Chloe gazed at Noella, her wrists wrapped in gauze, her eyes swollen from crying. Summoning her courage, she approached Noella, bending over in a gesture of deep appreciation, tears dropping onto the floor.
"Ms. Schnabel, thank you so much."
Noella shook her head, dismissing the gravity of her actions. "It's nothing to dwell on, really. It was my own choice, nothing to do with you."
"I saved you because you're Millie's sister," she added.
Millie couldn't help but tease, "Ha, when you saved me back in the day, it wasn't because I was someone's sister."
Noella looked up at her, a soft smile on her face. "That was because you owed my grandma a bunch of bread money and never paid up. I had to get it back somehow."
Millie knew all too well that Noella's excuses were just her way of showing care. Her mentor, after all, had a heart gentler and kinder than anyone!
"Some things you gotta handle on your own. I won't be checking on you for a while," Noella hinted to Millie.
Millie understood what Noella meant. "I got it!"
Noella glanced at Jasper, "Jasper, could you lend Millie a hand?"
"Of course. You just focus on resting. Leave the rest to us."
Seeing how much Noella cared for Millie, Jasper knew she held Millie in high regard. Wanting to ease Noella's worries about Millie, Jasper quickly agreed.
As they left the clinic, Millie saw Chloe still in tears. "Hey, no more crying. It's not the end of the world."
"Millie, were you... like me once?"
"Much worse, actually. I almost starved! But someone told me to believe in myself."
Millie put her arm around Chloe, hugging her sister she'd never been close to before. "Now, big sis has to go back and fight. You gonna rest up in the hospital or come with me?"
Chloe's heart quieted down a bit, turning to see Noella surrounded by the Schnabel family. "I'll fight alongside you, sis! I can't let Noella's rescue be in vain!"
"Good kid."
...
Back at the Schnabel Manor, the family made their way home, Tristan concerned about Noella's fatigue, "Palmer, take Noella up to rest!"
"Alright."
Sienna headed to the kitchen to simmer some broth for her precious daughter, today's events having shaken them thoroughly. Tristan stood beside Sienna, both feeling a bit lost.
The housekeeper called out to them, "Mr. Schnabel, ma'am? Weren't you going to make soup for Ms. Noella? Why are you just standing there with the knife?"
Sienna snapped back to reality, pinching Tristan. "Honey, can you believe how brave our Noella was today?"
Tristan winced in pain! Sienna puzzled, "It doesn't hurt. I must be dreaming."
"Honey, you're pinching me! Ouch, that really hurts!"
Sienna turned to Tristan. "How did our baby become so kind? What did she go through to become so strong?"
They imagined Harriet Lambert, despite her humble means, never failing to care for Noella, raising such a kind and resilient treasure! Their thoughts overwhelmed them, and they embraced, crying together.
"Our baby's had it tough!"
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