Heartstrings on Fire novel Chapter 1281

Even knowing the risks of returning to his homeland, Elton agreed to do it.

Agnes had spent a month in the hospital before she was finally discharged. To her surprise, Elton had rented a private jet for their journey back.

They took off in the dead of night, the journey spanning over several hours. By the time they landed, it was noon back home.

Agnes and Elton had an agreement: they would spend no more than a day here. Agnes sensed Elton's reluctance to return and couldn't help but ask why.

"There were too many painful memories here," Elton simply replied. "Coming back stirs up old wounds. I'm not eager to linger."

For Agnes, though, this place still held the warmth of home. Her memories halted at eighteen, a time when the thought of settling abroad had never crossed her mind. But reality was harsh—now she was twenty-six.

She had no choice but to face it, to pay her respects to her parents, and then follow Elton back to Manhattan. She would have to adapt, to start anew.

As they left the airport, the car headed straight for the cemetery. When Agnes saw her father's photo on the gravestone, tears flowed uncontrollably. It all felt like a surreal dream, a narrative spun from Elton’s words rather than her own experiences.

Sometimes she hoped she’d wake up, that this nightmare would end. But the weeds around the grave and the dust on the photo confirmed the truth. Her father had really left this world, and she would never see him again.