Noel returned to the villa after school, his steps slow and heavy. His backpack hung loosely over one shoulder, exhaustion written all over his small face.
"Noel."
He lifted his head at the sound of the familiar voice. The instant he saw who it was, his eyes lit up.
"Pretty Aunt?" he exclaimed in surprise. The dullness on his face vanished as if it had never existed. He ran toward her eagerly.
Summer smiled and dropped to her knees, opening her arms.
He threw himself into her embrace. "I missed you," Noel said softly.
Her chest tightened. She had missed him, too, more than she cared to admit. She couldn't explain the bond between them, but somehow Noel had quietly carved out a place in her heart.
Maybe it was because she had recently lost Hope. Maybe it was because she yearned for her own son. Or perhaps it was simply because she knew how much Noel had endured under Danica's cold treatment.
