Charlie replied casually, “No, I prefer to go alone.”


    ine smiled and nodded, adding, “Just be sure to stay safe on the road!”


    As Charlie stepped outside, she called after him, “Good son-inw, if youe across anything nice in Eastcliff, be sure to bring something back for Mom!”


    “Sure thing,” Charlie answered, taking his leave from home.


    ……<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">


    Aurous Hill Airport.


    Since Charlie didn’t have any luggage, he quickly changed his boarding pass and passed through security.


    Thanks to Isaac Cameron, who had purchased a first-ss ticket for him, Charlie headed straight to the VIP lounge after clearing security.


    The flight was scheduled to depart at 10:00 AM, and a staff member in the lounge guided him to board early at 9:20 AM.


    Charlie was among the first to board the ne, where a few passengers were already settled in the first-ss cabin.


    This aircraft featured a 2+2 seating arrangement, providing two spacious seats on each side of the aisle. The seats could recline fully, making for a veryfortable experience.


    Charlie chose a window seat, and as he sat down, he gazed out the window, lost in thought.


    It had been more than a decade since Charlie felt this way—anxious yet filled with anticipation.


    The ancient saying about being close to one’s hometown perfectly captured his feelings at that moment.


    As the ne continued to board, a faint fragrance caught Charlie’s attention, prompting him to turn his head.


    A young woman was approaching to take her seat beside him.


    Noticing him, the woman eximed, “Charlie?! What are you doing here?”


    Charlie was taken aback.<fn6315> Original content can be found at fin?novel</fn6315>


    The woman was Loreen, ire’s best friend, who had always had a soft spot for him.


    Surprised, he asked, “Loreen, what brings you here?”


    “I’m from Eastcliff!” Loreen replied, her eyes wide. “You shouldn’t have been surprised!”


    She quickly took her seat and continued, “What about you? Why are you going to Eastcliff? Did iree with you?”


    Charlie shook his head, exining, “I have some business in Eastcliff. A friend introduced me to a Feng Shui job that pays well, so I decided to go.”


    Loreen nodded enthusiastically. “What a coincidence! I’m home to celebrate my grandma’s birthday. I can’t believe we’re not only on the same flight but also seated next to each other. It feels like fate!”


    Despite not seeing Charlie for a while, Loreen’s feelings for him remained strong.


    In fact, she had missed him greatly during their time apart.


    Initially, Loreen had nned to stay with ire at Thompson First, but with the chaos surrounding the Wilson family, things becameplicated.


    Not long after, Mrs. Wilson hade knocking, desperately seeking a ce to stay at Thompson First;


    Then ine vanished again, prompting ire to search frantically for her;


    Following that, Jacob entertained his first love at home;


    And eventually, ine returned, throwing the family into disarray.


    As an outsider amidst such turmoil, Loreen found it difficult to stay at Thompson First, so she moved back to a hotel instead.


    During this tumultuous period, she had often felt unwell from missing Charlie!<h3 ss="has-text-align-center" id="chapter-list"><strong></strong>