That would have made her words more credible, easing his worries about the Jenkins family's future under Mrs. Jenkins' reign for the next twenty years. He himself wasn't confident he would live another two decades.

Once he was gone, Mrs. Jenkins would wield unchallenged power over the family, and without the right knowledge, the clan's destiny could be grim.

Yet, Maria's explanation didn't fully persuade him.

“Well, I hope so," Canaan murmured, a faint, bitter smile forming on his Lips.

Just then, a young man from the Jenkins family approached swiftly, urgency in his light footsteps. He had an important message for Canaan.