the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart Chapter 1228: An Unexpected Encounter with an Old Acquaintan

Leah was a bit distracted since Casimir Shaw was going to have the end-of-term parent-teacher eting; 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 dostic ti 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 sohow felt involved as she watched, realizing she probably wouldn’t be able to attend Casimir Shaw’s parent-teacher eting in this lifeti.

It’s said parent-teacher etings 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 soone like Richard Shaw going to a parent-teacher eting 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 ti, 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 in the countryside for a few days?" Hawk Howard’s stepfather was a traditional suitcase maker from the U.S., and their ancestral ho was in a small town. It’s said that a family gathering is held there every sumr, 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 seed even more distant than before.

Hawk Howard could tell her smiles weren’t heartfelt.

"Would it be appropriate for to go? After all, it’s your family gathering." Leah hesitated; every city felt the sa, 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 Arican families is different from dostically, especially in my stepfather’s ho — they emphasize family values, treating people warmly, and the sa goes for stepchildren; if you co, you’ll surely help divert so attention from 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 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 Arica, 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 overwheld. 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 ntion your stepfather was this wealthy?" Leah marveled at the erald-green lake, the Arican-style countryside villa, seeing the smoke rising and the lush greenery. She was taken aback and sowhat annoyed, saying, "I feel like I dressed too casually."

She had just casually packed a few clothes and ca 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 rely 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 ca 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, erged as Hawk Howard and Leah ca ashore, stepping on the lawn to et them with a slight welco. 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 soone 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 beca a teacher and didn’t tell ."

In a few exchanges, the two won 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 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 surna Si?" Hawk’s mother asked with a bit of surprise.

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

"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 deanor 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 t soone from her parents’ past.