Turning Of the Tide by Diana Sander

Chapter 379

It was 11 o’clock in the morning.

The sun cast its brilliant light upon Sapphire City, scorching everything in its path, mirroring the fiery heat that consumed.

Frank’s heart.

His car was parked at the entrance of the estate. Instead of entering, he dialed Ava’s number. He rested his head against the car seat, gazing skyward at the expanse adorned with a sun ablaze in fiery red.

Swiftly. Ava’s cheerful voice answered the call “Frank,” she said, “Are you awake?”

Her voice infused him with an unexplainable joy. Frank’s lips curved slightly as he responded, “Where are you going today?”

Ava’s tone held a touch of despair. With Alex on vacation and unable to visit Athana, time was constrained, and her words were tinged with resignation. “Reading at home and painting. There’s nowhere to go, she replied dejectedly.

In reality, her disappointment stemmed from not having a companion. She believed engaging with someone of vastly different perspectives would lead to mundane conversations. Coordinating activities with them would also be draining; she opted not to squander her time

Misaligned viewpoints gave rise to a lack of common ground – that’s what it boiled down to. They would never be on the same page.

Naturally, Frank discerned traces of disillusionment and languor in her words. “Come on out, he urged.

“Huh? What?” Ava, on the other end, queried in confusion.

Frank chuckled and said, “I am outside your residence. Get the driver to send you out. Let’s hang out for a while today”

The young girl seemed perplexed. Silence lingered on the line momentarily, and then Ava regained her bearings with a surprised tone. Her voice increased, and she asked, “Frank, are you outside? In Sapphire City? When did you arrive?”

Ava asked questions, but Frank did not find it bothersome. Her words tickled his heart, leaving it as light as a feather. He urged. “Step out, and I’ll explain.”

“Of course, I’m on my way. Stay on the line. I’ll put you on speaker. I’m dressed, and I will have to do my makeup. Wait for me. Ava responded, her words flowing without intent to end the call.

Frank did not disconnect either, and he agreed, saying, “Sure.”

Ava hurried to the bathroom, beginning her makeup routine. Gazing at her reflection, she realized her chosen attire was ideal for a date. Yet, facing a drawer overflowing with lipsticks, she wavered. She murmured to herself, “Which color should I opt for? Peach pink, cherry pink, subtle orange, apricot, or carrot?” 1

The abundance of lipstick choices ignited the struggle to decide.

Sometimes, an excess of options was not necessarily beneficial as it complicated the decision-making process.

Frank resolved her dilemma, albeit unsure himself. “Subtle orange,’ he suggested.

fond of that shade too. Now, should I wear sandals or

rock climbing and archery, Frank

typical to Ava’s liking; they should captivate her. Her delight already radiated through the phone.

a few more minutes. I’ll change into sportswear,” Ava replied,

he replied, unperturbed. The rest of his day belonged to her.

estate’s gate swung open. A Bugatti emerged, coasting alongside Frank’s

cinching her waist. Her cascading curly hair framed her face, and on her wrist gleamed the bracelet

On the feet, a pair of small white shoes radiated youthful

It appeared fitting for Hackett to

briskly walked into his embrace. Her hands found rest at his waist, and she looked up at him with a joyful expression.

surrounding bodyguards averted their gazes once more, adhering to an unspoken rule – if it was not meant to be seen, they looked away. The driver of

and unbridled surprise adorned Ava’s face, and she inquired, “How

to come see

tiptoed and planted a kiss on Frank’s lips, not once but twice.

the freshly applied lipstick immediately transferred to his lips. A sweet fragrance lingered between their lips, and as they parted, their tongues conveyed their mutual yearning. Time stood still as their desires intertwined.

Frank’s chest as the kiss concluded, her breathing slightly heavier. She asked. ‘Did you miss

adept at deciphering this automatic response – “Mm”

with rock climbing, followed by archery. They intended to explore a haunted house and engage

from delivering special meals for his pregnant wife. Her prolonged detachment from the organization made reintegration necessary. To allow Rose some rest, Sherri arranged takeout

the expenses. She could indulge herself. Holding her phone, she occupied Sherri’s

scrolling through her friends’ posts. In the process, she came across Ava’s post. The photo depicted Ava rock climbing, gripping the ropes, and

captured

trip to Sapphire City, which explained why he had gone without her. As she thought about

up, her suspicion

seated next to them, puckered her lips and said, “You are

Rose propped her head and questioned, “Sherri, I have not even been in a relationship. How can I have a broken heart? I

prolonged sigh. Tell me, why is this beauty heartbroken? Natalie asked

role as an actress and dramatically replied, “Cranky Franky had ruthlessly abandoned me. Spare

this, Sherri was at

communicate using the modern language? Cut out those fancy characters’ play. It

she said, “It’s just that Cranky Franky had promised to take

I woke up, he was already in bed at the Sapphire Hotel. You can see it for yourself in Ava’s post. However, Cranky Franky felt remorse for his actions, so he

chin tilted proudly as she spoke, clearly fond of her brother’s straightforward

processing Rose’s words, Natalie reviewed their essence. Frank hai journeyed

apart for nearly a month and clearly needed this reunton.

was not Frank’s trip to Sapphire City but Rose’s impending journey to Artroyland the next day.