Chapter 754 The Most Correct Path

"Let’s meet her first," Jasmine Sterling said. "We can talk after we’ve seen her."

Following Cecilia’s advice, Melinda Sterling took a shower and called home. As expected, her mother picked up and immediately unleashed a torrent of abuse.

Melinda expressionlessly set the phone aside, letting her mother scream at her while she blow-dried her hair.

She was long used to it.

’If Mom and Dad were here right now, they would’ve slapped me already!’

"What’s that WHOOSHING sound on your end? I’m telling you, you get your ass back here right now! Don’t make me come to Lorcain and drag you back myself!"

Once her hair was dry, Melinda picked up the phone and said, "I’m in Lorcain. I’m going to find a job and support myself. I’ll call you once a week."

"Are you deaf? I told you to get back here! Are you at your eldest aunt’s house right now?"

"What aunt? I’m at a hotel. I’m going to look for a job tomorrow."

Melinda was smart. She played dumb—for one, she didn’t want to cause trouble for her aunt, and for another, it would make it harder for her family to find her.

"Your aunt didn’t meet you?" Her mother was practically hopping with rage on the other end of the line. "I’m telling you, hurry up and get back here, or your father will have your hide!"

Melinda hung up, unwilling to listen to any more of her mother’s threats.

She drew the curtains and switched off the lights, plunging the room into pitch-dark silence. She wasn’t afraid of the dark, nor the quiet. In fact, an environment like this made her feel at ease.

It had been so long since she’d had such peace and quiet. Growing up, her ears were constantly filled with the scolding of her parents and grandmother, and the shrill, piercing clamor of her younger brothers.

She loved the silence.

And so, she quickly fell asleep.

The next time she opened her eyes, the sky was already dark. She glanced at the time—it was just past five.

Lorcain got dark so early. Pulling open the curtains revealed the city’s glittering, prosperous nightscape. It was beautiful—so beautiful it was almost unnerving.

But this was also the life she yearned for. She stared for a long, long time, feeling it was all surreal. She had actually left home and made it to Lorcain. She had done it.

Suddenly, a knock echoed at the door. Cecilia had taken a keycard when she left, so she’d been able to come straight up in the elevator.

"Cecilia!" Melinda called out as she opened the door, only then noticing Jasmine and Yvonne Sterling standing beside her cousin.

She had a vague memory of her eldest aunt, even though the last time they had met was many years ago.

"Eldest Aunt!"

"Melinda." Jasmine Sterling was visibly moved. Her voice was gentle as she looked at her niece. "You’re all grown up."

"Melinda, I’m your youngest aunt. Do you remember me?" Yvonne Sterling asked in turn.

Melinda looked at her youngest aunt’s unfamiliar face, shook her head slightly, and said apologetically, "Youngest Aunt, you haven’t been back home in many years. I... I don’t really remember."

"It’s okay, child." Yvonne was the sentimental type, and looking at Melinda, she couldn’t help her eyes from turning red. "Look at you, you’re all skin and bones."

The group didn’t go far, just finding a dumpling restaurant downstairs from the hotel.

The Northern-style dumplings were delicious, and with an assorted platter of braised meats, a couple of cold appetizers, and the simple broth the dumplings were cooked in, it was an incredibly comforting meal.

"Eldest Aunt, I called my mom," Melinda said as soon as they sat down. "I lied and told her I didn’t meet you. It’s best if you say the same, so Grandma doesn’t give you any trouble."

Jasmine Sterling looked at Melinda, her heart aching at how sensible the girl was.

"Melinda, let me ask you," Jasmine said, broaching the subject again. "Are you sure you don’t want to go back?"

Melinda nodded without a moment’s hesitation. "Eldest Aunt, this is the bravest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I know I have to do this."

Jasmine Sterling let out a deep breath and nodded as well.

"Then you should repeat your senior year here in Lorcain," Cecilia suddenly said, her voice quiet.

Startled, Melinda turned to look at her, as if she’d misheard.

Jasmine and Yvonne, however, looked perfectly composed, as this was something they had already discussed.

Now that Melinda was here, they knew they couldn’t just send her back. And while they weren’t obligated to help or care for her, it was impossible for them to simply stand by and do nothing.

She was at the most difficult crossroads of her life. Perhaps all she needed was a gentle push in the right direction to truly change her destiny.

Although it was Cecilia who had proposed the idea, the help she was willing and able to offer was limited—or, to be more precise, it had clear boundaries.

"Melinda, your eldest aunt will pay for you to repeat the year, but you’ll have to sign a loan agreement for the money. Once you get into college, you can find a part-time job and slowly pay her back."

Cecilia’s reasoning was simple: she could help Melinda overcome her biggest immediate hurdle—repeating her senior year in Lorcain—but after that, everything else would be up to Melinda herself.

"Eldest Aunt, really?" Melinda looked at her in disbelief. She had been all set to start job hunting first thing in the morning.

Jasmine nodded, her expression gentle. "I know it hasn’t been easy for you, and I know you’re a strong girl. But running away doesn’t mean it’s all over. On the contrary, your life is just beginning."

Yvonne added, "Melinda, dear, your aunts know what you’ve been through, and we’re so proud of you for bravely standing up to that injustice. But in a city like Lorcain, it’s incredibly difficult to change your fate just by working odd jobs. You might end up suffering for the rest of your life."

"That’s why your Eldest Aunt, Cecilia, and I all talked it over. You need to go to college. That’s the only real path forward."

Melinda started crying again. Cecilia grabbed a napkin to wipe her tears. "Don’t worry about the school. I’ll arrange everything. You’ll live in the dorms, and your eldest aunt will transfer a standard monthly allowance for living expenses and meals."

"You can be frugal with it, but you absolutely must eat regular meals, understand?"

Through her tears, Melinda said, "Cecilia, I can work part-time while I’m studying to earn my own living expenses..."

"One year of focus is what matters," Cecilia said, handing her another napkin. "This preparatory year is the most crucial one. If you study well, you can get into a better university and a better program. Once you’re in college and have more free time, you can think about getting a part-time job. For this year, make studying your top priority. Don’t let your aunts down."

"Listen to Cecilia," Yvonne said. "Study hard. Finding a good job in Lorcain is the only way you’ll be able to stay here."

Melinda nodded through her tears. "Thank you, Eldest Aunt. Thank you, Youngest Aunt. Thank you, Cecilia. I’ll study as hard as I can!"

The three women breathed a quiet sigh of relief and then exchanged a smile.

Everything had happened so suddenly, and the outcome was far more involved than they had anticipated. Yet, in their hearts, they didn’t feel burdened in the slightest. In fact, they were happy.

Cecilia didn’t arrange for Melinda to come to her own home, nor did she even mention where she lived. Until the school semester began, she would have Melinda continue to stay at the hotel.

It was, admittedly, a form of self-preservation. She didn’t want people from their hometown to know about her mother and aunt’s current lives. Even though Melinda was remarkably sensible, Cecilia still took this precaution.

And, as expected, the grandmother’s complaints weren’t far behind. She called first thing the next morning, grumbling about how Jasmine could fail to even meet one person at the station, and now no one knew where Melinda had run off to.