?Chapter 1661:


    Elyse set her teacup down and gave Anthony a curious nce.


    After a slight pause, Anthony scratched the back of his head, looking a little sheepish. “The violin will take a few days to fix… and Cathy’s birthday ising up soon. I was wondering if you could…”


    Elyse, her confusion clear, tilted her head. “What’s your n for her birthday?”


    Jayden quickly put the pieces together and asked, “You want Elyse to y the violin, don’t you?”


    Anthony nodded timidly, his gaze lowered. “Yes.”


    Elyse, smiling, replied with ease, “You could’ve just asked. It’s no big deal. I’d be happy to help.”


    Anthony hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “I was hoping you could y a few more pieces for her. But I’m afraid I don’t have much to offer in return.”


    Elyse feigned a look of mock annoyance. “What are you talking about? We’re friends. If ying a few extra pieces would bring you joy, I’d y for hours just to see you two happy.”


    Blushing, Anthony stammered, “It’s just… you’re so famous now. It feels odd asking you to do something for free.”


    Jayden, ever the problem solver, suggested, “If it really makes you ufortable, you could just make her a violin as a token of appreciation.”


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    Elyse agreed, smiling. “Yes, that sounds perfect.”


    Anthony brightened at the suggestion, then shyly added, “I’m actually learning to make violins myself. I’ll give you one that I’ve crafted. I hope you’ll like it.”


    Elyseughed, patting Anthony on the shoulder in a yful yetforting way. “I’ll cherish it.”


    Elyse, Jayden, and Anthony were deep in conversation, theirughter filling the room. When George stepped out, their infectious energy caught him off guard. It was so uplifting that it coaxed a rare smile onto his usually stoic face.


    He approached with his usualposed demeanor. “The violin’s repaired,” he said evenly, “but it’ll take about a week.”


    Elyse nced at Jayden. “Would it be okay for us to stay that long?”


    “Of course,” Jayden said without hesitation.


    George gave a short nod, turning back to Elyse. “Since you’re already here, why don’t we pick up where we left off? I’ll finish the story I was telling you.”


    Elyse blinked, caught off guard. “You mean the story about my parents and how they got together, right?”


    George nodded and eased into a chair. After a thoughtful pause, he said, “Last time, I didn’t really get into how they actually came together, did I?”


    “That’s right.” Elyse leaned forward. “You mentioned how, after my dad left my mom, he went a little wild—living recklessly. But no one really loved his soul.”


    “Exactly.” George’s expression grew somber. “He figured that out eventually, and it pushed him into a dark ce. That’s when he met a young girl named Reba.”


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