The flight was smooth, but Grace, even with the noise-canceling headphones on, wasn't asleep. She was merely feigning rest with her eyes closed.

  Beside her, Gavin was idly reading the script, but the corner of his eye kept stealing glances at Grace.

  She didn't know him?

  She actually didn't know him!

  A top-tier star from the entertainment industry was sitting right next to her, and she couldn't care less, just falling asleep?

  "Hello, Mr. Quinn. Our meal service is ready. Here is the first-class menu. What would you like to have?" A flight attendant appeared suddenly, half-kneeling to present the menu with a smile.

  Just as Gavin took the menu, he saw Grace, who had been keeping her eyes closed, slowly sit up straight. "Is it meal time?"

  "Yes, Miss Dorothy. Please wait a moment. I'll serve you right after Mr. Quinn here places his order."

  Grace nodded and instinctively glanced at Gavin, finding that he was also looking at her.

  Even through the sunglasses, Grace could sense the complexity in his gaze.

  He seemed quite bothered by the fact that she didn't recognize him.

  "You order first."

  Gavin suddenly handed the menu to Grace, suggesting ladies first.

  Grace didn't decline either. Taking it, she scanned it briefly and said, "I'll have the 'Chicken Noodle Soup', please, and a glass of iced lemon black tea."

  "Certainly, Miss Dorothy."

  Gavin took the menu back and returned it directly to the flight attendant. "I'll have the same as her."

  The flight attendant's expression faltered slightly, but the smile remained on her lips. "Of course, Mr. Quinn."

  Seeing this, Grace couldn't help but look at him again, while Gavin lowered his head, pretending to continue reading his script with an air of importance.

  Grace raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't pursue it. She turned her gaze to the sky outside the window. The red sun was setting in the west, casting a beautiful halo of afterglow on the clouds.

  "You really don't know me?"

  A low inquiry came from beside her, laced with a hint of unwillingness.

  Grace felt like laughing, but she held back.

  "Sorry, I'm a bit face-blind. I have trouble remembering faces," Grace said, turning her head.

  The term "face-blind" directly stepped on Gavin's minefield.

  What celebrities dreaded most was lacking distinctiveness. By saying she was face-blind and couldn't recognize him, Grace was implying Gavin's appearance had no distinctive features.

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  But he was one of the media's "Twenty Most Handsome Faces" in the country, ranking fourth! How could he lack distinctiveness?

  Beneath his mask, his mouth opened and closed, words dying unsaid. In the end, he gave up weakly. As a top star, he really couldn't bring himself to forcefully promote himself to someone—it was too embarrassing!

  After having a bowl of warm food, Grace finally felt somewhat drowsy. The rest of the flight passed in silence until the landing announcement woke her from her bleary-eyed slumber.

  'Ladies and gentlemen, we will soon be landing at Novastra International Airport...'

  The plane landed smoothly and began taxiing on the runway. Grace was just about to turn off her phone's airplane mode when a sudden commotion erupted from the economy class behind her.

  Before she could react, a swarm of young girls surged into the first-class cabin, some holding up phones, others with cameras, instantly blocking the aisle completely.

  These people were screaming and taking pictures frantically, all aimed at none other than Gavin beside her.

  'Ahhhhh, Gavin! Gavin!'

  'Oh my god, so handsome! Gavin, can you take off your mask and look at the camera?'

  'Gavin, are you in Novastra for a brand event? I'll follow your flight tomorrow too. I'm MM, do you remember me?'

  'Gavin, I love you so much!'

  The actions of these stalker fans were exceptionally frenzied, utterly shocking Grace. Although she had seen similar videos online, witnessing it up close in reality was still incredibly startling.

  So he was Gavin!

  Grace's memory finally revived. She remembered seeing him at the Destined to be Queen press conference a few days ago. He truly was a currently red-hot, top-tier male actor.

  Some of the stalker fans at the front even deliberately created a pushing sensation, actively pressing against Gavin, trying to make physical contact.

  Gavin seemed long accustomed to such scenes. He merely lowered his head expressionlessly, completely ignoring the words and actions of these crazed fans.

  'The plane is still taxiing. Please return to your seats and sit down!'

  'Everyone, please return to your seats. Do not disrupt order on the aircraft!'

  The flight attendants' voices trying to maintain order were like stones thrown into the sea, utterly ineffective. Soon, his management team forcefully broke through the human wall to reach Gavin's side, ready to shield him and escort him off the plane as soon as it stopped.

  Before leaving, Gavin shot a deep look at Grace. Seeing her utterly stunned expression, a flicker of smugness actually welled up in his heart.

  'See? You might not know me, but plenty of people do and go crazy for me.'

  But what Grace felt at that moment was nothing but incomprehension and a lack of respect.

  Only after these stalker fans chased Gavin off the plane did the first-class cabin regain its due tranquillity. The chief purser kept apologizing to the other passengers, but such incidents were all too common. Whenever a popular celebrity was on board, it always happened; there was little they could do.

  Looking down, Grace spotted the paper with Gavin's autograph from earlier, fallen into the seat crevice. Picking it up, she looked at it again and finally could trace the characters for Gavin in the signature.

  She casually folded it and put it in her bag, thinking the drama addict Scarlett might like him.

  Standing at the doorstep at this moment, Grace's heart was beating faster than ever before, as if it was about to leap out of her throat.

  Light shone through the peephole. Staring at it, Grace seemed to vaguely see her mother's figure.

  She lifted her hand, which was trembling uncontrollably, and gently knocked on the door.

  "Is that Tony back?" Her mother's voice came from inside. The next second, the door was pulled open from within.

  The moment Audrey saw her daughter standing outside, her whole body froze. For a long moment, she couldn't react, staring unblinkingly at her daughter's face as if confirming whether her eyes were playing tricks on her.

  "Mom."

  Grace spoke first, her voice trembling. Tears rolled down her cheeks the instant she opened her mouth, unbeknownst to her.

  This single word, "Mom," caused Audrey's body to tremble slightly. Only then did belated excitement and joy surge into her eyes.

  "Grace... you're back..."

  At this moment, Grace could no longer control herself. Boundless longing and self-reproach swept over her. She stepped forward and hugged her mother tightly, weeping uncontrollably.

  Her usually stubborn and strong daughter now felt as fragile as a child in her arms. Audrey also couldn't hold back her tears. The unspoken apologies and yearnings that had weighed on her heart for this past year were finally released at this moment.

  "Grace, don't cry. It's Mom who failed you."