Kerr's voice drew Nicole back to reality. She wiped the tears from her eyes and turned around. She
looked at him calmly, but the sorrow in her eyes could not be hidden.
"You knew about my family background from early on?"
Nicole knew that Kerr would investigate her, and that he would find out everything about her. What was
more, she knew that what Kerr had done today was all to cheer her up, but she felt sorry that his effort
would be in vain. She couldn't be happy no matter how she tried.
Kerr walked to her and took both her hands in his.
"I know, so I knew what you wanted. I'll give you anything you want."
He didn't know if it was his imagination, but he seemed to see more despair than happiness in Nicole's
face. He didn't know what had gone wrong.
"What I want… I want my father to come back to life. I want the Ning family to remain happy. I want all
the terrible things to be nothing more than a nightmare. Can you do that, Kerr?"
Nicole pulled her hands from Kerr's grasp.
She knew that it was unfair to blame Kerr. Standing in the former villa of the Ning family again and
seeing that nothing had changed around her, she knew despite this that things had changed here.
No matter how powerful and influential Kerr was, it was impossible to turn back time. She was
expecting of him to accomplish the impossible.
"Nicole... What's wrong?"
If he hadn't noticed how peculiar Nicole was behaving, he didn't deserve to love her at all.
But he couldn't understand why she looked so sad.
"I'm sorry. I'm letting you down, but I just want to be alone."
Feeling inconsolable, Nicole looked down to cover her sadness and tried to avoid looking into Kerr's
searching eyes.
She turned around and was about to walk upstairs when Kerr pulled her into his arms from behind.
"Nicole, tell me what happened?"
He was aware that the Ning Group had gone bankrupt seven years ago, the villa of the Ning family had
been auctioned off, and Nicole had left for Manhattan. Therefore, he had thought that she would be
happy if he returned her previous home to her.
However, he did not expect that it would intensify Nicole's sorrow.
"You know today is my birthday. This was my former home, the Ning Group went bankrupt, and it was
sold on auction. However, didn't you discover that our family's demise was caused by my father's
sudden death? Don't you know that's why I couldn't celebrate my birthday for seven years?
Because my birthday has also been my father's death-day for the last seven years. I really can't bear
looking at my father's portrait and celebrating my birthday."
Tears streamed down Nicole's cheeks. She raised her hand, covering her mouth to stop herself from
crying.
She had tried so hard to forget the past, but she still couldn't. She had been gone from her home for so
long, but she had always lacked the courage to come back to see it.
She had hoped that she would be able to return during her stay abroad. But when she did come back,
she understood the saying that "The shorter the distance of your approach to home, the more
disquieted you become."
Feeling Nicole trembling, Kerr turned her to him and wrapped his arms around her so that she could
vent her despair to her heart's content.
"I'm sorry. It's all my fault, Nicole. You may think this way. However, if your father was still alive, he
would wish for you to live a healthy and happy life.
I will be with you on every one of your future birthdays. Don't worry. I won't let you face your sorrow
alone. I will make sure that our happiness gradually fills in the blank spaces in your heart."
Kerr didn't expect that such a weak girl like Nicole could bear such sadness alone. Although this should
have been a happy day, she would never know another happy birthday.
What a cruel thing for Nicole to carry. Kerr didn't know how she had endured it alone for the past seven
years.
But he resolved to always be with her in the future. No matter it was happiness or sorrow, he would not
let her face it alone.
It seemed a century had passed before Nicole stopped crying. She sniffed and looked up into Kerr's
worried face. Her eyes were red and swollen.
"Can you come with me?"
It was somewhere she had always wanted to go, but she didn't dare. Now with Kerr by her side, it was
time for her to face it.
"Okay."
Kerr carried Nicole in the protection of his arms and walked towards the nearby parked car.
He set Nicole on the car seat and drove straight to the cemetery without even asking her. Soon the car
had stopped at the entrance of the cemetery.
Holding Nicole's hand for support, Kerr led her out of the car.
The cemetery was particularly dark at night. Kerr took off his long coat and draped it over Nicole's
shoulders. He circled her with his arm, and they walked inside.
She stopped in front of the gravestone and knelt in front of it.
"I'm sorry that I didn't come to see you until now, Father. Please, forgive my cowardice. I just couldn't
accept the fact that you had left me."
Her mother had died early, and her father had doubled as both mother and father. He had always cared
about her development. Although her father had married her stepmother and had already had Bonnie,
he had never lacked in his care for her.
He had even ensured a bright future for her with all his savings before dying.
Looking at Nicole's sad face, Kerr bent down, put his arm around her shoulders, and looked at her with
concern.
"Stand up. Be careful not to catch a cold."
Hearing his voice, Nicole stood up and silently gazed at the tombstone for a long time. The dim light
gleamed off a fresh white chrysanthemum in front of the tombstone. Nicole knew that it had been sent
by Bonnie.
Even though Bonnie had claimed that her father had doted on Nicole only, she still missed her father.
Nicole leaned on Kerr, and they left the cemetery.
"How did you know I wanted to go to the cemetery?"
Nicole looked at Kerr, and she suddenly felt relieved at having finally faced what she previously
couldn't.
It turned out that she could let go of the past in the end. Thinking of Kerr's thoughtfulness, she felt a
little guilty.
After all, she had ignored Kerr's good will. In fact, Kerr had just wanted to give her a happy birthday,
however, she didn't intend to let him down.
"If I couldn't have read your mind, I didn't deserve to be with you. Nicole, remember, there are many
things in this world that we have no choice over."
Even though Bonnie had claimed that her father had doted on Nicole only, she still missed her father.
Nicole leaned on Kerr, and they left the cemetery.
"How did you know | wanted to go to the cemetery?"
Nicole looked at Kerr, and she suddenly felt relieved at having finally faced what she previously
couldn't.
It turned out that she could let go of the past in the end. Thinking of Kerr's thoughtfulness, she felt a
little guilty.
After all, she had ignored Kerr's good will. In fact, Kerr had just wanted to give her a happy birthday,
however, she didn't intend to let him down.
"If | couldn't have read your mind, | didn't deserve to be with you. Nicole, remember, there are many
things in this world that we have no choice over."
62fb1bb41dcb31934bd49bda