---- Chapter 125 Eight months passed by in the blink of an eye, and the once barren garden was now in full bloom, bursting with vibrant colors. Passersby, whether on foot or in cars, often slowed down to take a second look. Because there was no food delivery in the area, Tara had slimmed down quite a bit over the past eight months. But her skin had become noticeably clear and tanned with a healthy flush that seemed to glow from within.

She spent most days at home reading or riding her bike out to buy groceries and came back to cook. Her life was simple, but peaceful. On a crisp July morning, Tara went out to water the flowers in the garden as usual. She wore a light-colored dress, and her long, dark hair cascaded smoothly down her slender back. Her skin was tanned and luminous as ever. After picking up the watering can, she filled it to the brim and carefully watered the flowers.

She seemed to blend perfectly with the vibrant garden-both beautiful and full of life. However, she was so focused on watering her flowers that she didn't notice that two luxury cars had parked just ---- outside the gate at some point. "Hey, miss-how do we get to Mount Helios?" The voice made her pause. She then straightened up and looked out toward the road. Two luxury cars were parked just outside the gate.

The one asking for directions was the young man in the driver's seat of the second car. He was leaning out of the window. The watch on his wrist, along with the luxury car he was driving, made it clear he was either wealthy or from a powerful background. Tara glanced at the large sign on the roadside, which said, "Mount Helios-straight ahead from here." With such big letters, there was no way they could have missed it.

She pointed to the left and answered the young man, " Just keep going down this road, and it'll take you straight to the entrance of the scenic area." She immediately felt he looked familiar, though she couldn't recall where they had met before. Clyde thanked her with a smile but didn't drive off right away. Tara resumed watering the remaining flowers. Her gaze unintentionally flicked to the driver's seat of the first luxury car, and the familiar face there made her pupils dilate.

---- The man inside the car was strikingly handsome. Leaning back in the driver's seat, he turned his head to look at her. His eyes held a shadowed intensity, laced with quiet aggression. The moment Tara saw his face clearly, her grip on the watering can nearly gave out. Fortunately , she snapped back to her senses just in time and managed to steady herself. She pretended to remain calm as she continued watering the flowers and did her best to keep her movements from looking too stiff.

She hadn't expected to run into Soren here. It had been a long time since she last saw him that, at first glance, he felt both familiar and unfamiliar -so much so that she thought she must be mistaken. Around four or five months ago, while scrolling on her phone, Tara had seen a trending topic pop up announcing their disbandment.

Each member had returned to their large families , and though they occasionally still released songs, most of their time was now spent managing their families' business empires. She was quite surprised when she saw the news of their disbandment , but it wasn't entirely unexpected . Given their powerful family backgrounds, it was only a matter of time before they parted ways. ---- The engines ' rumble gradually faded. Tara watched the two cars disappear at the end of the road.

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She reassured herself that there was no need to be so nervous since there was no way Soren could possibly remember her. It was just a random encounter, nothing more. Tara told herself she didn't care, but in truth, she spent the entire day feeling tense and uneasy. She didn't even dare step outside, fearing she might run into Soren and the others again. The whole day passed without incident-not even a shadow of their cars appeared again.

Only then did she feel relieved, assuming they had already left. The next morning, she discovered there were only a few eggs left in the fridge. So, she rode her bicycle to the market to buy groceries. It took about 15 minutes of pedaling to reach the market. Once there, she pushed her bicycle while looking at what to buy. By the time she finished shopping, it was already past 8: 00 am. On her way back, she spotted a car parked up ahead.

Even though the road was wide, she still slowed down, wary in case the car suddenly started moving. As she passed by the car, she saw a tall, handsome man standing near the railing. His exceptionally good looks ---- and refined demeanor drew immediate attention. He was on the phone when his gaze landed on Tara riding her bicycle. His eyes followed her closely. When Tara recognized it was Soren, she quickly looked away and pedaled straight ahead.

Feeling his gaze scrutinizing her only made her more nervous. She rode all the way back to her cottage. As she stepped into the yard, she glanced back the way she had come, her heart pounding faster with each beat. What was Soren still doing here? Tara absentmindedly went to the kitchen to make a detoxifying vegetable juice. The way Soren looked at her left her inexplicably flustered. Logically speaking , there was no way he could remember her.

If he truly did, he wouldn't have been so indifferent toward her over these past eight months. Two more days passed, and Tara lived on edge the whole time. Thankfully, she had bought enough groceries to last several days, so she didn't have to return to the market. That morning, Earl Grice, the guesthouse owner next door, came to ask for help. Earl looked anxious.

"Tara, my wife is about to give birth, so could you please help man the guesthouse for a couple of days?" ---- Over the past eight months, Tara had gotten along well with the couple. Sometimes when they were busy, she would help out. Since it was an emergency, Tara urged, "You should take Judy to the hospital first. I'll look after the guesthouse ." Earl thanked her profusely and handed over the keys. Tara helped Judy Holt into the car.

Judy winced through the pain and said apologetically to her, "Tara, sorry to trouble you these couple of days." "T'll take good care of the guesthouse while you're gone. Just come back safely with the baby." Tara squeezed her hand and closed the car door. Earl immediately started the car and drove to the hospital. Tara stood watching the car drive away for a moment before heading back to the cottage to grab her phone and charger. After locking the door, she went to the guesthouse reception.

The "Help Wanted" sign had been knocked crooked, so she reached up to straighten it. It was hard to find help here. Not only was the town remote, but it was mostly filled with elderly residents. ---- Bored, she propped her chin on her hand and gazed out at the green trees and grass outside the window. Without realizing it, she had lived here for over eight months and felt a bit reluctant to leave. The automated "Welcome!" that sounded at the door snapped her out of her thoughts.