Chapter 51: He Bought Her the Old House
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Sonya froze. This was her parents‘ old house; the pomegranate tree was in the yard. But hadn’t Julian Jennings said he was demolishing it today?
Henry placed a key in her hand.“Won’t you invite me in?”
Sonya stared at the key, her thoughts racing.“How… how do you have the key? It was with Julian Jennings. He said he was tearing the house down…” Then it hit her. “You… you bought this house from him?”
Henry smiled.“That’s right. I bought it.”
Sonya was incredulous. “But why would he sell it to you?”
He was using the house to punish her; why would he sell it to Henry?
“Simple. To secure the partnership between Jennings Corporation and Reynolds, he had to transfer the house to me.”
Sonya blinked. He’d used the business deal to get her house back.
Henry put his hands in his pockets, looking at the old house.“Shall we move in here?” Sonya’s emotions surged. She’d thought she’d made an irreversible mistake, but Henry had fixed it.
It was like a bleeding wound she couldn’t heal, and Henry had quickly stopped the bleeding, let it scab over, and disappear without a trace.
Speechless, she hugged Henry tightly.
He’d said, “Shall we move in here?” Julian Jennings had said, “This dump? Livable?”
“I bet there’s treasure inside,” Henry murmured, holding her.
Sonya kissed his chin.“You’ll be disappointed. It’s empty.”
“There is,” he teased.
Sonya smiled.“I hope you find it.”
She unlocked the door and pulled Henry into the courtyard.
Overgrown weeds covered the yard; moss clung to the walls; many pomegranates on the tree had burst open, their seeds devoured by sparrows.
The front door was rusty; the key wouldn’t turn. Henry used a screwdriver to break the lock. Dust filled the air as they entered. The house was desolate.
When it was sold, the house had been full of furniture, but the buyer planned to renovate and removed everything. The previous owners had moved abroad and never renovated. It was a shame.
The house was an old–style building from the 80s and 90s, a large open space with bedrooms on either side, a staircase leading to the upper floor, and a kitchen underneath. The wooden doors and windows were weathered and rotten.
Sonya tried to open a bedroom door, and it fell off its hinges, showering her with dust. She coughed and looked at Henry. He was examining the house. Seeing her face, he laughed.
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Sonya huffed and went outside to wash her face.
A small shop next door was run by an old resident. Hearing Sonya had bought back the house, neighbors came to congratulate her.
“Your mother was a good person. Whenever someone was sick, she helped out, even bringing medicine.”
“Sonya, remember when you were little, your mom was busy, so she left you at my place?” “Sonya played with my youngest son. She was a good student, helping him with his homework.”
The neighbors spoke, surrounding Sonya, filling her with warmth. She remembered their kindness after her mother’s death.
Back in the courtyard, Henry called her.
“What?” she asked.
“I found the treasure!”
His joyful tone intrigued her.
Henry was in her old room, squatting in a corner.
–
“What are you looking at?”
“A princess on stilts.”
“Huh?”
Sonya peered closer, seeing a childlike drawing on the wall–a bald figure in a dress and ridiculously high heels, like stilts.
She remembered her childhood love for drawing and a year of art classes, but her drawings were terrible. Her mother had gently said, “Sonya, everyone has different talents. You… just don’t have a talent for drawing.”
“I think I drew this when I was six,” Sonya said.
“So, I’m seeing six–year–old you.”
Sonya paused, looking at Henry.
Henry kissed her.“Isn’t this treasure?”
Sonya hugged him.“Thank you for finding six–year–old me.”
They spent the afternoon in the old house, finding remnants of the past. She told Henry stories, and he listened intently.
Leaving the house, Sonya felt warmth, not coldness. She’d shared her past with Henry; they’d laughed and reminisced. He’d brought warmth to the house.
“Let’s go,” Henry took her hand.“I’ll have the doors and windows repaired, then you can fill it up again. We can come on weekends.”
Sonya hugged his arm.“Okay.”
“Mom called, asking if we’re coming for dinner at the mansion.”
“Okay. I haven’t formally visited your family.”
“It’s our family now.”
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Chapter 51 He Bought Her the Old H
The Reynolds family mansion
Was
near the suburbs, a sprawling
Marw
estate.
“Why do you live so far from your family?” Sonya asked, puzzled. The SeaCloud villa was also far from the Reynolds building.
Henry shrugged. “My dad and I have equally bad tempers. We argue constantly.” Sonya had only met Mr. Reynolds once, at the wedding. He was tall, stout, with silver hair and glasses, and seemed stern.
The Reynolds estate had three gates.
The first was a grove of ginkgo trees, their leaves golden in autumn. Driving through, the leaves swirled.
Beyond the ginkgo trees was a maple grove. Henry said there were orchards on both sides of the road, with various fruit trees.
The second gate opened to a vast expanse of rolling hills.
Finally, they reached the third gate. Henry parked.
A white mansion stood before them, with a large courtyard and busy servants. “My parents live here. My uncle’s family is beyond–three sons, three households, with grandsons and more households. They have a lot of people.”
“Jason Reynolds is…?” Sonya only knew Jason Reynolds.
“He’s my uncle’s eldest grandson. He’s my age,
but
a
generation younger.”
It was a large family.
At the wedding, Linda had introduced her to many people, but Sonya couldn’t remember most.
Two maids approached.
“Sir, Madam, the Madam is waiting for
They smiled at Sonya.
you
inside.”
“Hu sister, Liu sister, if you stare any longer, you’ll scare my wife away,” Henry joked. The maids were close to Henry; they pulled Sonya inside.
“The Madam has been asking about you. She says the Sir is incredibly lucky to marry you.” Sonya was embarrassed.
“The Madam loves you.”
They led Sonya to the living room, then left. Sonya saw Mrs. Jennings, a hint of malice in her
eyes.
