Chapter 437: Wait!

Chapter 437: Chapter 437: Wait!

For an entire week, there were no unusual occurrences around Tanya Sinclair’s residence and school.

Tanya checked the surveillance footage daily, finding nothing significant.

It mostly showed the teachers and children, occasional runners passing by in groups. The wind rustling the leaves made the footage feel like a movie.

But Tanya didn’t lower her guard; she always locked the door carefully before leaving and checked it upon returning. She had coaxed Leo Rhodes into arranging for someone to plaster a new layer of cement on the outer wall, embedding fragments of glass into it before it dried.

The old craftsman, with a cigar in his mouth, looked at Tanya as if viewing something peculiar.

Old Craftsman: "Wow, we’ve got a precious teacher in this little town, protecting against thieves layer over layer."

Tanya wasn’t fond of arguing and simply smiled, paying the money.

Leo comforted her: "Don’t take it to heart. Being a girl living in an unfamiliar place, you need to be a bit more careful."

Tanya: "Mm."

In the morning, she habitually glanced around as she left. It was spotless, nothing was out of place.

Days passed peacefully like this,

Tanya taught second-grade Chinese and third-grade art, which were easy for her. Once she got used to the school’s rhythm, she voluntarily took on several self-study classes, teaching the kids scientific knowledge.

She also took charge of the school’s library corner, buying a large batch of children’s books from home and abroad herself. Her schedule was packed every day; her body might be tired, but her mind felt much lighter. Every night, she video-called Caden and Joy, and she slept more soundly than before.

The only regret was, being in the place closest to Declan Pierce in her life, she hadn’t dreamt of him even once.

Leo told her that the old principal was thoroughly satisfied with her, praising her good temperament, patience, and teaching skills to anyone willing to listen. The kids liked her too.

Tanya just smiled and continued with her work. A strand of hair fell down, but she tucked it behind her ear, just as a red plaid hair tie appeared in front of her.

Tanya looked up to see Leo handing over the hair tie.

He rarely showed any awkwardness.

"This is something I got as part of a supermarket discount when I purchased items. If you don’t mind, please use it."

Tanya thought to herself, no cashier gives this to a man for completing a purchase. But she didn’t point it out.

"No, thank you. I have my own." She pulled a hair tie from her pocket and swiftly tied her hair.

Rejecting, she was quite good at it.

Leo, being a smart person, stepped back into the safety zone when she didn’t engage further, maintaining a good colleague relationship without any burdens.

A few days later, it was time for the Green Festival in town.

Every household would hang willow branches and colorful paper ornaments at the door, hoping for a year of peace and success. Leo said the principal asked him to buy some things needed for the school from the market and asked Tanya if she wanted to join him.

"I want to buy some willow branches and colored paper," Tanya said, "to hang at the classroom door and in the hallway. I’ll also buy some small items for the kids."

"Alright, I’ll come by to pick you up tomorrow morning. The earlier we go, the better; otherwise, all the good willow branches will be picked out."

"Okay."

At half past six the next morning, Leo honked at the courtyard gate. Tanya locked the door and went out, sitting on the back of the electric bike.

The day had just begun, dew hanging on the roadside grass blades, wind chillingly rushing down her collar. Leo turned his head and said, "Hold on tight," before the old electric bike drove towards the market. It suddenly jolted on a gravel path, causing Tanya to grab the rear iron bar, waiting for the bike to steady before letting go.

By the time they reached the market, it was already bustling with people.

This street was usually quiet, but today it was lined with stalls selling willow branches, colored paper, small windmills, sugar figures, and cloth tigers, all spread out in vibrant colors. Tanya first visited the willow and colored paper stall, where the willow branches were stacked neatly on the ground, one bunch for one and a half yuan each. She picked a few fresh ones, bought two rolls of colored paper and a coil of fine hemp twine. The neighboring stall had ready-made willow branch ornaments for hanging, from which she carefully selected a few to hang in the hallway.

Leo waited beside her, already holding two bags.

He watched as Tanya went on to buy stickers, hair clips, and toys favored by the boys.

Leo remarked, "No wonder those mischievous kids like Ms. Sinclair, you are so thoughtful and generous."

Tanya smiled and said nothing.

After buying these, Tanya remembered the school was short of sports supplies, so with Leo leading the way, they turned into the sports equipment store at the end of the street.

The shopkeeper was sitting behind the counter shelling peanuts. Seeing Leo enter first, she greeted him, then her gaze fell on Tanya, her eyes brightening.

"Ah, this must be the new Ms. Sinclair." She swept the peanut shells off the table and stood up, "Everyone in town is talking about the fairy-like teacher at the primary school. I finally get to meet her in person today."

Tanya smiled and said, "Hello, shopkeeper."

She walked to the shelf, choosing two sets of table tennis paddles, a can of balls, a jump rope, and a basketball, and she also bought a stack of scratch paper.

As the shopkeeper bagged them, she chatted with Leo about school matters before lowering her voice.

"Let me tell you something, someone has moved into that old empty house behind your school."

Leo was leaning against the counter, his eyebrows twitching at this, "Hasn’t that old house been empty for decades? I passed by recently, and it still looked unoccupied."

The shopkeeper leaned forward a bit, her tone eerily quiet.

"Recently, someone saw a luxury car parked in front of that house, with rustling noises coming from inside. But day or night, the doors and windows remain tightly shut; no one answers when you knock. People say shadows have been seen moving inside after dark."

Leo considered it, offering a rational analysis, "Maybe the family who used to live there fell on hard times outside and returned home for a while."

"Who knows," the landlady curled her lip, "there are all sorts of rumors going around town. Some say he’s a gambler, hiding here because he owes money elsewhere. Others say he’s a stranger from out of town, and no one knows why he’s here. Anyway, no one has seen his face; someone glimpsed him from afar and said he’s wearing a hat and scarf that cover his face tightly, so you can’t see what he looks like at all."

After she finished, she added: "Your school is close to there, don’t go to the back at night. It’s always better to be cautious."

Tanya Sinclair, being new in town, listened half-heartedly, not really taking it to heart.

She handed over the money and received her change.

"Thank you, landlady. We’re leaving now."

Once outside the shop, the wind had picked up considerably since the morning, bending the willow branches along the road.

Tanya wrapped her coat tighter and casually asked, "Mr. Rhodes, how far is the old house from the school?"

"Go out the back wall of the school, through an alley, and it’s about a seven or eight-minute walk," Leo Rhodes glanced back at her, "What is it? Are you worried about that? I can check it out right now if you’d like!"

"No need, I was just asking casually."

"Don’t worry, we have surveillance now. Besides, the town is so small, if there’s any trouble, the neighbor’s big yellow dog will be the first to bark, and everyone will hear. If you ever feel scared, just call me, I’m available 24/7!"

Tanya smiled but didn’t continue the conversation.

At the fork in the road, she paused.

"Mr. Rhodes, you should head back to the school; I need to go somewhere."

Leo Rhodes seemed a bit uneasy.

"You’re going alone?"

"Yeah, it’s nearby."

Seeing that she didn’t want to elaborate, Leo didn’t press further. He took the items from Tanya’s hands and placed them in the car.

"Call me if anything comes up."

"Okay."

Leo Rhodes rode away.

Tanya went to a nearby flower shop to buy white and yellow chrysanthemums for an offering, then headed to a small hill nearby.

After walking for about ten minutes, she turned a corner and saw the grave.

The tombstone had no photo, no dates of birth and death, just two words—Sophie.

This was Declan Pierce’s biological mother’s grave.

A woman without even a surname.

The grave was situated halfway up the hill, backed by the mountain, with the distant sea visible. The grave

When Tanya approached, she paused momentarily, noticing several offerings of fruit placed in front of the grave. They were fresh and seemed to have been left within the past couple of days, indicating someone had been there recently.

Tanya found it a bit strange.

But she didn’t think too much about it; perhaps it was an old acquaintance of Declan’s mother.

She simply arranged her items, bowed to the grave.

The wind blew from afar, rustling through the tree branches like some kind of response.

She reached up to tame her windswept hair, then spoke, "Auntie, I’m Tanya Sinclair. Declan’s... wife, I’m here to visit you."

When she mentioned "Declan," her throat tightened slightly, and she paused before continuing.

"He mentioned you to me, though not much. We should have come together, but never got the chance. I’ve come alone." Tanya gave a wry smile, "No matter how Declan explains it to you, don’t listen to him, listen to me. I am his wife."

After saying this, Tanya suddenly felt a tension in her back.

As if sensing a pair of eyes secretly watching her.

She swiftly turned around. Behind her, there was only forest. The wind made the branches sway wildly, casting flickering shadows on the ground. No one was there.

She looked around carefully; indeed, no one was there.

Tanya relaxed a bit, lingered for a while, then began to descend the hill.

Suddenly, she caught sight of a slender figure on the nearby path. Dressed entirely in black, face shrouded, the face was indistinct due to distance, but it was clearly a man.

For reasons unknown to herself, Tanya’s heart skipped a couple of beats, her blood seeming to rush to her head all at once.

Her scalp tingled, and before she could think rationally, she was already sprinting toward the figure.

"Wait!" she almost shouted.

Yet the figure not only didn’t stop or turn but began to walk even faster.

Tanya hurried after him, her foot landing on a loose stone causing her to lurch forward, her knee striking a protruding rock at the roadside. Pain made her gasp sharply.

Ignoring the pain, she supported herself with a nearby tree trunk, looking in the direction the person had gone, yet he had long disappeared.