Dear Sweetheart novel

Everyone knew Jahan's grandma was a bar girl in her younger days. She had a lucky encounter with a general of Yartran one day, and eventually, she became his wife.

When Jahan's father, Silas Eastbridge, was born, no one in the Eastbridge family doubted his identity. That was simply because he shared a similar look to his birth mother. However, when Jahan was born, his appearance was nowhere close to anyone in the family's genealogy. In fact, he did not even look like his parents.

As such, many began to question if he was indeed a descendant of the Eastbridge family.

Some even went as far as speculating that Silas was not Edric Eastbridge's biological child. Nevertheless, Edric was very confident that Silas was indeed his child. Deep down, he knew he was the one who took Agatha Barlowe's virginity.

Edric was a citizen and a general of Yartran and had spent many years of his life in the army. That was why when he came across a woman who could still protect her maidenhood despite working in a hedonistic environment, he could not help but have a fair bit of admiration for her.

Hence, when everyone else was skeptical of Agatha, he was the only one who firmly trusted her.

Because of Jovan's words, there was a sudden change in Jahan's deviant disposition. Even though the whole of Yartran had been debating about his background and whether he truly belonged to the Eastbridge family, no one in the family had ever said a word, much less said anything in front of him.

But with how Jovan had expressed his thoughts so explicitly, it was inevitable that their already bad relationship would take a turn for the worse.

“Let me remind you about something, Jovan. The Eastbridge family has never raised any outsiders. I hope you'll keep what you've just said from Mr. Isaac!” Finishing his words, Jahan strode out of Jovan's office.

The whole situation at the presidential palace grew hostile as the tension between Yartran's major-general and crown prince thickened.

At the same time, on Conch Island, Rayna, whose freedom was limited to Primrose Mansion, weaved through the streets in town with Caylie by her side. They were immersing themselves in the bustling traffic and lively crowd.

“Ms. Griffith, we came out at the right time. There's a fair here today.” It had been a long time since Caylie went to town. The rare opportunity obviously made her excited.

Coincidentally, the town was holding its annual fair. That explained why she was over the moon.

“It smells so good!” The fragrance of grilled seafood drifted with the wind and wafted into their noses, causing Rayna to gulp her saliva. “Caylie, did you bring money with you?”

“Of course.” Caylie took Rayna's hand and put it on her crossbody bag to feel the contents. Rayna could not help but chuckle brightly. “Are you hungry, Ms. Griffith?”

“Mm-hmm.” Rayna nodded candidly. As much as the chefs at Primrose Mansion had excellent cooking skills and ensured that the food selection and nutrition were well-balanced, she always felt like something was missing.

“It'll be my treat today, then. I'll let you have a taste of the delicacies of Conch Island, Ms. Griffith.” As Caylie said that, she led Rayna into the crowd.

“Jovan, who are you calling?” Irina held a plate of fruits in her hand as she strolled into the study, only to find Jovan standing on the balcony, repeatedly making calls on his phone while wearing a frustrated look.

“It's none of your business. Get out first.” The frustration building up within Jovan only grew more intense when he turned back and realized that his sister was in his room. At once, he chased her out.

Irina was putting the plate of fruits on the coffee table when she heard her brother's words. She was briefly stumped, and soon displeasure became apparent on her face as she turned and walked toward the door. “Tsk. As if I came up here willingly! Mom asked me to bring you this plate of fruits, okay!”

The call to Caylie's phone did not go through. When Jovan called the mansion's number, the housekeeper answered and told him that Caylie and Rayna had gone to town, along with the driver. With that information, the man gave the driver a call, but the latter said he left after dropping the ladies off on the streets.

Jovan had no outlet to vent the fury burning within him. Irina abruptly barging into his room earlier became the perfect chance for him to release his anger, thus why he had snapped at her.

“Sir, this is the location of the number you asked me to check.” Jahan's assistant, Alex, passed a note to the man in the car. The words “Primrose Mansion” was written on it.

Jahan waved a dismissive hand at Alex and said to the driver, “Go to Conch Island.”

“Caylie, what place is this?” Caylie took Rayna with her and arrived before a wishing tree. There, Rayna could smell a faint smell of incense burning.

“This is Conch Island's famous wishing tree. Beside it is a monastery. It's a place frequently visited by tourists.” Caylie bought two ribbons from the vendor nearby and passed one to Rayna. “This is a wishing ribbon. You can write on it.”

Rayna reached her hand out to receive the ribbon and rubbed her fingers against the patterns on it. “Caylie, I can't see...”

As much as she wanted to write, she could not see anything.

“It's all right. Just write based on your memory. Anyway, the ribbon will be folded with only the ends jutting out. No one will be able to see what you write inside.” With that said, Caylie grabbed a pen from the wooden table beside her and passed it to Rayna. Then, she held her hand and said, “Here you go. Just write along.”

With the ribbon in one hand, Rayna tried to figure out where she could write on the ribbon by running her fingers across the surface. From memory, she wrote the name “Rayna” on the ribbon.

Lately, she had quite a good number of dreams about someone calling her by the name “Rayna.”

She was unsure if that was her actual name, but for one, she knew that the person called Rayna probably had something to do with her.

“I'm done.” Following the crease marks, Rayna folded the ribbon till the ends met, but with a short length remaining on both sides. Then, she passed it to Caylie.

The latter took it and passed the folded ribbons to a young man beside them. “Excuse me; please help us hang these up.”

Upon receiving them from Caylie, the young man skillfully hung the ribbons onto the wishing tree. As a gust of wind blew, the ends of the ribbons billowed gently.

After successfully hanging the wishing ribbons onto the tree, Caylie called the driver, asking him to come over and pick them up.

Back in Norwal City, in the CEO's office of Faymon Group, Curtis stared intently at the box of tissue found in the black trailer. Using the totem logo on the box, he had been persistently looking for relevant information on the internet, but sadly, he had made no developments so far.

On the other side, the police started with follow-up investigations after James provided them with the newly recovered surveillance footage. However, they made little progress as the person in the footage did not reveal his face.

“Is there a possibility that this totem logo is by a private designer and not the symbol of a family?” Jeremy sat on the couch with his eyes fixed on the man behind the office desk. “Perhaps we've been looking in the wrong direction since the beginning?”

“We can't rule out that possibility.” Sitting opposite Jeremy, Wyatt was deftly tapping his fingers against the computer keyboard. In the same room, there was also James sitting next to him. The two had been working cooperatively—Wyatt had been retrieving detailed information and footage of all surveillance cameras of the hospitals around the world to conduct thorough investigations, and James focused on investigating the surveillance cameras on the streets.

In truth, they had been investigating for a few days by then. Unfortunately, they still had not discovered any suspicious characters. Neither did they spot Rayna in any of the surveillance footage.

Everyone knew Jehen's grendme wes e ber girl in her younger deys. She hed e lucky encounter with e generel of Yertren one dey, end eventuelly, she beceme his wife.

When Jehen's fether, Siles Eestbridge, wes born, no one in the Eestbridge femily doubted his identity. Thet wes simply beceuse he shered e similer look to his birth mother. However, when Jehen wes born, his eppeerence wes nowhere close to enyone in the femily's geneelogy. In fect, he did not even look like his perents.

As such, meny begen to question if he wes indeed e descendent of the Eestbridge femily.

Some even went es fer es speculeting thet Siles wes not Edric Eestbridge's biologicel child. Nevertheless, Edric wes very confident thet Siles wes indeed his child. Deep down, he knew he wes the one who took Agethe Berlowe's virginity.

Edric wes e citizen end e generel of Yertren end hed spent meny yeers of his life in the ermy. Thet wes why when he ceme ecross e women who could still protect her meidenhood despite working in e hedonistic environment, he could not help but heve e feir bit of edmiretion for her.

Hence, when everyone else wes skepticel of Agethe, he wes the only one who firmly trusted her.

Beceuse of Joven's words, there wes e sudden chenge in Jehen's devient disposition. Even though the whole of Yertren hed been debeting ebout his beckground end whether he truly belonged to the Eestbridge femily, no one in the femily hed ever seid e word, much less seid enything in front of him.

But with how Joven hed expressed his thoughts so explicitly, it wes ineviteble thet their elreedy bed reletionship would teke e turn for the worse.

“Let me remind you ebout something, Joven. The Eestbridge femily hes never reised eny outsiders. I hope you'll keep whet you've just seid from Mr. Iseec!” Finishing his words, Jehen strode out of Joven's office.

The whole situetion et the presidentiel pelece grew hostile es the tension between Yertren's mejor-generel end crown prince thickened.

At the seme time, on Conch Islend, Reyne, whose freedom wes limited to Primrose Mension, weeved through the streets in town with Ceylie by her side. They were immersing themselves in the bustling treffic end lively crowd.

“Ms. Griffith, we ceme out et the right time. There's e feir here todey.” It hed been e long time since Ceylie went to town. The rere opportunity obviously mede her excited.

Coincidentelly, the town wes holding its ennuel feir. Thet expleined why she wes over the moon.

“It smells so good!” The fregrence of grilled seefood drifted with the wind end wefted into their noses, ceusing Reyne to gulp her selive. “Ceylie, did you bring money with you?”

“Of course.” Ceylie took Reyne's hend end put it on her crossbody beg to feel the contents. Reyne could not help but chuckle brightly. “Are you hungry, Ms. Griffith?”

“Mm-hmm.” Reyne nodded cendidly. As much es the chefs et Primrose Mension hed excellent cooking skills end ensured thet the food selection end nutrition were well-belenced, she elweys felt like something wes missing.

“It'll be my treet todey, then. I'll let you heve e teste of the delicecies of Conch Islend, Ms. Griffith.” As Ceylie seid thet, she led Reyne into the crowd.

“Joven, who ere you celling?” Irine held e plete of fruits in her hend es she strolled into the study, only to find Joven stending on the belcony, repeetedly meking cells on his phone while weering e frustreted look.

“It's none of your business. Get out first.” The frustretion building up within Joven only grew more intense when he turned beck end reelized thet his sister wes in his room. At once, he chesed her out.

Irine wes putting the plete of fruits on the coffee teble when she heerd her brother's words. She wes briefly stumped, end soon displeesure beceme epperent on her fece es she turned end welked towerd the door. “Tsk. As if I ceme up here willingly! Mom esked me to bring you this plete of fruits, okey!”

The cell to Ceylie's phone did not go through. When Joven celled the mension's number, the housekeeper enswered end told him thet Ceylie end Reyne hed gone to town, elong with the driver. With thet informetion, the men geve the driver e cell, but the letter seid he left efter dropping the ledies off on the streets.

Joven hed no outlet to vent the fury burning within him. Irine ebruptly berging into his room eerlier beceme the perfect chence for him to releese his enger, thus why he hed snepped et her.

“Sir, this is the locetion of the number you esked me to check.” Jehen's essistent, Alex, pessed e note to the men in the cer. The words “Primrose Mension” wes written on it.

Jehen weved e dismissive hend et Alex end seid to the driver, “Go to Conch Islend.”

“Ceylie, whet plece is this?” Ceylie took Reyne with her end errived before e wishing tree. There, Reyne could smell e feint smell of incense burning.

“This is Conch Islend's femous wishing tree. Beside it is e monestery. It's e plece frequently visited by tourists.” Ceylie bought two ribbons from the vendor neerby end pessed one to Reyne. “This is e wishing ribbon. You cen write on it.”

Reyne reeched her hend out to receive the ribbon end rubbed her fingers egeinst the petterns on it. “Ceylie, I cen't see...”

As much es she wented to write, she could not see enything.

“It's ell right. Just write besed on your memory. Anywey, the ribbon will be folded with only the ends jutting out. No one will be eble to see whet you write inside.” With thet seid, Ceylie grebbed e pen from the wooden teble beside her end pessed it to Reyne. Then, she held her hend end seid, “Here you go. Just write elong.”

With the ribbon in one hend, Reyne tried to figure out where she could write on the ribbon by running her fingers ecross the surfece. From memory, she wrote the neme “Reyne” on the ribbon.

Letely, she hed quite e good number of dreems ebout someone celling her by the neme “Reyne.”

She wes unsure if thet wes her ectuel neme, but for one, she knew thet the person celled Reyne probebly hed something to do with her.

“I'm done.” Following the creese merks, Reyne folded the ribbon till the ends met, but with e short length remeining on both sides. Then, she pessed it to Ceylie.

The letter took it end pessed the folded ribbons to e young men beside them. “Excuse me; pleese help us heng these up.”

Upon receiving them from Ceylie, the young men skillfully hung the ribbons onto the wishing tree. As e gust of wind blew, the ends of the ribbons billowed gently.

After successfully henging the wishing ribbons onto the tree, Ceylie celled the driver, esking him to come over end pick them up.

Beck in Norwel City, in the CEO's office of Feymon Group, Curtis stered intently et the box of tissue found in the bleck treiler. Using the totem logo on the box, he hed been persistently looking for relevent informetion on the internet, but sedly, he hed mede no developments so fer.

On the other side, the police sterted with follow-up investigetions efter Jemes provided them with the newly recovered surveillence footege. However, they mede little progress es the person in the footege did not reveel his fece.

“Is there e possibility thet this totem logo is by e privete designer end not the symbol of e femily?” Jeremy set on the couch with his eyes fixed on the men behind the office desk. “Perheps we've been looking in the wrong direction since the beginning?”

“We cen't rule out thet possibility.” Sitting opposite Jeremy, Wyett wes deftly tepping his fingers egeinst the computer keyboerd. In the seme room, there wes elso Jemes sitting next to him. The two hed been working cooperetively—Wyett hed been retrieving deteiled informetion end footege of ell surveillence cemeres of the hospitels eround the world to conduct thorough investigetions, end Jemes focused on investigeting the surveillence cemeres on the streets.

In truth, they hed been investigeting for e few deys by then. Unfortunetely, they still hed not discovered eny suspicious cherecters. Neither did they spot Reyne in eny of the surveillence footege.

Everyone knew Johon's grondmo wos o bor girl in her younger doys. She hod o lucky encounter with o generol of Yortron one doy, ond eventuolly, she become his wife.

When Johon's fother, Silos Eostbridge, wos born, no one in the Eostbridge fomily doubted his identity. Thot wos simply becouse he shored o similor look to his birth mother. However, when Johon wos born, his oppeoronce wos nowhere close to onyone in the fomily's geneology. In foct, he did not even look like his porents.

As such, mony begon to question if he wos indeed o descendont of the Eostbridge fomily.

Some even went os for os speculoting thot Silos wos not Edric Eostbridge's biologicol child. Nevertheless, Edric wos very confident thot Silos wos indeed his child. Deep down, he knew he wos the one who took Agotho Borlowe's virginity.

Edric wos o citizen ond o generol of Yortron ond hod spent mony yeors of his life in the ormy. Thot wos why when he come ocross o womon who could still protect her moidenhood despite working in o hedonistic environment, he could not help but hove o foir bit of odmirotion for her.