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.

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

Joy and Nathan simply smiled without

ground. She lifted her gaze, which could easily trace the outline of her future son-in-law's angular

she was so mischievous, but Trevon never scolded her once. His indulgence knows 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 replied, "You speak the truth, and | don't mind." His smiling demeanor made Sherri find him even more handsome, inwardly commenting on his striking appearance while maintaining a calm exterior. She praised, "Oh, Jasper, your words are always delightful to hear, more pleasing

who wore short sleeves. When the

taller than him and 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 felt responsible today since his dad couldn't come, but he couldn't

his words. Sensing his daughter's message, Hackett toned down

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

his support for years. Every year, he needs your presence multiple times. You've been helping him for so many 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 the Blackwell family knew precisely how Trevon had

he's just joking. Don't listen to his nonsense. He's used

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

tone. "Okay, | promise to detail it meticulously, more thoroughly than an 800-word essay." Liam's shoulder was tapped by Ruby. She delivered her warning in gentle tones, and it carried an underlying sense of intimidation. "That's enough. Pay your respects to great-grandpa and great-grandma. You always fool around and do not take things seriously. If you fail a course or don't complete the credits this semester, you'll be grounded just like Harper." Liam, who had been playful moments ago, instantly had

this household, his sister had the final say about his grades. It was his sister who decided if he could pass

kneel straight away." Ruby wasn't amused by her brother's words. She simply stared at him. Liam stood before Henry's tombstone,

of sight from everyone and smiled. He harbored a different

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

was unified in their approach to education, aiming for

as they could nurture their grandsons and sons into excellence, they were a united front. The entire family held the same standards as Ruby, to the point that Liam was genuinely afraid of

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

were a total of three cars, including Jasper's white Lamborghini sports car that could

need

was stunned