Chapter 161: A True Heart for a True Heart
Chapter 161: Chapter 161: A True Heart for a True Heart
The moment Dennis Donovan spoke, Arabella Donovan’s expression turned peculiar.
"Grand-uncle, don’t tell me you’re..."
Arabella Donovan’s stare was so blatant that the smile on Dennis Donovan’s face nearly faltered. He tried to hold back but couldn’t, raising a hand to give her a light knock on the head.
"You silly girl, stop letting your mind wander to such nonsense. Your grandma and I have a love that’s stronger than gold. There’s absolutely no chance of any funny business."
"Oohh," Arabella Donovan said, rubbing her head and pouting, not quite convinced. "Then why were you being so secretive and saying it would be inconvenient for Grandma to tag along? How could I not get the wrong idea?"
"Oh, you..." Dennis Donovan was both annoyed and amused, but ultimately, he couldn’t bring himself to do anything about it.
His tone even held a hint of helpless indulgence, causing the few trusted aides who had accompanied him to exchange surprised glances. They now had an even deeper appreciation for this young lady’s importance.
"So, Grand-uncle, what exactly is it you need my help with?"
"We’ll talk about that in a moment. Get in the car first."
Arabella Donovan agreed. With so many people coming and going, this really wasn’t the place to talk. So, she followed Dennis and ducked into the back seat.
She had just settled in when her third brother slid into the car from the other side.
"Third Brother, didn’t you just say you were going straight to school instead of coming with us?"
Aurora Donovan explained coolly, "I thought about it. If I go to the school at this hour, the supervising teacher will probably have already gone home. To be on the safe side, it’s more prudent for me to stay with you all for the night. I trust Grand-uncle won’t mind me inviting myself along."
Dennis glanced at Aurora, having a good idea of what he was thinking. He raised an eyebrow and said meaningfully, "Of course not. You’re Serena’s third brother, one of our family’s younger generation. It’s not often you come to Brynn. What kind of elder would I be to turn away a junior?"
Despite these words, both of them knew perfectly well that among the countless descendants of the Donovan clan, very few were ever actually invited by Dennis to stay at his home.
By emphasizing that he was Serena’s third brother, Dennis was making it clear that Aurora was only being allowed to stay for his sister’s sake.
Arabella Donovan had no interest in their little game of verbal sparring. After a moment, she returned to the previous topic. "We’re in the car now. Can you tell me? Or is this something my third brother can’t hear either? Should we wait until we get home?"
Dennis chuckled. "That won’t be necessary. The person who needs your help isn’t me, but someone else."
"Who?"
"An old friend of mine. We’re not related by blood, but we fought in the trenches together, survived on grass roots, shared water from the same canteen and bread from the same loaf. We’ve trusted each other with our lives. He’s not family, but he’s closer than any brother."
Hearing this, Arabella began to understand.
"So, what does he need my help with?"
"My old brother has toiled his entire life with just one wish: for his family to be together, happy and healthy. But alas, life doesn’t always go according to plan. Back when times were turbulent, he sent his wife and son away to a remote place to keep them safe. He only brought them back when things had well and truly settled down."
"He thought their hardships were over and that with the family reunited, everything would finally start looking up. But because he’d made some enemies in his younger years, they came back for revenge. They couldn’t get to him or his son, so they targeted his only grandson."
"They... killed his grandson?"
Dennis’s expression shifted. "That’s not certain yet."
"Not certain?"
"That’s right. His enemies paid a trafficker to abduct the boy. When the police caught those men later, they all told the same story: they didn’t know the trafficker and had no idea where he took the child."
A glint appeared in Arabella’s eyes as she vaguely guessed what her grand-uncle’s old friend was planning. "So, they want me to..."
"The incident at Jennings Plaza caused quite a stir. The police may have locked down the information, but there are always those who can dig up news through less-than-official channels. On top of that, he and I go way back. He knows better than anyone how many years I spent looking for Preston. The fact that she was found right after I came to see you... well, it’s only natural he’d connect the dots."
"So he wants me to help him find his grandson? But... but we only found Preston by complete accident."
Dennis glanced at her and smiled without saying a word, but Arabella felt as if he had seen right through her.
’It’s true when I think about it,’ she mused. ’How could there be such a coincidence in the world? More importantly, I’ve already built up this whole mystic persona for myself.’
’If nothing else, that persona is becoming more and more solid. Even if it were a coincidence, that wouldn’t stop people from making assumptions. And it’s not like it was a coincidence to begin with.’
"Don’t worry, that’s what I told him. If you do decide to help, whether you succeed or not is a matter of their family’s fate. But ultimately, it’s up to you. If you’re willing, I’ll take you to them. If not, we’ll just go straight home."
Despite his words, Arabella knew that anyone Dennis Donovan would call a brother, anyone who had been through turbulent times with him, was likely a respected elder who, like Dennis himself, had accumulated great Merit and contributed to the nation.
’A man like that would undoubtedly be of good character. He shouldn’t have to suffer such a tragic fate—his family torn apart, his final years spent in misery.’
Dennis’s earlier words had had their intended effect. Arabella’s heart was moved by the family’s plight, and her agreeing to help now felt like the natural course of action.
"So... are we going to see them now?"
Dennis let out an imperceptible sigh of relief. "It’s getting late. I’ll take you to their family’s restaurant for dinner. And let me tell you, my old friend’s wife comes from a line of Imperial Chefs. Their family’s specialty dishes are famous throughout Brynn. Most people can’t get a taste even if they try."
"Really? In that case, I’ll have to try everything and see if the ’Imperial Chef’ title is well-deserved!" Arabella’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.
Dennis boomed with laughter. "Don’t worry, I’ll call my old friend right now. I’ll make sure they pull out all their secret family recipes. You’ll walk in on your own two feet and have to lean on the wall to waddle out."
Aurora Donovan had been silent the entire time. Seeing his sister’s utterly hopeless foodie expression, his mouth twitched, and he couldn’t help but sigh internally.
’At the birthday party, she was so shrewd, running circles around that Zhang guy with one scheme after another. But in front of this old man, she believes every word he says. If he sold her, she’d probably help him count the money. I honestly can’t tell if she’s brilliant or an idiot.’
’But on second thought, maybe that’s why people even more cunning than her—like the old man sitting in this very car—are so quick to accept her. They end up subconsciously placing their trust in her before they even know what’s happening.’
’In the end, it’s just a matter of a true heart earning a true heart in return.’