Chapter 127: Half a Century of Love
Chapter 127: Chapter 127: Half a Century of Love
The story began with an antique, exquisitely crafted wooden hairpin, which unraveled a long-forgotten past connected to Master Donovan.
Thus, the book was titled Big Courtyard Past, also known as Blood Hairpin.
From these two titles alone, it was clear this was a heavy and dark story.
The wooden hairpin, the key item at the source of all the turmoil and upheaval, was a token of love between Master Donovan and his first love, Miss Preston.
The two met fifty or sixty years ago in the city of Valoria. At the time, Master Donovan was just in his early twenties, a carpenter’s apprentice who had left his hometown to learn a trade and make a living.
A sudden downpour stopped Miss Preston in her tracks. In that moment, Master Donovan fell in love at first sight with the girl desperately seeking shelter under the curtain of rain. He ignored the customer he was waiting on and gave Miss Preston the wooden umbrella in his hand, even though it had already been reserved.
The outcome was predictable. Unable to deliver the item on time, Master Donovan was reported by the customer. His master beat him severely for losing the merchandise, and he was left to starve for two days. But he had no regrets.
He thought their chance encounter was just an extravagant, fleeting dream granted by a merciful heaven—once he woke up, everything would return to reality.
But unexpectedly, on the third day after the incident, Miss Preston appeared at the carpenter’s shop, continuing the dream.
It turned out the shop’s name had been carved on the umbrella. Grateful for Master Donovan’s help that day, Miss Preston had come personally to thank him.
And so, through a twist of fate, the pampered daughter of a wealthy family and the penniless apprentice’s lives intertwined. After several more meetings, they developed feelings for each other.
Master Donovan worked hard to master his craft. He poured countless hours and immense effort into creating his first finished piece: a sandalwood hairpin with a twin lotus design. With a nervous heart, he gave the hairpin to the woman he loved as a declaration of his feelings.
Miss Preston had long harbored affection for the handsome and diligent young apprentice. After accepting the hairpin, she gave him a fine-toothed comb carved with mandarin ducks playing in the water, which made the young lad so excited he was jumping for joy all night.
The next day, he promised Miss Preston that he would work hard at his craft, save up money to win her parents’ approval, and one day marry her in grand style. He asked her to wait for him a little longer.
And so, the two dated in secret behind her family’s back for a while, but they were unfortunately found out.
Miss Preston’s parents could not accept their daughter dating a carpenter’s apprentice. They immediately put a stop to the relationship and quickly arranged a marriage for her, to take place right after the new year.
Separated from his love, Master Donovan was devastated. When he suddenly learned of her engagement, he was frantic with anxiety, but there was nothing he could do.
However, this marriage was fated never to happen.
Before the new year arrived, the world was turned upside down. Valoria fell, and everyone fled for their lives. The star-crossed lovers were no exception.
The two were completely separated in the chaos. Afterward, Master Donovan headed north. He begged for food, got into fights, ran a small business, rode horses, and fixed cars. Eventually, he joined a special government department and rose through the ranks, beginning his legendary life.
But in truth, for the next forty or fifty years, he never forgot Miss Preston and never gave up searching for her.
’When it comes to love, I can only say that Grand-uncle is a true romantic. Once he decided on someone, it was for life. For all those years, he didn’t know if Miss Preston was dead or alive, if she had ever married, or if she had any children. He just kept waiting, right up until the moment he closed his eyes for the last time.’
Hearing this, the Donovan family couldn’t help but feel a surge of respect. Their gazes toward Dennis Donovan now held more admiration and guilt.
He had toiled and struggled for half a century, seen periods of great prosperity and moments of decadent luxury, yet he remained true to his original feelings.
Putting themselves in his shoes, they knew they didn’t possess Dennis Donovan’s persistence or strength of will. To think they had just suspected him of having a romantic entanglement with his caregiver—it was truly wrong of them.
But if the old master was so deeply in love with Miss Preston, why would he extend that affection to a mere caregiver and project his feelings onto her? This part of the story was also quite intriguing.
Fortunately, Arabella Donovan soon provided the answer to this question.
’This Miss Quillan caught Master Donovan’s eye from the very beginning, simply because her eyes bore a slight resemblance to Miss Preston’s. On the strength of this feature, which was so similar to his lost love’s, Audrey Quillan successfully became the Ninth Master’s caregiver. But what truly earned her his trust was a complete accident. The Ninth Master unexpectedly saw it in her room—the twin lotus wood hairpin he had given Miss Preston all those years ago, carefully treasured.’
The hearts of the Donovan family members skipped a beat. Could it be that this Miss Quillan was related to Miss Preston?
Thinking again of what Arabella Donovan had just mentioned—her striking resemblance to Miss Preston—could Miss Quillan be her... descendant?
Dennis Donovan’s eyes narrowed. A week ago, he had indeed seen that familiar wooden hairpin in Audrey Quillan’s room.
But he hadn’t, as the so-called plot from Arabella’s narration described, simply handed over his trust because of a hairpin. On the contrary, he had grown suspicious and wary of Audrey Quillan.
He had seen at a glance that the hairpin was a deliberate imitation that had been artificially aged. It wasn’t the one he had given his beloved back then at all.
Bringing her to Stroven City this time was a calculated move, a way to use her as bait to lure out the masterminds hiding in the shadows.
Before Dennis Donovan could dwell on it, Arabella had already revealed the answer.
’But in reality, someone had stolen the design drafts for the hairpin he’d made back then and had it specially replicated. That person was Grand-uncle’s own head butler, Gregory Donovan.’
The Donovan Family: "?!!"
Upon hearing this, Dennis Donovan’s expression finally changed. He couldn’t bring himself to believe that his good brother—who had been with him day and night for over thirty years, who had suffered with him, been injured with him, and faced life and death together—would one day betray him.
’Audrey Quillan’s current scumbag boyfriend is Butler Donovan’s long-lost illegitimate son. And speaking of Butler Donovan, he’s a hateful man with a pitiful side. He once had a wife and son, but he was set up and ended up with this scumbag as an illegitimate child. To protect his wife and child, he ruthlessly drove away the woman who tried to use her son to secure her position.’
’But then, due to the turmoil of war, his wife and child passed away one after another. An accident also left him unable to have any more children. His once whole and happy family was reduced to just him. On the surface, he’s seemed normal all these years, but in reality, his mind has long been twisted.’
Dennis Donovan’s eyelid twitched at this revelation. Thinking of the tragic past of the man by his side, he was suddenly at a loss for how to feel about the matter.
’After accidentally learning he had another living, illegitimate son, even knowing the boy was of low character, incorrigible, and an absolute menace, Butler Donovan couldn’t resist the temptation of continuing his family line and having a blood relative again. For the sake of this illegitimate son, he started down a road of no return, collaborating with a powerful figure to target Grand-uncle’s fortune.’