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.

as if nothing had happened. Instead, Ruby felt a pang of embarrassment and tugged at her skirt, placing her hands on it to prevent

hearing Jasper's reason, Joy and Nathan simply

remained squatting on the ground. She lifted her gaze, which could easily trace the

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 replied,

the breeze passed by, Liam was the only one who

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

glanced at her father, signaling him to mind his words. Sensing his

the teasing, Hackett squatted next to Sherri, playfully taunting Trevon.

the Blackwell family. Hackett had recounted it numerous times,

the Blackwell family knew precisely how Trevon had initially

her son a reproachful look, a warning laden 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 on his words. When there are children around, he should be mindful of his image as

just memories from my dad's younger days." After that, Ruby chuckled, covering her mouth with one hand. Jasper always managed to present amusing things

"How come this kid never gets mad? His emotions are way too stable." Liam lightly bumped Jasper again and whispered in his ear, "Jasper, you don't happen to be unaware of your father borrowing from my great-grandpa's name, 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

sister had the final say about his grades. It was his sister who decided if he could pass the test or

don't be so serious. I'll go pay respects now. I'll even kneel straight away." Ruby wasn't amused by

everyone and smiled. He harbored a different thought

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

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

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

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

including Jasper's white Lamborghini sports car

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

stunned