The moment I voiced my concern, Susie's face went pale with fright, and she hastily shook her head, gripping my hand even tighter.,

"Felicia, you've got it all wrong. My brother, he's never had eyes for any other girl. You're the first.

", Seeing her scared like that, lips turning white, I knew I couldn't push her further., Her heart wasn't strong, couldn't take the shock., I playfully tapped her on the nose,

"Look at you, all worked up. I know, your brother told me he's never dated before.

", Susie nodded, quickly adding,

"And he never fancied any other girl either.

", This kid was the embodiment of innocence, so pure it seemed unblemished. If she were ever to fall in love, she'd probably expect the same level of purity in return., But in today's world, where could you find that kind of innocence?, I couldn't help but worry about her getting hurt in love someday., Though I was perhaps worrying over nothing, Susie gave me a feeling of closeness, almost as if she was my own little sister.,

"I know, your brother is as pure as driven snow, and I'll treasure him,

" I reassured her., Susie's smile returned., Breathing a sigh of relief, I turned back to the photo, trying to show Susie I wasn't concerned, yet my gaze lingered on the photo of Ernest carrying a girl on his back. That girl definitely wasn't Susie; if it were, she wouldn't be so anxious to explain., So, who was this lucky girl that Ernest carried on his back?, A neighbor? Or a relative? She must have grown up by now. Would she, like some clichéd romantic drama, suddenly show up to find Ernest?, My mind was running wild, entertaining thoughts so vivid I almost found myself silly., Then my eyes settled on a family portrait featuring Ernest, and I was struck by the familiarity of his father's face.,

"Is that Mr. Collins?

" I casually asked.,

"Uh-huh, that's my dad, but not Mr. Collins, it's Mr. Warren. His last name is Warren,

" Susie's explanation caught me off guard, sending a chill down my spine., I remembered my dad's driver was a Warren too. What a coincidence!, Considering what Ernest had mentioned before, and the fact both my dad's and Ernest's father's accidents had ties to a man named Lord, I was suddenly on edge. Could it be that Ernest's dad was my father's driver?,

"Felicia, what's wrong? Why've you gone silent?

" Susie's voice pulled me back., I regained my composure, though my expression must have been off as I looked at her, but considering she was still grieving her father's passing, she might not know everything.

"Felicia, are you feeling alright?

" Susie asked, her concern evident., I tried to steady my nerves.

"Hang on, you and your brother have the last name Collins, why does your dad have a different one?

", Susie laughed,

"Because my dad took my mom's surname when they married. It's like my mom married him, and their kids took her name. My mom's name was Cecily Collins.

" So that was the story., Had I not visited, I would've never uncovered this connection, never would've guessed that Mr. Warren, our family's driver, was Ernest's father., And Ernest? Did he already know about the connection between our fathers? Was his care for me also rooted in the bond between our fathers?, Some thoughts shouldn't be entertained, yet they wander freely.,

"Felicia, my brother once told me, my parents were deeply in love. Not long after my dad's accident, my mom, missing him terribly, accidentally fell into the river while working...

" Susie's gaze drifted towards the large river outside the window., My heart skipped a beat; this beautiful river held such a tragic story., Ernest built his house here, perhaps as a tribute to his mother, to keep her spirit close, watching over them.,

"My brother raised me,

" Susie's words shed light on Ernest's reluctance towards her surgery., Search the website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.