Chapter 186: Chapter 186: It’s My Fault, I Couldn’t Protect Candice Tate
Hearing Yvonne Shelby’s voice, Jayce’s tense body relaxed slightly.
He hadn’t shown it on his face during the walk over, but inwardly, he was extremely tense.
The base had changed so much so suddenly. There were so many new people, and Kevin Everett’s position had been completely upended. It was genuinely frightening.
He wasn’t concerned about the position of base commander, but he worried that a shift in power might bring harm to his family.
As Jayce was lost in thought, the metal door before him opened.
A sliver of light spilled out from within.
Yvonne Shelby was backlit, so Jayce couldn’t see her face clearly at first.
But Yvonne Shelby saw Jayce’s face in that very first moment.
"Jayce! You’re back!"
Yvonne Shelby was so overjoyed she was on the verge of tears. Her voice was thick with emotion and trembled.
Heaven knew how she had gotten through this past month.
Jayce, Sierra, and the others were long overdue, and they hadn’t sent a single word. On top of that, so many things had happened at the base, one after another.
All these things piling up had left Yvonne Shelby mentally and physically exhausted.
Now, seeing Jayce standing before her safe and sound, Yvonne’s weary body was instantly re-energized, and she felt a surge of strength.
"You’re finally back! What about Sierra? Did she come back with you?"
Jayce was also very emotional.
But he was a man, after all, and could control his emotions.
"Mom! I’m back! Sierra is back too! You don’t have to worry anymore!"
Sierra Sullivan stepped closer. "Aunt Shelby, don’t worry, we’re all back!"
Yvonne Shelby looked at Sierra Sullivan, grabbing her hand as tears finally streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. "It’s good that you’re back! It’s so good! As long as you all came back safely, I can rest easy!"
She didn’t expect them to become saviors or great heroes.
She just hoped they could all live safely and well.
Nathan Thorne came closer with a wide grin. "Aunt Shelby, and me! I’m back too!"
Hearing Nathan Thorne’s somewhat goofy tone, Yvonne Shelby instantly broke into a smile through her tears. "You kid—"
Although her words were chiding, the smile in her eyes deepened.
Nathan Thorne had actually been carefully observing Yvonne Shelby’s attitude toward him.
Seeing Yvonne Shelby smile, Nathan Thorne breathed a sigh of relief.
Jayce and Sierra Sullivan had left the base to save him, which was why they had been gone for so long.
It would have been perfectly understandable if Yvonne Shelby was angry at him for it.
But from the looks of it, she didn’t seem to blame him in the slightest.
This not only allowed Nathan Thorne to relax but also moved him deeply.
Whether it was Jayce, Sierra Sullivan, the Everett Family, or Dominic Crawford and the others, they had all been too good to him.
So good that he didn’t even know how he could ever repay them...
"Yvonne, who’s here?"
Just then, Kevin Everett’s slightly puzzled voice drifted out from inside.
Hearing this, Yvonne Shelby hurriedly said, "Look at me, getting so excited I’m just standing here talking with you at the door. Hurry, come inside! Whatever we have to say, let’s say it inside!"
As she spoke, Yvonne Shelby stepped aside to let the three of them inside.
At the same time, she raised her voice toward the inside of the house, "Mr. Everett, hurry up and come out! Look who’s back!"
Inside, when Kevin Everett heard Yvonne Shelby’s words, he already had a guess.
Although he wasn’t entirely sure, his nervousness and anticipation instantly shot to their peak.
His legs reacted faster than his brain.
By the time he realized what was happening, he was already in the living room and saw Jayce and the other two who had just walked in.
Kevin Everett had lived for many years and had long held a high position; he had learned to control his emotions long ago.
Most of the time, he never showed his true feelings.
But now, looking at the figures of the three, Kevin Everett found it difficult to contain his emotions.
He blinked, and his eyes immediately reddened. "You’re back! It’s good that you’re back!"
No more words were needed. That single sentence conveyed endless care and worry.
Jayce stepped forward and stood ramrod straight in front of Kevin Everett. "Dad, I’m back!"
Kevin Everett raised his head slightly, looking at Jayce standing tall and straight before him, his eyes welling up. "Good! It’s good that you’re back!"
It was only then that Jayce noticed Kevin Everett seemed a little shorter than before.
’No!’
’He isn’t shorter. His back is no longer as straight as it used to be, so he just looks smaller.’
Although the light in the room was very dim, they were standing very close, and Jayce could see Kevin Everett’s face clearly.
His face had many more wrinkles, his expression was weary, and his features were weather-beaten.
Even the amount of white hair on his head had increased significantly.
And they had only been apart for nearly a month!
In just one month, Kevin Everett had aged so much.
This just went to show that a lot must have happened this past month.
Yvonne Shelby had already closed the door and walked over. "Why is everyone standing around? Sit down and talk!"
Only then did Sierra Sullivan have the presence of mind to survey the room.
It was a small living room, only about ten square meters.
Near the center stood a floor-to-ceiling cabinet. Against the left and right walls were straight-backed sofas, with a coffee table in the middle.
The cabinet, sofas, and coffee table were all made of earth, clearly created by an Earth Element Ability User with their Superpower.
Although you could tell they were made of earth, they were extremely hard and smooth to the touch, feeling no different from metal.
The sofas were covered with cushions and backrests, making them quite soft to sit on and not cold.
The cushions were obviously handmade—surely Yvonne Shelby’s handiwork.
The filling didn’t feel like sponge but rather old clothes—a good way to recycle.
There was a pitcher and some cups on the table, and nothing else.
The entire living room had only one door on the right wall, which presumably led to a bedroom.
In other words, this was a one-bedroom apartment.
If the living room was this small, the bedroom couldn’t be large either. At most, it could only accommodate Kevin Everett and Yvonne Shelby.
’The Everett Family has many other members. Where are they all living?’
’And what about Candice Tate?’
Before leaving the base, Sierra Sullivan had entrusted Candice Tate to Yvonne Shelby.
’But if Candice Tate were here now, she would have heard my voice and come running out eagerly long ago.’
’There’s been no sign of her for this long, which means Candice Tate isn’t here.’
The thought that Candice Tate wasn’t there made Sierra Sullivan’s heart leap into her throat. "Aunt Shelby, where’s Candice Tate?"
It was fine until she asked. The moment she did, Yvonne Shelby’s eyes reddened again. "Sierra, I’m so sorry! It’s all my fault! I wasn’t capable enough... I couldn’t protect Candice Tate!"
