It was always winter in Jarold City in my memories. Probably because I hadn't been here for a long time and both times were in the late winter. The first time I arrived in Jarold City, I had lost my child and almost lost my sanity.
My second time arriving in Jarold City was four years later. Setting foot once again onto this land, nothing has changed, but I felt a difference in my state of mind.
When I returned to the villa, it was already very late. My phone had been turned off. I left it to charge, then directly took a shower and went to sleep.
Hendrix had a lot of things to do. He didn't seem to have any plans of being merciful towards the Granger Group and continued pushing them. Many of the Granger Group's assets had already collapsed, Irvin was probably swamped with work.
When I woke up the next day, Hendrix was already nowhere to be seen. Looking at the calendar, we were approaching the end of the year already.
Hendrix was very busy. The initial assumption was that his workload would decrease a lot after the company's annual dinner so that he can properly take a break.
Now it looked as if it wasn't going to be that easy.
It had been sunny for a few days in Jarold City, then it suddenly started snowing heavily. Fiona prepared breakfast but didn't busy herself as usual afterward.
She remained in the kitchen, wiping the table, which had already been wiped innumerable times. It looked as if she had something to say.
I didn't have much appetite. Turning around to look at her, I asked, "Is there something wrong?"
She was momentarily startled, probably not expecting that I would suddenly ask her such a question. Then, she replied, "Mrs. Roberts, it's almost New Year's. Do you have any plans over here?"
I slowly realized what she was meaning to ask. Her question was regarding the arrangement of her annual leave. Hendrix had always been the one managing this, perhaps he had been too busy recently, so he had forgotten about it.
I thought for a moment, then asked, "Fiona, are you all going back to your hometown for the New Year's?"
She nodded, replying with a smile, "Our hometown is in Hallbeen City. We always go back for a few days every New Year's."
"Have you bought your tickets?"
She shook her head and said, "My time off hasn't been decided yet. My son and daughter-in-law are still waiting for news here on when I can take leave. Then they'll book the ticket home for me."
After some thought, I said, "Fiona, you can leave anytime you want. It's just me and Hendrix in this house; it's not a big deal."
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