'Mom, Dad. Today is the anniversary of your death. Your daughter has traveled far, but she's finally returned to see you.'
"Three years and another four years passed. My world has changed a lot… Four years ago, I left the destructive marriage that hurt me. I also left the man who didn't cherish me, but I don't regret it. After all, my life now is much better… great, in fact!"
'I'm proud to say that your daughter hasn't disgraced you. I've done well in my career. I believe it's only a matter of time before the Pierce family rises to the top again, back to its former glory. I'm also very fortunate and blessed with two angels: My babies, Adie and Abby. Our lives will be fulfilling and sweet…"
"Be happy. You're grandparents now. The next time I return to the City, I'll bring the two little ones to meet you!"
As Joanna spoke, tears blurred her eyes. "Mom, Dad. Please bless Adie, Abby, and me with good health and good fortune. I hope everything will be alright!"
Somehow, her parents' smiles on the tombstone seemed to grow deeper.
She wondered if her parents would be happy and proud of her if they were still alive.
After paying her respects, Joanna wiped her tears and put away her sadness. After easing her emotions, her cold, emotionless look returned, and she was prepared to leave.
That was when a figure suddenly emerged.
"Joan, it really is you! I finally see you again."
The man was none other than Joanna's despicable uncle, Elon Barnes.
'You again?"
Joanna snorted. "Leave me alone, you lowlife. Every time I come to visit my parents, you're always here."
"Sigh, you're right, Joan, I am a lowlife. But thank god, I come here to wait for you every year and now I finally get to see you again…"
Elon wiped away his tears and said, "You have no idea what I've been through all these years. I missed you so much!"
Joanna sneered, "Missed me? More like you missed my money."
"Ugh…"
Elon rubbed his chin, feeling a bit awkward.
"What's the matter? You've already finished the 7 million dollars Ace gave you four years ago?"
"Oh, those? They're long gone!"
Elon waved his hand and said regretfully, "I thought I'd use that money to invest in the stock market and make even more money, but luck wasn't on my side… I lost it all in the last two years. I've lost everything."
"Is that so? Well, it's none of my business."
A mocking smile crept onto Joanna's face. "You wouldn't be so naive to think that I would actually help you out, right?"
She was not a saint.
She still vividly remembered what Elon did to the Pierce family. She was already showing him mercy not settling the scores with him afterwards.
"No, that's not it. I'm a new man now. I've turned over a new leaf and I'm now making an honest living. The reason I come here to wait for you every year is because I care about our relationship as a family. I hope we can let bygones be bygones and become a loving family again."
Elon's words were quite sincere.
Four years could indeed change a lot of things.
At least the Elon now was no longer the despicable lowlife that he once was.
His changes impressed Joanna.
"Oh, how are you making an honest living now?"
"It's all thanks to your husband's help!"
Elon spoke of Ace with unbridled admiration. "Four years ago, I lost all my money, and I didn't know where you were. I didn't know what to do, so I shamelessly went to Mr. Moran for help. Not only did he give me more money, he also gave me a job. I'm now working as a workshop manager at a small processing factory under the Moran Group, earning tens of thousands of dollars a year!"
"Ace would do something like that?"
Joanna was surprised.
"Not only is he kind, he's also caring!"
Elon continued, "For the past few years, he's the first to come here to visit your parents' grave on their death anniversary. Look at this row of flower bouquets. Aren't they grand? They're from him. He would come here personally every year, rain or shine!"
"So… it really is him!"
Joanna looked at the row of flowers with mixed feelings.
Although she no longer had any feelings forthat man, she felt touched knowing that he actually had such a "human" side to him.
That means he was also the one who dropped the amber pendant.
"Joan, I'm so happy to see you again. Allow me to treat you and Mr. Moran to a meal to celebrate our reunion and to show my gratitude!"
Without waiting for Joanna's reply, Elon took out his phone and called Ace.