Magnus was struck speechless again.

    Denise sighed at his expression. "You''ve repented, right? Treat your sister well from now on."

    He nodded hard. "I took everything for granted before. I''ll never hurt her again." Sadly, his awakening hade far toote.

    He looked at Denise with sincere gratitude. “You''ve really taught me a lot. And thank you for believing I can change."

    Denise gave a shy, embarrassed smile in return.

    "Don''t say that. I''m nowhere near that skilled. You still have to figure it out for yourself."

    Magnus studied her features, and an affection he himself had yet to notice softened his expression.

    "If only I''d met you sooner."

    Finished speaking, he fumbled in his pocket, found a small box, and offered it to Denise.

    Denise blinked in confusion. "What''s this?"

    "Open it and see."

    She took the box and, under Magnus'' expectant gaze, flipped it open to reveal a pair of delicate earrings.

    "These are?"

    "I bought them. You''ve got pierced ears but never wear earrings, so I thought I''d get you a pair," Magnus exined.

    On the walk back, he had noticed a roadside stall selling handmade jewelry.

    Denise immediately pressed the box back into his hand. “I can''t ept this."

    "Why not?" Magnus hesitated, then added, "They didn''t cost much. I picked them up at a street stand. They were less than two hundred."

    A street stand... Less than two hundred...

    That line almost made Denise''s jaw drop.

    She snatched the earrings again, grabbed Magnus by the arm, and strode toward the door.

    Magnus was baffled. "What are you doing? Are you that moved?"

    "Moved, my foot! You got swindled. Cheap stall trinkets like these aren''t worth a buck, let alone hundreds!"

    Denise had no idea where Magnus got the notion that roadside earrings priced at almost two hundred were a bargain.

    Magnus never imagined he''d been duped again; the loss was small, yet the blow to his pride stung.

    They retraced their route, but the earring vendor was nowhere to be found.

    Magnus lowered his head. "The

    woman seemed honest. She said she made the earrings herself to pay for a rtive''s medical bills, sol bought them. I didn''t think she was a con artist."

    He''d finally tried to do a good deed-only to run into a scam.

    Seeing the wounded look on his face, Denise couldn''t bear to scold him further.

    "Let''s just drop it. Maybe someone really is sick at home, and the handmade work took her time and effort. It''s one-of-a-kind, afterall, and the price isn''t outrageous.

    Admitting that made her cheeks heat.

    Even with herfort, Magnus didn''t feel much better.

    “I''ll be careful next time. I won''t let anyone cheat me again."

    "It''s fine," Denise coaxed. "Let''s head back. You''ve worked all day and must be exhausted."

    "All right."

    Magnus stayed silent the entire walk home.

    Once inside the gate, he caught Denise''s hand. "Denise, do you think I''m stupid?"

    She turned and met his eyes. "Of course, not. You were being kind today."

    "Actually, really admire you,"

    Magnus blurted without knowing why. "Ayoung woman carrying the burden of two seriously ill parents-that''s incredible."

    He felt that even as a grown man, he couldn''t have managed it.

    Back when Mom was dying, I hadn''t even done my duty as a son.