Chapter 296

On the sill by the open kitchen window sat the cake she had just made, cooling down. A tempting breeze swirled outside and served as a reminder that late spring was approaching with longer days close behind. Yet on this night, even darkness wasn’t harsh to her senses.

Nancy Grace Jacobs embraced herself, reminiscing on how long it had been since she could appreciate nature without being weighed down by fear. Her existence was plagued with countless difficulties and obstacles that prevented her from indulging in aspirations or reveries; the bitterness of reality often squandered such fantasies before they could be realized.

Despite being raised by a loving and conscientious mother, the girl’s illegitimate birth left her feeling like an outcast throughout her school days. Tormented by peers who taunted her for lacking a father figure, she withdrew into herself and found it difficult to forge relationships with others.

Her devoted mother and aunt tried valiantly to s