?<strong>Chapter 991:</strong>


    “I’m d you’re back,” Dunn said, his voice steady, his white polo crisp against thete afternoon light. There was a quiet maturity in him, aposure that set him apart from the others.


    Rnd didn’t dislike him, at least. “I didn’te back. I’ve never belonged here.”


    Dunn studied him for a moment, a thoughtful gleam in his eye. Aurora had been right—Rnd had no memory of their childhood. “Still, life here isn’t so bad, is it?”


    Rnd had no answer for him.


    Dunn set his cup down with deliberate ease. “Rnd, maybe your father cast Adrian and Joelle as viins. But have you ever heard either of them speak ill of him?”


    Rnd frowned, his posture stiffening. “What are you trying to say?”


    Dunn met his gaze with quiet certainty. “Trust your instincts. Ask yourself if the beliefs that have shaped your life are truly worth holding on to. Only then will you know what you want to do next.”


    Not far away, Molly’s delighted cheer rang through the air. “Yeah! Lucas won! He’s amazing!”


    Nearby, Sariah huffed in frustration, tugging at Kalel’s sleeve. “Kalel, are you even trying? Lucas has caught several, and you haven’t even gotten one!”


    “Be quiet!” Kalel grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow. “Your endless talking is scaring the fish away!”


    Sariah folded her arms with a dramatic pout. “Humph, you’re just useless!” With that, she stomped off to join Aurora, the two of them releasing the captured fish back into the shimmering water.


    There were some adults fishing nearby. Kalel nced over at one of their buckets, which contained eight fish.


    Taking advantage of Sariah’s distraction, he struck up a conversation with the man and bought three of his fish.


    With a grin, he put them on the hook. “Sariah, check out what I got!”


    Sariah’s eyes went wide when she saw the fish. “Wow, Kalel, you’re amazing!” Molly put her hands on her hips and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t think I didn’t see you buying them from someone else!”


    Kalel smirked. “If I had the cash, why would I waste it on fish like this? Don’t be jealous.”


    “Exactly,” Sariah jumped to his defense. “Molly, Kalel’s so stingy, there’s no way he’d ever spend money on fish!” Molly burst outughing.


    Kalel reached over and tugged yfully on Sariah’s ear from behind. “I might be stingy, but have I ever been stingy with you?”


    Theughter startled the fish, sending them darting away, and one of the adults nearby hushed them.


    Rnd withdrew his gaze. “What’s going on between you and Aurora?”


    Dunn nearly choked on his own breath, coughing to clear the awkwardness. His ears flushed pink, and his eyes darted toward Aurora.


    She was crouching by the water, a white short-sleeved shirt and shorts hugging her frame. She sshed gently at the sun-warmed water.


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