An unguarded reunion（1 / 3）

"What? Me? Marry Raphael?" Edith exclaimed, but quickly realised that such a cry was obviously impolite, trying to calm down.

"How could you not have noticed the way my brother looks at you every time? He loves you no less than I do!"

"But I''ve never thought about it... I''ve always regarded Raphael as a brother."

"I understand. You might think that Raphael is not worthy of you, given our family''s inglorious past. But now that the privileges have been abolished, and he has also turned over a new leaf, hasn''t he?"

Edith hesitated, shaking her head and yet then nodding.

"Think of the carefree childhood we spent together! At that time, I had just lost the ability to walk, spending my whole days cooped up indoors, reading until I turned pale and my eyes grew blurry. It was the governess who insisted on pushing me outside to get some sun. On that afternoon, I met you for the first time. Do you still remember?

"I was born without a mother, and science was the only light in my life; until I saw you playing in the fields! I felt like you were my stand-in, running and jumping for me, a poor cripple. I loved sitting at the garden gate all afternoon watching you play. Later, Brother joined us, he helped you pick fruit from the high branches and secretly cleaned his clothes himself to avoid being scolded by our stern father... What a merry time had the three of us in those days!

"Think about it, we become one happy family! It''s not impossible, right?"

Charlene''s tone was very touching as she held her best friend''s hand, genuinely waiting for her reply.

"Oh, my dearest Charlene! My most loyal friend!" Edith exclaimed, her emotions running high. She was always an easily moved person, and her friend''s words had stirred up her memories of the childhood like a sweet dream.

"When those boys tried to bully me, it was you who stood up for me and got me out of trouble. You were like an angel in my