bChapter 17 /b

bNoticing /bba /bbhint /bbof /bgrievance in her daughter’s voiceb, /bJayne teased, “What’s wrong? bThe /bbVance /bfamily’s got more money than they know what to do with. Don’t tell me bmy /bdaughter isn’t allowed to eat whatever she wants over there?”

bShe /bsaid it half in jest, but the words hit Edith right where she was most fragile.

It wasn’t that the Vance family ever denied her food she liked.

It was Salome–always so eager to show off her own status–who insisted Edith appear at the table for every single meal. And every time, Salome made sure to serve dishes Edith could barely stomach, as if to remind her exactly where she stood in the Vance household: Salome reigning above, Edith left far below.

When Edith fell silent all of a sudden, Jayne realized she’d misjudged her joke. She quickly took her daughter’s hand, urging her to sit down and eat, changing the subject. “Edith, did you see Justin at the Hawksleys‘ today?”

Jayne didn’t ask idly. The Hawksleys were riding high these days; with Justin’s birthday, there’d be a crowding to wish him well. If the family was too busy, Edith might not have even met Justin.

Edith picked up her fork, ced a piece of sweet and sour pork on Jayne’s te first, then paused and nodded. “Yeah. I saw him.”

A look of relief flickered across Jayne’s face–at least the Hawksleys weren’t ying those ridiculous high–society games.

Jayne asked, a little hesitantly, “So, what do you think of Justin?”

Edith nearly choked on her water.

**

Of all the questions, this was thest one she wanted to answer. She coughed twice, gulped down a full ss of water, and finally managed topose herself.

But instead of answering, she shot back, “Mom, what I want to know is… does Justin think anything of me?”

Her question made Jayne/pause mid–bite. After a moment’s thought, she replied, “I’d say he does. After all, it was the Hawksleys who proposed this match. If he didn’t have some interest in you, why would they be so proactive?”

The truth was, the week news broke about Beckett’s ident, the Hawksleys hade to propose the engagement. But Jayne knew how much Edith and Beckett had cared for each other, and with Beckett only just gone, she figured Edith would

15:08

be appalled bat /bthe bidea/b. So bshe’d /bkept bquiet /bbabout /bbit /bfor a long whileb. /b

bEdith /bpicked bup /bbanother /bpiece bof /bsweet and sour pork but found she didn’t have the bappetite/bb. /bShe bset /bit down in her bowl, her expression somber. “Yeah. If he didn’tb, /bwhy bwould /bbhe /bbgo /bout of his way to propose?”

She murmured it quietly, too softly for Jayne to catch. Jayne just kept urging her to eat more. “Edith, didn’t you say my sweet and sour pork is your favorite? Eat up. I’ve made it for you every daytely.”

bEdith /bsuddenly looked up at her mother. “Mom, is there something wrong with Justin? Like, is he sick or something?”

She had spent thesest few years in the Vance house, rarely going out, hardly socializing. Gossip around Northcrest didn’t interest her, and she hardly knew any of it. But Jayne might.

Jayne frowned, puzzled. “Why do you ask all of a sudden? Well, there have always been rumors floating around–people say Justin’s health isn’t great…”

She hesitated, her face turning serious. “Edith, did you notice something? Now that you mention it, it is strange. The Hawksleys are one of the most prominent families in Northcrest. Why would they suddenly push so hard for this marriage? I haven’t seen Justin in years myself. Do you think there’s a problem with him?”

Edith’s mind went back to what she’d seen at the Hawksleys‘ front door. Justin had looked… unwell. Almost frightening, as if he was struggling just to breathe.

Jayne, growing anxious, pped her knee in regret. “I should have thought this through! If there really is something wrong with Justin, I’ll go talk to them myself and call off the engagement. Don’t you worry–I won’t let anyone treat you unfairly!” Watching her mother get so worked up, Edith felt a warm ache in her chest.

In this world, maybe anyone else could turn on her–but never her mother.

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bChapter /bb18 /b