the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart

Chapter 1228: An Unexpected Encounter with an Old Acquaintance a Thousand Miles Away

Leah was a bit distracted since Casimir Shaw was going to have the end-of-term parent-teacher meeting; she hastily ate dinner and then parted ways with Hawk Howard to go back to her room to sleep.

Los Angeles is twelve hours behind Imperial City, and it was morning in the domestic time zone.

Throughout the entire process, Casimir Shaw reported his itinerary in a teary manner, sending photos, emoji packs, and even taking a selfie, but he didn’t say much.

Leah somehow felt involved as she watched, realizing she probably wouldn’t be able to attend Casimir Shaw’s parent-teacher meeting in this lifetime.

It’s said parent-teacher meetings are when people are most scheming, flaunting wealth, looks, power — everything. Parents would employ an array of skills to elevate their child’s status at school, aiming to outshine others.

Thinking about someone like Richard Shaw going to a parent-teacher meeting made Leah want to laugh, but then her smile turned slightly somber as she recalled her falling out with Griffith Squire, feeling depressed, and eventually fell asleep in a haze.

Seeing that she hadn’t replied for a long time, Richard Shaw held his phone, catching himself in a daze. The person was far away, beyond his reach, beside another man, and a layer of obscured gloom lingered between his brows.

Countless negative thoughts surged within him, eventually forming a beast ready to devour him. The man took a deep breath, his fingers long and powerful as they rested on the table, with bulging veins on the back of his hand.

Leah slept for two days in Los Angeles to adjust her jet lag, and with nothing particular to do, she wandered around each day.

She hadn’t contacted Griffith Squire or Delphine, spending days alone daydreaming, shopping, attending park concerts, going to bars for drinks, experiencing different community cultures.

"Leah, would you like to join me in the countryside for a few days?" Hawk Howard’s stepfather was a traditional suitcase maker from the U.S., and their ancestral home was in a small town. It’s said that a family gathering is held there every summer, requiring all children working elsewhere to return for three days to socialize and build relationships.

As a stepchild, even though Hawk Howard’s relationship with his stepfather was average, he would still be invited to stay for a few days whenever he was in the U.S.

"The countryside has beautiful scenery, better than Los Angeles." Hawk Howard said while packing his luggage, "You’ve probably explored Los Angeles quite a bit by now."

Ever since Leah arrived in Los Angeles, the two lived together, but their relationship seemed even more distant than before.

Hawk Howard could tell her smiles weren’t heartfelt.

"Would it be appropriate for me to go? After all, it’s your family gathering." Leah hesitated; every city felt the same, and she was indeed a bit weary of exploring Los Angeles.

"We could say you’re my sister or girlfriend, then it wouldn’t matter." Hawk Howard said with a light-hearted smile, "Though the latter would be more popular — they’ve always thought I’m single because I might be gay."

Hawk Howard smiled wryly.

Leah burst into laughter, finding it hard to imagine Hawk Howard being gay.

"The atmosphere in American families is different from domestically, especially in my stepfather’s home — they emphasize family values, treating people warmly, and the same goes for stepchildren; if you come, you’ll surely help divert some attention from me this year." Hawk Howard recalled the scene he faced each year with reluctance.

Because he was Chinese, extraordinarily intelligent, he obtained many patents in the U.S., always treated as an elite and used as a sharpening stone for young people in his stepfather’s family.

"Since you’re inviting me so earnestly, I’ll go then." Leah said with a smile, staying in the countryside for a few days indeed sounded nice.

However, Leah misunderstood the real countryside in America, which was truly a place where not even chickens laid eggs or birds pooped. They first took a three-hour plane, then drove for four hours to reach the town, and finally took a one-hour boat ride to their destination.

But upon arrival, Leah was still overwhelmed. Though Hawk Howard’s stepfather made traditional suitcases, the main residence was on Lake Island — a whole villa, the entire island belonged to their family, which was rather extravagant.

"You didn’t mention your stepfather was this wealthy?" Leah marveled at the emerald-green lake, the American-style countryside villa, seeing the smoke rising and the lush greenery. She was taken aback and somewhat annoyed, saying, "I feel like I dressed too casually."

She had just casually packed a few clothes and came over.

Hawk Howard shook his head with a chuckle, "If you’re my sister, it’s passable. But you should have an evening gown; I can have my mom pick out a traditional one for you."

Though the Noyce family’s wealth couldn’t surpass that of the Howard Family or Shaw Family, they were merely local suitcase makers. Because of the traditional craftsmanship that couldn’t be abandoned, they continued a limited production purely by hand, making it unappealing for young people to take over, and they ventured into various industries.

Once they disembarked, servants came forward to receive their luggage and cheerfully greeted Hawk Howard, smiling at Leah.

Hawk Howard had called his mother in advance; she, a slim, charming middle-aged woman dressed in a graceful cheongsam, emerged as Hawk Howard and Leah came ashore, stepping on the lawn to meet them with a slight welcome. Glancing at her son, she then extended her hand to hold Leah’s, smiling, "Ali said a sister was coming. I initially thought it was little Six."

Though Hawk’s mother was over fifty, her features were delicate, her brows soft, still charming, seemingly like someone in their forties at first glance. Her speech was also gentle and slow, much like Hawk Howard, giving a comfortable impression.

Leah smiled with crescent eyes, "Actually, I’m a student; Hawk Howard was my English teacher for a year."

Hawk’s mother laughed upon hearing this, saying, "Really? He became a teacher and didn’t tell me."

In a few exchanges, the two women found themselves compatible, directly leaving Hawk Howard behind as they talked and laughed their way into the house.

"The Noyce family is quite laid back; just treat staying here like being at a hotel, and if anything is missing, just let me know." Hawk’s mother led Leah upstairs to choose a guest room, placing her things inside. As she looked at Leah, she increasingly felt a sense of familiarity.

"Is your original surname Si?" Hawk’s mother asked with a bit of surprise.

"It’s Cox; Si was a surname later changed." Strangely, in the wilderness of America, far from Imperial City, Leah revealed her original surname.

"Cox?" Hawk’s mother mused, furrowing her brows slightly. She gently patted Leah’s hand and said, "Is your father Zachary? I should have realized; you resemble your mother greatly, and the carefree demeanor in your brows is very much like your father."

Leah was shocked, looking at Hawk’s mother, never imagining she’d actually know her own parents. For years, everyone avoided the Cox family like the plague. She had faced significant changes at the age of three, with no way of knowing details about the previous generation or her parents’ whereabouts.

Unexpectedly, far away, by chance, she met someone from her parents’ past.