Beyond the Divorce

Hana looked at her and asked her something in Cirencester's language, which I didn't understand. Anya lowered her gaze. "My home used to be here in Trestlewood."

In that instant, Anya's face darkened. I looked to Hana, who translated their conversation for me.

I gently patted Anya's hand and said, "I'm sorry."

Though Anya shook her head, her emotions seemed affected. She spoke softly and rapidly.

Hana translated swiftly, relaying Anya's words almost as soon as she spoke them.

"She says, 'My family used to live in this city, and my parents ran a small business. My mother sold souvenirs and other items, while my father sold amulets. Though the business was small, we lived comfortably. My father loved us and often took us on outings."" I kept my eyes on Anya's beautiful, innocent face, now tinged with a hint of sorrow.

Anya's recounting seemed somewhat pitiful, and she was completely immersed in her memories. Her ability to recall everything from her childhood made me envious, as she remembered everything vividly, while I couldn't.

employer who supplied us with cosmetics to wholesale. We became distributors, responsible for delivering goods

what she meant by 'cosmetics' business. The image of those 'cosmetics' appeared in my mind-the ones

my adoptive father with the same strategy, and my father turned out to

few people. Even around me, two families had fallen victim to

admitting that

goods could earn us a lot of money and it was much easier than street peddling." Anya's

grew large, and people from neighboring countries came to my father for goods. One time, my dad got drunk and accidentally broke a bottle of cosmetics, revealing what was inside. "My father was scared, but my mother was greedy. My brother and I didn't understand what

scene played out vividly

dragged him to the storage room for a big argument. After they made up,

happen, the more