Forget-Me-Not Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Candy Candy and all characters belong to Keiko Nagita, character images to Yumiko Igarashi and anime to Toei Animation.

First and foremost, all the favourable reviews and positive feedback to my new drawing of Albert and Terry and/or the first chapter of Forget-me-not are greatly appreciated! Your encouraging words have certainly motivated me to keep writing. 🥰 Before I present the new chapter, I’d like to quote Lynn’s insightful comments on Candy’s relationships with Terry and Albert. I couldn’t have said it better. Thank you, Lynn, for your contribution! 👏👏

— Ms Puddle

Chapter 2

Mr. Cartwright plans to show Albert the extent of the land he possesses by using a horse drawn wagon, but Albert has not allocated time for a tour. Georges will be back to pick him up after running some errands in the village. Thus, Albert reiterates his interest in buying primarily the land where the Pony’s Home is situated.

The landowner nods in understanding and proposes they hike up the nearby hill, where they can overlook the orphanage and the chapel attached to it. Once they reach the crest of the hill, it strikes Albert that things haven’t changed much since last time he was here, reflecting on his life and the meaning of it. He was all alone until a crybaby appeared out of nowhere. Time flies… she’s not a little girl anymore. Albert wonders what she’s doing at the moment. Is she helping inside the orphanage? Doing chores or cooking?

Then the landowner’s voice interrupts his train of thought, “You know, rumours said that… William A. Ardlay was a man… in his advanced years,” says Mr. Cartwright, taking short, quick breaths. “So I was expecting… someone at least my age… but look at you, you’re not even panting!”

Albert merely chuckles in response. Roughly half an hour ago, when he first stepped in Mr. Cartwright’s office inside his decent-looking ranch house, he noticed a confused look on the landowner’s face. With his white brows raised quizzically, he asked the visitor, “You are?”

With that, the blond-haired man shot a brief glance at his wristwatch before he introduced himself, “My name is William A. Ardlay, Mr. Cartwright. My assistant booked an one-hour appointment with you today. Is there any misunderstanding?”

Mr. Cartwright then guffawed. “Yes, I’m expecting Mr. Ardlay at this hour, but not a good-looking lad like you!”

Prior to this, Georges had been contacting the landowner’s secretary through letters and telegrams to arrange a meeting. Yet, Mr. Cartwright, now semi-retired, was traveling around the country to visit his relatives and would not come back till late autumn.

After shaking hands with each other, the visitor revealed he had made his debut at a news conference in Chicago months ago. Mr. Cartwright then replied with a frown, “While traveling I don’t always pay attention to the news.”

In fact, the debut had taken place before Candy left Chicago, but she didn’t show up with Archie, Annie and Patty. Annie said that Candy was not feeling well, and when Albert went home later that day, the butler apprised him, “Miss Candice was here, delivering this letter to you, Master William.” Even a fool knew that she had been avoiding him, which saddened him. As if that wasn’t bad enough, he found out she had written a formal farewell letter, informing him of her plan to relocate.

“So what brings you here today, Mr. Ardlay?” This question jerks Albert back to the present. “Why on earth would an executive from Chicago want to buy land in a rural area? Are you thinking of business investment or commercial development?”

Mr. Cartwright asked this question before, to which Albert responded, “It’s for personal reasons.” He also reassured the landowner he would pay out of his own pocket, so this was not a business venture.

Apparently, Mr. Cartwright is not satisfied with his answers earlier. While negotiating, the landowner shows reluctance to the business proposal as well; Albert has a hunch Mr. Cartwright is a bit anti-development, so this time, when being asked the same question again, Albert opts to disclose a bit more, “I know someone who grew up at this orphanage, and this entire place means the world to this person.”

The landowner’s face breaks into a smile before he asks with a wink, “A lady?”

Albert replies evasively, “I beg your pardon?”

“Never mind,” says Mr. Cartwright, grinning ear to ear. To the old man, it was basically an affirmative answer. “So what do you plan to do with the land?”

“I do have a concrete plan, Mr. Cartwright,” Albert begins in a business tone. “But it all depends.”

“Depends on what?”

Albert dodges that question, “I’ll hire a couple of consultants to examine the old building and give me a feasibility study based on my criteria, and then I will proceed from there.”

“Sounds like a plan to me, but whom are you proposing to? Your lady friend?”

This time Albert is prepared. “I’ll propose to the people in charge of the orphanage.”

“Makes sense to me,” the landowner acknowledges. To prove that he’s earnest, Albert describes his criteria for expansion in detail. No doubt the businessman is full of solid ideas, but it’s difficult for the landowner to imagine without seeing the building right in front of him, so Albert suggests, “Let’s stroll around the back of the orphanage, Mr. Cartwright. I can give you more details of what I have envisioned.”

When taking the descending path down the hill together, the young man continues talking about his vision. By now, the landowner is quite convinced the businessman genuinely intends to enhance the orphanage conditions for a friend, most probably a young lady, so Mr. Cartwright relaxes and somewhat drops his guard. He no longer worries that the land will be used for any commercial purposes.

As they are getting close to the backdoor of the orphanage, they observe a bunch of kids entering the Pony’s Home in single file through the side. The instant Albert identifies their leader, he feels a tug inside his chest, his heart pounding with excitement. Instead of her signature ponytails, she wraps her voluminous golden locks up loosely with a white bandana. It’s been months since he last saw her at the engagement party held at the Ardlay’s principal residence, but what resurfaces in his mind right now is nothing about that engagement party. Rather, he remembers the touch of her fine curls when he threaded his fingers through her silky hair. The next thing he knows, the mental snapshots of that unforgettable night send a rush of warmth up his neck.

That late evening, after waking up from a mistaken identity and remembering who he really was, Albert went home with mixed feelings. He recalled all his previous encounters with Candy, some of which she had already told him; he could also recollect the reason behind his firm decision to take the poor orphan girl under his wing. He meant to give her a much better life. Ironically, she was the one who had offered him the much needed friendship and trust, which gave him an incentive to keep on living.

Yet, having recovered, Albert did not feel like jumping for joy as he had anticipated back in the hospital. On the contrary, he climbed the stairs inside the House of Magnolia one step at a time to prolong the inevitable. After he unlocked the door to the apartment in slow motion, everywhere was surprisingly dark; as he entered the bedroom, he took in the sight with a pang of guilt. His roommate was fast asleep, lying face down on top of a pile of newspapers scattered around the floor. These papers were all about Terry and his bad news. At that moment, the thought of not informing her of anything concerning himself slithered into his mind. Nevertheless, he crouched down and gathered Candy’s sleeping form in his arms with a heavy heart. When carrying her to bed, he saw tear stains on her face, some hair strands stuck to her wet cheeks. Once putting her down onto the lower bunk bed, he stayed kneeling right beside the bed frame, staring at her thick, fanlike eyelashes under her tightly closed eyelids. He also apologized for hiding those newspapers from her, unsure if she heard him. Even in repose, her expression remained melancholic. He could almost feel her pain and struggles, and his heart swelled with compassion for the kindest girl he had ever met. He didn’t know what came over him then, but his fingers, as if of their own volition, reached out to tenderly wipe her tears and stroke the hair out of her face. That was the only time he had touched her in her slumber. Her skin was incredibly smooth, her hair so soft. How he wished he could somehow make her happy, but he felt so powerless when her heart belonged to a man unattainable.

It was at precisely that moment Albert perceived it wasn’t the right time to bring up his “good news”; how could he leave her side when Candy was undoubtedly still hurting from the painful separation? As a result, he decided to keep his recovery a secret from her, at least for a while.

Albert’s reminiscences are cut short by Mr. Cartwright’s exclamation, “Oh my, is that Candy? I heard from Jimmy lately that she’s returned to help out. Look! She’s grown to be such a natural beauty!”

The young man inwardly agrees. When living together as brother and sister, he was accustomed to seeing the pretty nurse without any artificial colours. She’s a girl with inner radiance, and her charming smile and captivating eyes make her endearing to the people around her. For the time being, she does look great without any makeup, wearing rustic clothes.

At the same time, Albert is not the least surprised the landowner remembers the orphan girl well. She has related to her roommate more than once about her adventure with Jimmy during the Christmas season several years ago, mistaking Mr. Cartwright for a servant working for the ranch. It goes without saying that she always cares about the orphanage a lot.

Yet, the young man feigns his ignorance, “Who?”

Just then, the door is closed behind the last youngster, so Mr. Cartwright says, “Well, too late now.”

His pretense is a spontaneous act. If the young man says “yes, she’s Candy” to Mr. Cartwright, he essentially gives away the name of his friend who grew up here. It’s not that Albert is ashamed to be her friend, but the question is, at this sensitive stage of their relationship, would it upset her to be known as a friend of William A. Ardlay?

This also explains why Albert has been debating with himself whether to drop by the orphanage to see Candy after meeting with Mr. Cartwright. What if she does not appreciate an unexpected visit? But just in case, the young boss did tell Georges to meet him at the orphanage later this afternoon. Speaking of which, Georges might be arriving in less than fifteen minutes, so the businessman asks after checking his wristwatch, “Mr. Cartwright, shall we resume our discussion?”

“Yes please, Mr. Ardlay.”

No sooner has he begun pointing at the path that leads to the village than both notice a woman with eye-catching blond tresses heading that direction, her back facing the men.

Albert’s heart constricts at the likelihood that Candy is evading him. What? She has already changed and is leaving? Why? Did she see me?

Yet, the discouraging thought actually pushes him to make up his mind. It’s about time he takes some action to reconcile with her. Hence, the young man utters in a rush, “Sorry for the impertinence, Mr. Cartwright. I must talk to her first.”

Without waiting for the landowner’s reply, the businessman sprints after her. Despite wearing dress shoes, he’s able to shorten their gap in no time. The lady hears heavy footsteps from behind her, and out of curiosity, she slows down and turns her head over her shoulder. The moment their gaze meets, he abruptly halts his steps. Hold it… This is not Candy…

Now that the lady is within an arm’s reach, he realizes he’s jumped to conclusions just now; this attractive lady with hazel eyes looks more mature even though she does bear a faint resemblance to Candy.

Meanwhile, the lady does not recognize the handsome man with short, wavy blond hair. Besides, his cashmere overcoat seems brand new, expensive and tailor-made; she’s never met any wealthy guy in her life. However, while she can easily say “Pardon me, sir” then move on, his striking blue eyes do look extremely familiar, reminding her of the man she’s looking for. Isn’t his hair brown though?

Yet, even with uncertainty, she spins around, staring at him with bewilderment painted across her lovely features. When Albert finally sees her face, something dawns on him. He finds himself in stunned disbelief that they have run into each other again in another continent, but he ventures, “Kim? Are you Kim?”

At the sound of his gentle voice, her eyes light up. Upon hearing her own name from his mouth, all her doubts vanish. Unable to believe her luck, she responds, her lips quivering slightly, “Al?”

=o=o=o=

Like Albert, Mr. Cartwright also assumes the woman leaving the orphanage is Candy. The rich fellow obviously cares about her a lot, even chasing after her in the middle of a negotiation. Hence, the landowner chuckles, shaking his white head. So I was right. His friend is an outstanding lady indeed. What’s their relationship? What’s his goal? Does he want to impress her with an exceptionally generous gift?

At this very moment, to the old man’s utter astonishment, he sees Candy running back from another direction. After talking to Miss Pony and Sister Lane, the girl darts out of the orphanage as though she was running towards the businessman. She doesn’t see the landowner at all, and Mr. Cartwright scratches his head. Wait, then who’s the other lady?

But Miss Pony spots the landowner and warmly approaches him, saying, “Mr. Cartwright, welcome back! How was your trip? Would you like to join us for tea and snacks?”

He likes to accept the invitation, but he explains, “I’m expecting a young man for some business. When he comes, how does he know where to find me?”

“Oh, is that right?”

“But thank you, Miss Pony. I think I’ll wait around. He should be here shortly.”

Miss Pony then responds politely, “Have a good afternoon, Mr. Cartwright.”

“Same to you, Miss Pony.”

While waiting for the businessman to return, Mr. Cartwright ambles around and takes a closer look at the building used as the orphanage, and it does look worn out due to lack of maintenance. As the landowner is pondering on the businessman’s proposal, the old man turns a corner and crashes into someone. The high impact causes him to lose his balance, but the lady beside him grabs his arms to prevent him from falling. Once he looks up, he’s taken aback.

“Candy! What’s happened?”

She promptly wipes her eyes, mortified to be found crying. “I’m terribly sorry, Mr. Cartwright. Please don’t tell anyone!”

Then she dashes off, leaving him behind to deal with the shock. What not to tell? That I saw her running away or that I saw tears on her face?

Before long, Albert returns and speaks to the landowner with a rueful frown, “Thanks for waiting, Mr. Cartwright. I’m afraid we have to arrange another meeting. My apologies.”

Mr. Cartwright raises his white eyebrows, but the businessman explains why he has to leave at once, pointing at the young woman standing about a couple of yards away from the chapel. Within seconds, a sleek, well-polished black Cadillac pulls over and stops right beside her; a black-haired man in a dark suit gets off from the driver’s seat and opens the rear passenger door for her.

The landowner, having taken a fleeting glance at the woman’s face, readily agrees, “Go ahead, Mr. Ardlay. You can book another appointment with my secretary.”

By now, the man with raven black hair has made his way towards them. Albert introduces him, “Mr. Cartwright, this is my right-hand man, Mr. Georges Villers.”

On his way to the orphanage, even from a distance Georges could see his boss talking to a woman whom he was unacquainted with, so he parked the car to check if everything was all right. As soon as Georges knew about the change of plans, he went back to get the car.

Then Mr. Cartwright and Georges greet and shake hands with each other. After that, Georges murmurs to his boss, “Sir William, we are ready.”

Albert swallows hard and turns to the landowner, his brow creased with regrets. “Once again, I’m sorry for the short notice.” The last thing he wants is to leave a lousy impression.

“No worries. The land is not going anywhere,” replies the landowner, chuckling. “See you another time.”

“Yes, definitely,” affirms the businessman. Then he breathes out a long sigh of resignation and follows Georges to the car.

When the landowner can no longer hear the swish of the luxurious vehicle with a family badge on the door, he looks up and utters out loud, “Are you still there, Candy?”

Before the businessman reappeared, Mr. Cartwright heard some noises of rustling leaves and snapping twigs behind him, as if someone was climbing a tree, but now nobody is in sight. Thus, Mr. Cartwright scans the surrounding trees and speaks up, “Just so you know, I’m leaving now.”

He then walks towards the front yard of the orphanage. The kids are now free to roam, and Sister Lane and Miss Pony are minding them. After making some chit-chat with them, Mr. Cartwright questions, “I was told that Candy has come back for good?”

So Miss Pony invites him to sit down by a picnic table, and they begin talking about how Candy has been a great help all these months. The landowner keeps nodding, and when they are done, he asks, “Wasn’t she adopted? What’s the family name again?”

Once he hears the family name from Sister Lane, he’s intrigued. “Did you say ‘Ardlay’?”

“Yes,” Miss Pony confirms. “But Candy explains to us that she wasn’t adopted like Annie. The man who has generously provided for her is more like her benefactor. Candy has not met him until recently, and his assistant has been her acting guardian.”

“What’s his name?”

After exchanging a glance with each other, Miss Pony furrows her brow, saying, “We don’t remember, Mr. Cartwright. It somehow slips our minds, because Candy rarely talks about her adoptive family.”

“Do you know why she left her family then?”

Both women answer almost simultaneously.

“We wish we knew.”

“We are hoping she’ll tell us.”

Their near unanimous replies speak volumes. At this point, Sister Lane becomes aware that something is not right. “By the way, where is Candy? Didn’t she say she would be right back?”

Miss Pony smiles with confidence however. “I think it should be fine. She’s a big girl now, and she knows the entire area by heart.”

“True,” Sister Lane mumbles, her brow knitting together.

Candy’s teary face and glistening eyes flash across the old man’s mind. Nobody can be unaffected by that, and he feels pity for her. She appeared rather perturbed, and Mr. Cartwright has been wondering what exactly upset her. If appropriate, he would like to help, but he respects her wish and decides not to say anything. He also feels tired; he’s really starting to show his age lately, so he says after a yawn, stretching his arms, “I think it’s time for me to go.”

When he’s leaving, the memory of a certain Christmas years ago returns to Miss Pony’s head, “Oh I remember now, Mr. Cartwright. Candy calls her benefactor ‘Granduncle William’.”

The old man can hardly believe his ears. “William? William Ardlay?”

“Sounds like it,” replies Miss Pony, wondering what piques his interest about Candy’s adoptive family.

As the landowner begins a slow saunter back to the ranch, he mulls over the business proposal. If he refuses to sell the land, the old building will continue to deteriorate, withstanding the normal wear and tear. But if he sells this part of the land, the rich guy will possibly pay for the renovation or expansion to upgrade the orphanage. While weighing his options, the landowner can’t shake off the feeling that Candy’s emotional distress had something to do with the rich fellow today. Because of that, the landowner is a little wary about selling the land now. Even though Mr. Cartwright likes the fellow and his attitude, the fellow is an outsider who originates from one of the major cities in the country nonetheless.

Come to think of it, the young man is plausibly the grandson of Candy’s benefactor. Could it be that stumbling upon him today has ripped open the orphan girl’s old wounds? Are they in love? Is their romantic relationship being frowned upon or forbidden, so she had to leave? Or has he misled her into thinking that he loved her and played with her emotions?

But the young man said he would pay everything out of pocket, so the landowner reckons his speculations may be far from the truth. Perhaps the fellow actually wants to purchase the land and upgrade the orphanage for Candy’s sake. On the other hand, the lady without a name is seemingly important to the businessman too, so much so that he had to attend to her needs without delay. Interestingly, that lady and Candy look somewhat alike.

To Mr. Cartwright, it’s not a surprise the remarkably dashing young man born with a silver spoon in his mouth can charm any woman. Although it’s not Mr. Cartwright’s nature to be inquisitive, the last thing he wants is to be involved, directly or indirectly, in other people’s private affairs. As a matter of fact, once the land is sold, the businessman can practically do anything to fulfill his dreams. Who knows for certain if the businessman will keep his word about enhancing the orphanage? What if the young man is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, that he has a hidden agenda? If that’s the case, the future of the orphanage is at stake.

Last but not the least, the landowner cares about Candy too. He doesn’t feel completely at ease with the businessman, wondering if the reconstruction proposal is some sort of compensation to her. Therefore, if the fellow’s motive is questionable or his actions will further aggravate her situation, Mr. Cartwright feels responsible to protect the orphans, especially Candy.

=o=o=o=

Candy is still wandering around in the vicinity of the Pony’s Home, struggling whether to go back. It’s the busiest time of the day at the kitchen when Miss Pony and Sister Lane have to prepare dinners for the hungry kids; also, they must be worried about her by now.

Mr. Cartwright, in spite of his old age, is still mentally sharp. He could tell she had climbed a tree. As a child, every time an orphan left with his or her adoptive parents, Candy almost always climbed the tallest oak tree to get a better view of their departure. Usually, she was able to get back to normal soon afterward, but the day Annie left with the Brightons, Prince on the Hill was the one who alleviated the pain of Candy’s loss. Even to this day, whenever she remembers her prince’s dazzling face, she feels motivated to cheer herself up.

Today was an exception unfortunately. Being high up on the tree, Candy deliberately took a trip down memory lane. Prince on the Hill said she looked prettier when she smiled than when she cried, but as she tried to smile, she saw Albert leaving with the nurse and Georges. Though her tears had stopped trickling down her face, a part of her remained emotionally disturbed. Her mind was filled with questions about the nurse called Kimberly and the nature of her relationship with Albert. The problem was, Candy couldn’t quite interpret her own feelings. What’s actually going on in my head? Am I jealous or envious or what?

So she harshly reprimanded herself more than once. I’m not supposed to pry into his private matters! And who am I to be jealous!?

That’s why she can’t show up at the Pony’s Home yet. She’s currently incapable of faking even a weak smile, so Miss Pony and Sister Lane or the kids will soon find her behaviour abnormal; consequently, they will ask her out of concern, but Candy does not feel like lying or talking to anyone for the time being. She realizes Albert knows everything about her past romantic relationships while she knows absolutely nothing about his love life. No doubt he’s not obligated to tell anyone, let alone an estranged friend like her. That being said, Candy can’t seem to stop imagining things, despite her best efforts.

But she figures she will be out of this agitated state eventually. It’s just a matter of time. Somehow, she ends up leaning against a tree on Pony’s Hill, pensive. From her favourite refuge she can enjoy the spectacular view of the last hour before sunset, when the landscape is engulfed by the warm, golden glow from the setting sun, and the sky is painted with colours that range from pink to magenta and violet with fluffy cirrus clouds of similar shades.

There’s nothing more magical to Candy than watching a magnificent sunset like this, which always has a calming effect on her, like that evening when she was in mourning for Stear in a Chicago park. Back then, as she stood near the treetop thinking about Stear, Albert unexpectedly landed a hand on her shoulder from behind, which caught her completely off guard. She welcomed him to join her of course. As he sat down beside her, they began talking about Stear, and within seconds, Candy got a lump in her throat and felt tears stinging her eyes. Albert kindly pulled her closer to him by wrapping his strong arm around her. She willingly leaned into him, breathing in his familiar musk. The warmth of his body drifted across her shoulder and through her entire being, comforting her beyond words. For a long time there was no need to talk; their grief was mutual.

Presently, Candy is choking back tears. Hundreds of these vivid memories with Albert, including the inside jokes and shared secrets, were unshakably imprinted in her heart. One of the most cherished moments was the night when he came home and discovered that she had cried herself to sleep while reading a bunch of old newspapers found under the bunk bed. After being carried to bed, some of her hair was stuck on her cheeks, which was a bit uncomfortable, and yet she was fully aware he was right beside her watching her, so she pretended to be fast asleep still. But what transpired next was least expected and truly memorable. His warm hand gently stroked her face while his fingers carefully got her hair unstuck and wiped away her tears. After that, he left her side without a word, and she could not stop shedding tears of appreciation behind his back. This gesture of kindness, which touched the depths of her soul, reminded her of her foster mothers’ love and care in her childhood.

Unbeknownst to him, his disappearance months later had left a vacuum in her heart. She looked back nostalgically of the times they spent together, and she often recalled this particular moment, specifically his tenderness and the feel of his feathery touch. She kept renting the apartment, hoping he would suddenly show up one day, and the constant longing deep inside her drove her to blindly hop on a train to go to Rockstown.

Needless to say, the mere sight of Albert this afternoon proves that her attempts to fight her feelings all these months have been futile. Because of this brief encounter, at one point Candy even regretted leaving Chicago, and yet, after she cleared her head, she concluded moving back to the Pony’s Home was still the right decision. For one thing, it’s too lonely to live in that apartment by herself. For another, she has zero interest in moving into the Ardlay’s residence, not to mention nobody has hinted about this at all. In other words, staying in Chicago will likely make it more difficult for her to adjust to her new life without him.

All of a sudden, Candy senses being observed. Guided by her instinct, she twirls in the right direction. The very second she notices the man standing not very far away, she draws in an audible gasp of stupefaction, her face flushing. An awkward silence ensues. The lady is at a loss how she ought to react, and the man is acutely embarrassed to be caught in the act. Never has he felt so on edge before. He had no intention to intrude on her privacy, but he was mesmerized and could not help staring at her amazing looks, her wistful eyes literally sparkling under the dramatic sunlight.

At this moment, he only hopes that he has not offended her, so he braces himself to break the silence, “I just want to know you’re safe. Sorry to interrupt your solitude. Please excuse me.”

After that, he turns on his heel and walks away with swift strides. It’s only then that she awakes from her stupor and shouts at the top of her lungs, “Albert!”

She has no idea how much it means to him to hear her call him by his middle name again.

(to be continued…)

=o=o=o=

Writer’s note:

Thank you for reading! I hope you liked the new chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Again, this story is mainly inspired by Candy Candy Final Story and the manga version.

Also, my appreciation goes to Lakewood for providing links to several references for my question about the age of majority. For your interest, for this fanfic I assume Candy’s birthday is May 1898, and she (aged 16) started living with Albert possibly in the Fall after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914, the spark that ignited World War I.

In Candy Candy Final Story (CCFS), Patty wrote about Stear in her letter to Candy and stated that US was seemingly joining the allies. It’s a known fact that the United States declared war on Germany on April 4, 1917. Perhaps the letter was written some time between January (when the Sussex pledge was violated) and April in 1917. 

In that letter Albert was still living with Candy as the amnesiac patient. Based on the manga, Albert vanished in Candy’s life not long after Stear’s funeral, and this is likely the case in CCFS as well. For this fanfic, it’s purely my own imagination that Candy discovered Albert’s true identity in late spring of 1917 and moved back to the orphanage in early summer. By then Candy should have turned nineteen years old. If you think this does not make any sense or if you spot any mistake in this chapter, please kindly let me know. Thank you in advance!

P.S. Soon after I published this chapter, someone sent me a private message of a long list of questions regarding some rumours circulating online about Albert in Candy Candy. Some fans claimed that the main character Albert was created by the manga artist Yumiko Igarashi rather than the author Keiko Nagita herself or something like that. I skimmed through these questions only because I’m not in the least interested in dealing with these groundless rumours, which are laughable to say the least. 😀 That being said, I’m truly thankful to Leda and Michelle for providing their insights just in time. You practically came to my rescue, my friends! Thank you very much for your contributions too! 🤩