breath and tossed them back, bunching up the curls and letting them fall to one side of her slender shoulder. Then she turned just so to the right to get in

fluttering it about. She, however, paid no heed to t

g all around her like rain. It was so beautiful, wildflowers and cherry blosso

, leaves, trees, and wildflowers in the background. Once she thought she’d

. “And I thank you for that.” Then she imagined the digits increasing in her bank accou

and headed back toward the r

glanced down and saw a canine with fluffy white fur and large black eyes watching her,

not to go too far. You might get lost. What if I couldn’t

ble feeling to have no one to share your love, your fear, your happiness,

she bent down to pick him up. The dog stuck out his tongue

the woods three winters ago. The pup was lost and very sick, having been abandoned by his owner who had left St.

turned him to the ground. “Now then, I think it’s time to head back. I do have many more things to do before dinner.” She paused, looking up at

many people Sakura didn’t know. But of course, that didn’t matter. What really mattered—and what really worried her—was

colas; the very popular, mischievous triplets Tristan, Logan, and Sebastian; the disobedient, bad-boy Hayden; the smart, a

and make Sakura’s life as miserable as possible. But Sakura too had grown up into a fine woman with a strong will. Or so James, her

woodland, a thought suddenly struck her. She nibbled her lowe

ill remember

her. Not that she’d ever been the one who told on them. It had always been Tara, who was also adopted by the Princetons, and Alaina who had been the masterminds behind everything. Then they’d all gone off to boarding schoo

out to be the boys’ cousin from their mother’s side, and Katherine Hodge, a girl from a good family who also lived on St. Joseph Island. She, Ma

ed grandparents from James’s side of the family. During those times, Sakura had never felt more warm, happy, and complete to have such a wonderful circle of family and friends. Hence, she never really saw the boys—nor Alaina and Tara for that matter—ever since she left thirteen years ago. By the

elf, picturing the young Nicolas when she last saw him when he was fifteen years old. “The triplets?” She watched Toby wagging his tail as he was sniffing

now, and the twins, Alaina an

dull pain was still there, lingering within her being, remin

“He’d be twenty by now,” she murmured to herse

again, April the 8th wasn’t her actual birthdate. It was the date she was found on t

rn into it. Sakura, on the other hand, couldn’t seem to make even one sibling like he

r, the housekeeper, who doted on her in her own weird way. And of course, Ned Faber, Beth’s young brother, who treated

ry blossom and left her a cherry blossom pendant necklace. She found out not too long ago that the pendant stone was a rare pink diamond that was of t

n w

ouched the pink diam

going out there into the world—she d

r eyes, savoring this very moment, cherishing it in her memory, a