chapter1290

When Damien first arrived at Mount Gemspire, his main job was to keep the Vision Rejuvenation Grass safe. He'd dug through every scrap of information he could find, memorizing everything from how the plant looked as a seedling to what it was like in full bloom. He knew it all by heart.

Damien burst out, "This... this really looks like a new Vision Rejuvenation Grass sprout."

Damien had led his guys all over the mountain, searching every inch, and they'd come up empty every time. And now, out of nowhere, a brand new sprout had appeared. It felt unreal, like a miracle.

Everyone crowded closer, staring at the tiny green shoot. There was a buzz of excitement, people muttering in disbelief. Someone even rubbed their eyes, half convinced they were seeing things.

Connor's eyes started to sting. That heavy, hopeless feeling he'd been carrying was suddenly swept away by a rush of hope. He reached out to touch the little sprout, but stopped himself just in time. He was terrified that even the gentlest touch would ruin this rare miracle.

"Keep guards here. No one leaves this place, not even for a second," Connor said, his voice low and serious. There was a new light in his eyes. "From now on, this is the most important thing we have."

Damien nodded right away and got people stationed around the spot. Connor just couldn't bring himself to leave. He stood there quietly, watching over the fragile sprout. It was as if he believed that looking away, even for a moment, might make the miracle disappear.

As evening settled in, the mountain mist grew thicker. The little sprout looked so small and delicate in the darkness, but somehow it radiated a quiet, stubborn sort of life. Connor watched over it, silently praying. He hoped this time he could hang on to this tiny sliver of hope, that maybe just maybe he could bring back some light for her.

Lydia had no idea how long she'd been sitting by the window. It felt like forever, and the sky was already dark. Still, Connor hadn't come back.

"What time is it?" she asked quietly.

One of the bodyguards, who'd been keeping close watch, answered right away. "Eight o'clock, Miss Norwood."

"He's still not back?" Lydia asked.

The bodyguard hesitated, then nodded. "No, Miss. If you're hungry, we can bring you dinner."

Connor had told them to keep a close eye on her, to make sure nothing went wrong, so the guard was probably just worried she might be hungry.

Lydia shook her head. "I'm not hungry. I'll wait for him."

Outside, moonlight was hidden behind thick clouds. Lydia leaned her cheek against the cool window her fingers tracing lazy patterns along the frame. The wind made the trees whisper somewhere in the distance. After maybe ten minutes, she finally heard footsteps hurrying down the hallway.

"Miss Norwood, Mr. Jefferson is back," the bodyguard called out.

Lydia turned toward the door. Connor stood there, still drenched from the damp mountain air, hair plastered to his forehead, skin pale. But his eyes were shining, brighter than she'd ever seen, like he was carrying a pocketful of stars.

Before Lydia could say a word,

Connor crossed the room in a few

long strides: He didn't bother to

change or warm up. He just wrapped her in his arms, cold clothes and all. His embrace was trembling, and his hands were so warm they felt almost hot through the thin fabric of her dress.

He held her so tight she could hardly breathe, and she could feel his chest heaving against her, like he was

barely holding himself togethernet?

Without thinking, Lydia reached up to pat his back, thinking maybe it was disappointment weighing him down again.

She started to reassure him. It's okay if you couldn't find it. I was ready for that..... "I found it." His voice was rough, muffled against her shoulder, thick with emotion. Connor held her even tighter, almost like he wanted to make her a part of himself. "The second Vision Rejuvenation Grass. It grew back... right where it was before."