Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Chapter 828

In the blink of an eye, New Year's Eve arrived.

The old year faded away in a burst of firecrackers, while a gentle spring breeze seemed to drift through the house, filling it with warmth and anticipation.

"Morning, Anne. Why are you up so early? You could've slept in," Neely called from the living room.

"Morning, Grandpa!" Roseanne replied, bounding down the stairs.

She found Neely making tea at the coffee table, a pair of polished walnut worry stones resting at his side.

"What do you want for breakfast?" he asked.

"What's in the kitchen?" Roseanne shrugged. "I'm not picky-anything's fine."

By the time they finished breakfast, it was only eight-thirty.

Assuming Norris and Madge were still asleep, Roseanne was about to head upstairs to wake them when she spotted Madge already tucked away in the study, laptop open and intent.

As for Norris, he'd gone out with Grandma for groceries.

dawn, piling into the car with the driver and heading straight

returned, chatting like old

know your stuff! You even

shop for groceries more often than most. Picked

dismissed for the holiday-only two cooks and the driver remained-Grandma threw herself into the kitchen the moment she got home, carefully checking every ingredient. Clearly, tonight's holiday feast meant

of his

everyone gathered around the table for a meal that was simple by their standards, though it still boasted six or seven dishes.

Grandpa for a couple of rounds of chess in the living room, then pitched in to help

coffee table, alongside colorful wrapping paper stamped with cheerful holiday wishes. The

but ask, "Do we really have that many relatives

chuckled. "We didn't before. That

took Roseanne only a moment

it was always a muted affair in some foreign city, far from friends and family-let alone making the rounds to visit

the family reunited, her grandparents

Grandpa sighed. "We've been

Ket

a lot of old friends and relatives some we call now and then, some we haven't spoken to in ages. But from now on, we'll be here. Your grandmother feels it's important to reestablish those