Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

The chirping of insects, the calls of birds, the lush greenery of trees, artificially planted orchids, roses, marigolds... all competed for attention, blooming and vying in their beauty.

At a glance, it felt as if one had wandered into a beautiful garden. But upon closer inspection, one could see cold, black tombstones standing in rows, solemn and stark.

And those attractive blooming flowers only added a different atmosphere to the icy, dignified, and heavy graveyard.

Today was the day the Blackwell family visited their family's graves.

The Blackwell couple didn't dress in flamboyant colors, sticking to the proper black and white hues.

Hackett wore a black t-shirt and gray pants, while Sherri wore a white shirt and black casual trousers. They squatted in front of the tombstone, joining Hackett's mother in offering something to the deceased.

Nathan stood to the side and briefly glanced at Jasper, who shared a similar aura as Trevon. Jasper remained silent. He stood respectfully to the side, yet his gaze was unwaveringly fixed on the tombstone, reflecting sincere emotions.

Standing at 5.9 feet, Jasper's height made him particularly conspicuous, especially with his strikingly handsome face. No one could resist the urge to take a second look at him. His refined demeanor made it pleasing to stare, as even in simple attire, his innate dignity couldn't be concealed.

Jasper sensed the intense scrutiny but didn't turn. He kept his gaze fixed on the tombstone, standing composed and calm.

From Nathan's perspective, Jasper was a head and a half taller than Ruby and half a head taller than Liam. In this gathering, Jasper was the tallest, surpassing his son by a few inches. Nathan could not help but ask, "Jasper, any particular reason your dad couldn't make it this year?" Trevon felt in debt to Henry, and he'd come every year without fail. However, this year's absence was due to someone voluntarily offering to take his place.

But the Blackwell family was unaware of it, so it was natural for them to inquire. It wasn't meant as an obligation for Trevon to come and visit the grave.

Jasper remained outwardly unaffected and replied casually, "Oh, Olivia's back." Everyone knew that Trevon doted on his daughter. It was no exaggeration to say that almost everyone in Athana knew about this. Therefore, when Jasper mentioned those words, everyone present believed him without a doubt.

A gentle breeze swept by, causing the white skirt of Ruby to flutter and unintentionally tangle with Jasper's black sweatpants.

Spring attire isn't particularly thick, and she could feel her legs brushing against the fabric of his pants.

had happened. Instead, Ruby felt a pang of embarrassment and tugged at her skirt, placing her

reason, Joy and

trace the outline of her future son-in-law's angular jawline. His strikingly handsome features were undeniably

no bounds." Nathan chimed in, saying, "They say daughters are a father's precious treasure. Looks like there's truth to that saying." Sherri continued, "Jasper, my straightforwardness might come across as strong. Hope you don't mind. I'm just someone who speaks my mind." Jasper stood tall, a rare smile gracing his lips as he politely

long sleeves except for Liam, who wore short sleeves. When the breeze passed by, Liam was the only one who instinctively shivered

started to tease, "Your dad's pulling a fast one here. No, scratch that. He's burning the bridge after crossing it. Back when he needed my grandpa, he dragged me out of bed on Christmas to come to the grave. Now, his daughter's back, and he decided not to show up. Seriously, his character's questionable.” Jasper remained composed, refusing to engage in conversation no matter what Hackett said. He

mind his words.

squatted next to Sherri, playfully taunting Trevon. "Grandpa, you've blessed Trevon so

years, all for nothing." Trevon's pursuit of his wife using Henry's story had become a familiar anecdote within the Blackwell family. Hackett had recounted it numerous times, making it a well-known tale. Following the pattern of learning from the past, everyone in the Blackwell family, from the couple

of the Blackwell family knew precisely how Trevon had initially approached Henry

with authority. "You're an elder. How can you act like this? Jasper, he's just joking. Don't listen to his nonsense. He's used to teasing your dad without any restraints

Joy. "It's okay. These are just memories from my dad's younger days." After that, Ruby chuckled, covering

do you? If so, I'll write a short essay about it for you later." Suddenly, Jasper became very curious about the specifics of this event. At home, his father always kept his mistakes tightly under wraps. He replied casually, "Okay." Liam assured with a mischievous tone. "Okay, | promise to detail it meticulously, more thoroughly than an 800-word essay." Liam's

the final say about his grades. It

away." Ruby wasn't amused by her brother's words.

of sight from everyone and smiled. He

added another layer of impact for her son. "Your sister is right. If you can't even graduate from college, just go work at a construction site. Worker wages are pretty high nowadays. If you go, we'll save on hiring an extra hand.” Liam was left speechless upon hearing that.

approach to education, aiming for excellence. They had a tacit agreement

grandsons and sons into excellence, they were a united front. The entire family held the same standards

the foot of the mountain, the group split up. Hackett and Nathan were headed to the company, and Joy, Sherri, and Liam

cars, including Jasper's white Lamborghini sports car that could only

conspicuous car nearby and said to his daughter, "Ruby, get in the car. I'll drop you off at the studio first, then I'll go to the company with your grandpa..." "No need for the trouble. Jasper is heading back to the Wilson's residence, and it passes by Ruby's studio, right? Just let Jasper give

was stunned and