Sanford followed up his call with a text to Maggie. “Reach the factory director directly when you arrive."

Maggie rode a bus towards South Bay Town.

Gazing out the window at the blur of scenery, a wave of unexpected familiarity washed over her.

It had been a long time since she'd been back in her hometown. A pang of longing tugged at her heart.

The memories sparked a smile on her face, which widened as her phone chimed.

After a moment's thought, Maggie filmed a ten-second clip outside the window and sent it to Sanford with a quick message. "On my way."

Sanford's reply arrived promptly, "There's no beauty in the video."

He implied she should have included herself in the video clip.

"There's no beauty here," she replied with a smile.

“Really? Where's Maggie, then?" Sanford replied.

Maggie's surprise turned to laughter. Sanford was complimenting her, she realized.

She tapped out a response: "Maggie isn't a beauty.”

“No, she's the prettiest girl in my heart," Sanford declared.

Maggie was momentarily speechless, touched by his sweetness.

Soon, the bus pulled into South Bay Town.

She transferred to another bus to get to her destination.

The sight of the old factory stirred memories of the conflicts between her family and her uncle's. Her smile faded, replaced by a serious expression.

Smoothing out her clothes, she approached the security guard.

"Hello, I'm Maggie Shear. I'm here to see your factory director."

The guard, a man in his fifties, scrutinized her before his eyes slightly widened. "Aren't you the former director's niece?"