From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 156

A young monk knocked gently at the door. Adolphus stood and opened it, greeting him with a respectful nod, hands pressed together.

“Sir, lunch is ready. After the meal, the head monk will start the chanting session. We ask you both to join. The chanting takes a while, so you might want to get ready in advance.”

“Thank you for letting us know. Here are the scriptures we copied,” Laurinda replied, handing over the pages.

The monk accepted them and led the way to the dining hall, explaining the rules as they walked. “Take only what you can finish. No wasting food.”

It was Laurinda’s first time trying a monastery meal, and she was surprised by how good everything tasted. She ended up eating more than she expected.

When the meal was over, she lingered at the exit, still a little reluctant to leave. She leaned close to Adolphus and whispered, “Can we go home after lunch?”

He couldn’t help but smile at how much she’d enjoyed herself. “They serve two meals a day. The next one isn’t until three. Do you really want to wait that long?”

“No, that’s too late. Never mind,” Laurinda said, shaking her head. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she caught his sleeve. “Wait. I almost forgot something important.”

She straightened, looking at him with a bright, sincere smile. “Adolphus, it’s a new year starting today. Happy New Year. I hope everything goes smoothly for you from now on.”

Adolphus looked into her smiling face and felt something soften inside. He leaned in, meeting her gaze.

“Happy New Year, Laurinda. And not just today. I want you to be happy every day from now on.”

“I will. We both will. Everything’s going to work out,” she said, giving his hand a squeeze. She caught her own reflection in his eyes and felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She was really moving on.

It was Adolphus who had helped her get there.

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