Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

The next morning, Ava was already waiting at the school gate for Alex. Alex hurriedly rode in on a small donkey, wearing a black short-sleeved shirt and loose blue jeans, exuding a tomboyish vibe.

Even more so than Frank, Alex seemed to lean into a more masculine style. Frank nodded in greeting, as he rarely initiated conversations with girls other than Ava.

Alex's electric motorcycle trailed beside the couple, gliding with her feet, moving at their walking pace but at a sluggish speed.

"How come you guys are here so early? Today's just registration, no classes. Ava, you could've slept an extra five minutes. | live quite far, so I'm pressed for time." "Is your place really remote? How long does it take?" Ava inquired curiously.

Alex calculated, "It's about 40 minutes by electric motorcycle. It's not too bad, though. Houses there are a bit cheaper.” "That's quite far," Ava remarked, surprised.

"Ah, it's not far. Besides, it's a great workout, right? Bro, should | go with Ava to register first, or will you accompany her?" Alex noticed another girl behind Ava, her hair tied in a neat ponytail, standing upright, exuding a confident aura.

Frank offered, "I'll go with her." "Okay, I'll head out then. See you later." With that, Alex revved her scooter and zoomed off towards the academic building.

Frank accompanied Ava to complete the registration, filling out the necessary forms. They were accompanied by a bodyguard who even accompanied her to the restroom, taking turns to ensure her safety. Ava didn't object; she actually found it comforting, appreciating the added security.

As noon approached, inside the library, a handsome man sat with an adorable girl, engrossed in their books.

He occasionally massaged her waist with delicate movements, attracting the attention of many students around.

The man naturally shielded himself from the curious gazes around and lowered his voice, asking, "Is your waist sore?" The girl shook her head softly. "No, are you going to read?" Their voices were hushed, audible only to each other, reminiscent of mischievous students whispering in class.

With one hand gently massaging her waist, Frank's movements were soothing, trying to alleviate her fatigue. "No need to read,” he said softly. "Just looking at you is enough." Suddenly, Frank's phone in his pocket seemed to go haywire, incessantly vibrating, almost draining its battery. His leg felt numb from the constant buzzing. Inwardly, Frank cursed whoever it was with such relentless messages.

With some effort, he freed a hand and checked the phone. It was Hackett bombarding him with messages, probably recovered from his concussion and now being a nuisance with one text after another.

Hackett's message read, [Frank, buddy, you've been there for half a month already. When are you coming back to prepare for the wedding? Trevon mentioned you guys were planning it in two months! Is it real?] His second message read, [Are you planning a minimalist wedding? You're not coming back to prepare at all? Bring the little princess to Athana; It feels like an eternity since | saw you last time. | miss you so much.] His third message read, [Is your little princess having a twin or a single child?] And then, he went on asking, [What's the theme for your wedding? Mordern? Ancient style? Have you decided?] Finally, he sent another message, [When exactly is the wedding? Which date?] After reading through all the messages, Frank felt an intense urge to reach through the phone and give Hackett a good shake.

He sighed inwardly and replied, [Are you sure your concussion has been treated? Maybe get your wife's friend to scan your brain again.] [I'll cover the expenses.] Hackett texted, [Get lost! | just missed you. Is this a mistake? You're just made for a solitary life.] Frank replied, [You can temporarily forget about my existence. Thanks to your whole family.] Hackett was speechless. In truth, he was genuinely bored. Sherri was afraid of potential complications from his injury, so she didn't let him work. He was stuck at home every day, practically growing fur on him.

chatter, Frank didn't

simply set his phone to 'Do Not Disturb’ mode, rendering Hackett's subsequent antics ineffective in disturbing

library, Frank held Ava's hand, while Alex stood on the other

to head to the parking lot. Frank had a favorable impression of Alex,

what Frank was thankful for, made a courteous gesture, saying, "You're welcome, no problem." Hand in hand, their fingers interlocked, Ava and Frank strolled along the pathways of

is that your boyfriend?" a girl from the

but even Frank, standing beside her, was momentarily stunned. He then subtly curved his lips, a light chuckle escaping his chest. It took the girl a moment

during their postgraduate studies at the university. However, unlike Ava, most chose to keep it low-key,

radiant as starlight. Deep down, she pondered when her husband would

for Frank, he quite liked being called 'husband' by the young girl. After all, anyone could call Frank by his name—sometimes even Hackett in his eccentric moments, Trevon, Grace, and the rest. As for Rose, who knows what

something

At night, Turner Manor.

quietly got up. He grabbed a Post-it note and meticulously scribbled a row of words before sticking it on

dead of night, Ava woke up feeling the urge to urinate. Subconsciously, she nudged towards the empty space beside her, only to find it cold. Abruptly, she opened her eyes, her bright orbs gleaming in the

found was an orange Post-it note with a simple message: "Baby Ava, I'll be right back, don't wait for me. Staying up late isn't good for the baby." The note didn't specify where he went or when he would return. Holding the orange Post-it, she felt puzzled. After hesitating for a few minutes, her

thoughts consumed by where Frank might have

back into slumber for the sake of their child. It wasn't until

observed her son-in-law's fatigued expression, a mix of concern and compassion in her voice as she spoke, "Frank, couldn't you have waited until things were sorted there before coming back and forth? It's not good for your health. You have to take care." Despite wearing an exhausted expression and struggling to keep his eyes open, Frank replied determinedly, "Don't worry about me. It's alright, it'll be sorted in a few days. Mom, I'll head up to rest for a bit." Emma furrowed her brow; this kid

bed, Ava instinctively leaned towards him. "You're back," she

her in his arms, Frank replied softly, "Yes. Let's sleep now."

her side. Initially, she assumed he had

occurrence, Ava began feeling uneasy. Especially tonight, when Frank was absent as usual. Alone, she rose from bed, donning a light coat. Quietly, she opened the door, switching on every lamp in the room. Being

darkness, indicating Frank wasn't there. She pushed open the door to the study, finding it similarly dim. Ava couldn't help but wonder: where could he be? Standing at the doorway, she pondered for quite some time, her attractive brows furrowing deeply. Her gaze fixed on a spot as she contemplated. Eventually, she turned back to her room, switched on the lights, and checked her phone. It was 3:30

at the construction site laying bricks at this hour? It