Chapter 671

The snacks at Glimmering Tower were numerous and exquisite, each more delicious than the last. Even a simple pound cake was sweet without being cloying, with a fragrant, chewy texture that melted in the mouth.

Violet took a bite and said with a smile, “This was my favorite treat as a child. Our chef didn't make it, so my brother would sneak out to buy it for me. We loved hiding under the apple tree and eating pound cakes together.”

She gazed out the window as sunlight streamed in, illuminating her face, which was alight with smiles and memories.

“It was often on bright autumn days like this one. But back then, in September, it wasn't as cool as it is in the capital. Sometimes, it was quite hot. The sunlight would filter through the tree branches and cast a warm glow on my brother’s face.”

As Violet spoke, her hand brushed the rabbit figurine beside her, and she sighed softly. “But it’s been so long since I’ve seen him.”

Darin was momentarily stunned. Violet's vividly described scene appeared in her mind, and her gaze lingered on the rabbit figurine.

For some reason, her chest felt tight, as if something were stuck there, making her uncomfortable.

Darin couldn’t help but ask, “Ms. Spencer, is that a rabbit figurine?”

Violet nodded, a smile still gracing her lips. “Yes, it’s a gift from my brother. One year after I fell from the apple tree, my mother grounded me, and I couldn’t go to the Starlight Harvest Festival lantern show. So my brother made this little rabbit for me. Isn’t it ugly? I didn’t like it at the time; I even threw it. See this ear? That’s where it broke when I threw it on the ground in anger.”

She pushed the rabbit figurine toward Darin. “Here, take a look.”

Darin stared at the rather unsightly rabbit figurine. Violet's voice echoed in her ears:

“You’re a young lady! Why are you climbing trees? Who taught you that? It hurt when you fell, right? Why are you crying? You’re grounded! You won’t come with us to the Starlight Harvest Festival to watch the lantern show!”

“Don’t cry. Didn’t you want a rabbit figurine? I’ll make you one.”

“I don’t want it! It’s too ugly! This isn’t even a rabbit! I don’t want it! I don’t want it…”

Crash!

“Jaina, I made it myself…”

“I don’t want it! I don’t want it…”

The little girl’s cries echoed in Darin’s ears, filling her with immense grief. She instinctively recoiled, realizing too late that her face was streaked with tears.

Chapter 671 +25 BONUS

Taking advantage of Tamara’s inattention, Darin quickly wiped her cheeks. But inside, it felt as if her heart were being pricked by a thousand needles, each sharp sting of pain slowly building.

Violet watched her, then reached out to reclaim the rabbit figurine. Darin instinctively clutched it close, her voice thick with emotion as she protested, “It’s mine.”

Darin stood and moved to the window overlooking the southern river port. The fierce wind sent waves crashing against the harbor boats. Taking a deep breath, memories flooded back like the tide. The rabbit figurine and Violet’s words had torn open a wound, releasing buried memories.

She didn’t recall much, but she remembered the day Lucas, the performance troupe leader, found her. She had been near death, abandoned on a small hill outside Stonebridge County. Even though it was pouring rain, her body felt consumed by fire.

Her only clear memory was Lucas’s voice, telling her that as long as she still breathed, survival was her choice. Darin survived, but a high fever caused her to forget much. She vaguely remembered being tossed from a cart when she fell ill.

She had assumed her family abandoned her, so she never looked for them. Besides, she had forgotten everything.

Now, she recalled being taken from the alley where she had been playing. Memories of being snatched and tossed onto a cart returned. There had been another child—she couldn’t remember their name—but she distinctly remembered being slapped twice upon entering the cart.

The pain had been excruciating. Beyond that, everything was a blur.

However, some hazy memories from before her abduction flickered just out of reach.

The cleaned-up passage improves grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure for better flow and readability. Word choices were also refined for clarity.