Nathaniel Nathan followed him out. From inside, Vera Xavier could clearly hear Sheldon Caldwell’s indignant yell, "Shit, Nathaniel Nathan, you sucker-punched me!"

A faint smile touched Vera Xavier’s lips as her eyes crinkled with amusement.

After a moment’s thought, she pushed aside the curtain and walked out.

Stepping outside, she saw a helicopter hovering above the hospital. Helicopters were still a rare sight in those days, and this was the first time one had hovered over Crestfall. The spectacle drew nearby residents from their homes to watch.

As soon as Nathaniel Nathan and Sheldon Caldwell were outside, a rope ladder dropped from the helicopter. Nathaniel Nathan went first, scaling it as effortlessly as if he were walking up a flight of stairs.

Sheldon Caldwell climbed up after him. Just as he neared the cabin, Nathaniel Nathan kicked out at him. Caught off guard, Sheldon nearly fell, but he managed to catch the rope ladder again after dropping only two rungs.

Vera Xavier knew Sheldon Caldwell was surely cursing up a storm, but the helicopter was too loud for her to hear a thing.

A faint smile touched her eyes. ’Even though Nathaniel Nathan and Sheldon Caldwell always seem to be at each other’s throats, I can tell their relationship is actually quite good. Men have their own way of being friends, and it’s different from how women interact.’ 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

Once Nathaniel Nathan and Sheldon Caldwell were aboard, the helicopter gradually receded into the distance. Vera Xavier hadn’t asked what kind of mission he was on, so she had no idea when he would be back.

He was a soldier; he had his responsibilities and his duty. Although she worried he might face danger on his missions, she would never stop him from carrying them out.

She knew the military was extremely strict, so it was impossible for him to be by her side all the time. The leave he took last time, plus the time he spent with her for the college entrance exams, had likely used up all his vacation days.

In this second life, she was truly proud of him.

A man like Nathaniel Nathan was absolutely someone to be proud of, and she saw how good he was to her.

She knew that although she was still a little afraid of him because of her memories from her past life, she believed that with just a little more time, she could overcome that fear.

The helicopter flew farther and farther away until it disappeared over the horizon. She took a deep breath. ’He’s returned to his unit, and I still have so much to handle.’

She let out a soft whistle. A moment later, Jack Judd was at her side. "Ma’am," he said, "I’ve been following your orders, keeping an eye on Rona Langdon and Cara Preston. Cara Preston has been pretty tame these last few days, just holed up at home. It’s not clear what she’s doing. But Rona Langdon hasn’t been so quiet. Yesterday, a heavy-set, middle-aged man brought a case to her place. When he left, his hands were empty."

Vera Xavier’s eyes narrowed slightly. "Anything else?" she asked.

Jack Judd nodded. "After that heavy-set guy left, she grabbed a bag and went to the bank. Then she went to her family’s home and met with each of her brothers."

Vera Xavier’s gaze turned cold. A thought struck her, and she asked for confirmation, "Are you sure she went to the bank as soon as the heavy-set man left?"

Jack Judd nodded. Vera Xavier took a deep breath. "She’ll never learn."

Jack Judd looked confused. Vera Xavier beckoned him closer and said, "I need you to make some more arrangements..."