Megan woke up at high noon.142Please respect copyright.PENANAzmAdx3PxHT
She sat up on the comfortable bed, stretching and yawning like a lazy cat. She142Please respect copyright.PENANAmkVDnJ854x
felt energized after her beauty sleep, thus putting her in a good mood. Her142Please respect copyright.PENANA3M8GR8hPEg
stomach grumbled resentfully as if complaining about the lack of substance it142Please respect copyright.PENANAHenJ4vAnnL
hasn’t been given for more than six hours. Megan tried to remember the last142Please respect copyright.PENANAKix2xe36ra
time she had eaten; that must be the three muffins’ cupcakes she had to force142Please respect copyright.PENANAALDWPPV5zu
herself to choke down on the plane, as her upset tummy wouldn’t give her142Please respect copyright.PENANAGzC7EBWljZ
appetite for anything more. No wonder she feels a headache and was mildly dizzy142Please respect copyright.PENANAdriLfRL7hD
when she stood – those were her recognized signs of hunger. Never one to forget142Please respect copyright.PENANAsrSVKYY6K1
hygiene no matter how hungry she is, Megan moved to the door she presumed to be142Please respect copyright.PENANAdmo480p38h
the bathroom to refreshen up. When done, she headed out.
Long hallways stretched out142Please respect copyright.PENANAjikXaCilVF
at either side of her, causing her to pause with a small frown. Debating142Please respect copyright.PENANArPCGaequDE
mentally for some secs, she decided on the left hallway. As much as she tried142Please respect copyright.PENANAH4t9oO0kud
not to notice, she still found herself admiring the unusual, yet sophisticated142Please respect copyright.PENANAhi2pRLQ8zp
interior design of the house. Priceless paintings displaying Scottish history142Please respect copyright.PENANAfP8Fh84478
with artifacts were mounted on the golden walls. Various-sized vintage vases142Please respect copyright.PENANAuKyh1VnhdT
noticeably worth more than she thinks, including the plain-looking ones, stood142Please respect copyright.PENANAMMuUgQey1f
at every corner of the hallways. She’d have spent more time appreciating if her142Please respect copyright.PENANAxk8fzwCGdC
belly didn’t protest again, this time louder.
She walked faster,142Please respect copyright.PENANAhAhUkESkho
coming out to a staircase. There was another flight of stairs in front of her142Please respect copyright.PENANA2zPoOiB2LI
but she ignored it, choosing to locate the kitchen. Thankfully, she didn’t142Please respect copyright.PENANAWRnzzTAVmW
spend much time at all. The spacious, spotless kitchen equipped with modern142Please respect copyright.PENANA1270aVuBVx
utensils almost made her giddy and Megan couldn’t wait to start preparing tasty142Please respect copyright.PENANA09cepVlToA
food on the big counter. She opened the double-doored fridge and grinned142Please respect copyright.PENANAKoYA0WkhTl
broadly at how well-stuffed it is. As someone who enjoys cooking a lot, she142Please respect copyright.PENANA46rEzqDcxf
always appreciates it a lot when the fridge is filled up with all sorts of142Please respect copyright.PENANA9PoKYUB8TW
varieties of foods.
“Oh.”
Megan glanced behind her142Please respect copyright.PENANA6vw3LC9D7z
shoulders to see a young girl, she doesn’t look more than nineteen years,142Please respect copyright.PENANAf7Ueu10aZq
standing – frozen more like it – at the entrance of the kitchen. Her pale green142Please respect copyright.PENANAXvBHATCPwB
orbs were filled with anxiety, reluctance, and tiny curiosity as she held a142Please respect copyright.PENANAVRzcUCFadS
tray holding an empty bowl and cup. Everything regarding her, from her posture142Please respect copyright.PENANAI5w2wpnq2w
to her expression, screams she wants to be anywhere but here. Megan felt142Please respect copyright.PENANAM7KEPbUyrr
strangely fascinated. Shutting the fridge, she faced the girl. She noted how142Please respect copyright.PENANAckXfPvijQw
she tensed up immediately and Megan raised an inquisitive brow at her. The girl142Please respect copyright.PENANABXLfDMBNxK
crimsoned. She tried to stammer out something, but under Megan’s bold stare,142Please respect copyright.PENANAXGC7s3woDS
she couldn’t form anything that made sense.
Having a strong impression,142Please respect copyright.PENANAmuiyb7Bop7
she was terrifying the poor girl, Megan eased up her expression, putting on the142Please respect copyright.PENANANApZHO4vo3
winning, a failsafe smile she used whenever she wants to soothe her142Please respect copyright.PENANA1a9n8FwnM4
not-so-polite, demanding customers of her culinary abilities. “I’m sorry if I142Please respect copyright.PENANAtD68PaMEbx
frightened you or anything. Believe me, it’s not my intention.”
The girl gave a brief smile,142Please respect copyright.PENANA2k5gkfnd6t
her stance relaxing. “I-I’m the one who’d apologize to you,” she went to the142Please respect copyright.PENANAJ3TgvE62dJ
sink to drop the tray. “I shouldn’t have behaved like that. It was incredibly142Please respect copyright.PENANA5nX9k3sky7
rude of me. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
She’s still142Please respect copyright.PENANAIkNC1sxqXK
uncomfortable with me, Megan thought. “You weren’t rude. So, there’s no need to142Please respect copyright.PENANAvBPi6yjVKo
apologize….”
The girl stared at her142Please respect copyright.PENANAScIPnikBQ7
blankly. Realizing she was asking for her name, she quickly replied, “Arabel142Please respect copyright.PENANAonfc7qq5ph
Shaw, ma’am.”
“Oh. A lovable beauty142Please respect copyright.PENANAkV4jMMN8Gg
worth of her name.”
The girl went red, almost142Please respect copyright.PENANA5TUpCcMlQW
like the gingery curls on her head.
A low growl sounded out of142Please respect copyright.PENANAdsG67ZQYmC
Megan’s stomach, prompting Arabel to turn pale and become frantic. “Oh, my God!142Please respect copyright.PENANAbVpraD1May
I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I’m such an idiot. How can I not know that142Please respect copyright.PENANANtmpQvClwt
you’d be hungry when you awake?” She pulled out a pot and pan. Going to the142Please respect copyright.PENANAfCP2OYGVMk
fridge, she was just about to pull out a crate of eggs but was stopped.
“You don’t need to do142Please respect copyright.PENANAlvaS2PrSkQ
that. I can make something for myself.”
“But—"
“Even if you cook for142Please respect copyright.PENANACiemtEkEU1
me, there’s a high probability I won’t like it. So, to save ingredients and142Please respect copyright.PENANArNoh9907ns
time, let me do it.”
“But—”
Arabel has led away142Please respect copyright.PENANAYJVmXrnbJN
from the refrigerator and lightly pushed one of the stools in the kitchen.142Please respect copyright.PENANAkmFBODzcQY
“Sit.” She complied. Like a three-year-old child who always wants to keep his142Please respect copyright.PENANAiVvmK17eOS
mother within his sight, she trailed her every move with large curious eyes.142Please respect copyright.PENANAdJAv15JGI1
Whenever she sees her not knowing where some things she needs are, she bolts up142Please respect copyright.PENANAOtVLZxTolO
like an antelope. Providing said items within a blink. The smile on Megan’s142Please respect copyright.PENANAHSOugbx5i0
lips keeps increasing.
“So, what are you142Please respect copyright.PENANAYHw1sXWhWk
doing to cook?” The young girl, unable to hold it in anymore, asked. She was142Please respect copyright.PENANAbTkKRnYSSz
standing alongside Megan, taking in the things she was preparing on the142Please respect copyright.PENANAqnEH6ZdZd0
counter.
“Brisket hash with142Please respect copyright.PENANAhtXKdoEpAe
eggs."
“Oh.”
Done making ready142Please respect copyright.PENANAjBCC5BAxyI
the ingredients, Megan placed a large skillet over medium heat and poured in142Please respect copyright.PENANAs4PEUGPj0W
two tablespoons of olive oil. When it was heated, she added diced onion and142Please respect copyright.PENANADHKPZ9ANgm
fried it until it was translucent. She put in minced garlic cloves with one medium142Please respect copyright.PENANAbTF6sLNnzf
red pepper, which she’d seeded and chopped. She mixed them, leaving it for a142Please respect copyright.PENANA5N7bgc8bxm
moment. Adding the potatoes she’d cut into cubes to the vegetables, she had142Please respect copyright.PENANAfDU3RtlAei
everything cooked for fifteen minutes. An eager-to-help Arabel, who had been142Please respect copyright.PENANAG7UHvgfx3i
salivating nonstop the instant the mouthwatering aroma spread out, was in142Please respect copyright.PENANAhHfCpf094x
charge of monitoring and flipping the mixture every few minutes with a flat142Please respect copyright.PENANAJqWAh7Wx1u
spatula so the lot browned evenly while she whisked down the eggs.
When it was time, Megan142Please respect copyright.PENANAxzs9eQbDO4
tossed in the cubed brisket. She combined it well, afterward seasoning it with142Please respect copyright.PENANA5OKC2qnkDC
salt and black pepper. She gave a quick turn after that leave it to cook for142Please respect copyright.PENANAbaawCZHDg1
some minutes. Until the beef became brown and the potatoes succulently tender,142Please respect copyright.PENANABL0EE3UEH1
before removing it from the heat. In a separate pan, she made scrambled eggs142Please respect copyright.PENANAa4wc6QdZbB
and then plated them, not forgetting to add barbeque sauce.
Arabel was genuinely stunned142Please respect copyright.PENANAxB42tT2Zj9
when Megan gave her a sizeable portion of the food. It took a whole minute to142Please respect copyright.PENANAEUPklGItSO
get her to stop thanking her. The second Arabel took a bite, her head never142Please respect copyright.PENANAuTrthZcJaK
came up again 'til she’d wiped her plate clean. Literally. Within a few blinks.142Please respect copyright.PENANAxINI6gBvG9
That spoke of how delicious the food is.
Megan had paused from taking142Please respect copyright.PENANAmIOnZhkeCR
lifting her spoon. She googled, half shocked, half amazed. But secretly142Please respect copyright.PENANA4VU853OIP2
pleased. Arabel felt embarrassed, even wished the earth should open and swallow142Please respect copyright.PENANAZh4BGiawC6
her up, when a light belch sipped out from her lips, despite her hard best to142Please respect copyright.PENANAyHmZ97usWd
keep it in.
“Here.” Megan handed142Please respect copyright.PENANAyY6XBWBVBV
her the glass of orange juice meant for her, which after small hesitation, she142Please respect copyright.PENANAlZpAPN3ww9
gulped down. “I’ve never had anyone react that much to my cooking, and quite142Please respect copyright.PENANALH6w0LlsJx
frankly. Arabel, I love it.”
The girl pepped up, looking142Please respect copyright.PENANANII1Qu6zfb
partly convinced. “Really?”
“Cooking is a great142Please respect copyright.PENANAz2YrPpYLBc
passion of mine and as a chef, there’s nothing more that delights my soul than142Please respect copyright.PENANA7XZPIVArRH
seeing my food consumed with such great…. relish.”
Arabel ducked her head.142Please respect copyright.PENANAKO5sKptMWv
“Okay, whatever you say.”
“I—”
“Arabel!”
A voice called from somewhere142Please respect copyright.PENANA5c8dlccBoD
outside the kitchen. The way Arabel jumped from her seat would’ve been comical142Please respect copyright.PENANATYwFvIIhDF
if she didn’t nearly trip over her feet and fallen flat on the floor. “Arabel!142Please respect copyright.PENANAne9A4oocoC
Where are ye, silly lass?”
Said person had gone142Please respect copyright.PENANAfeLalTXGLx
pale, as though she’d seen a ghost. In a flash, she was at the sink. Dropping142Please respect copyright.PENANAxCcIe55Pcr
the plate, the one she’d eaten with, she packed the bowls and pans used for142Please respect copyright.PENANAYT4u9oU4PP
cooking and began to demonstrate the quickest washing and rinsing known in142Please respect copyright.PENANADs3p4t1NCV
history. Megan watched like a captivated audience while eating. Drawn to the142Please respect copyright.PENANAJW1H86OqS0
clanging of the utensils, footsteps drew closer to where they are. Just as142Please respect copyright.PENANAFhBm87YzVR
Arabel finished, the woman Megan saw yesterday stepped into the kitchen. An142Please respect copyright.PENANAGEGNiMMoYP
exasperated frown covered her expression but there was no misreading the142Please respect copyright.PENANANW6wHTx8hd
fleeting surprise and repulsion Megan spied in her gaze. This time, she was142Please respect copyright.PENANAxNGkbafujO
certain this sweetishly-looking woman has something against her.
Whatever.
“Ye silly lass! Why142Please respect copyright.PENANAiqeXCqxtt3
didn’t ye answer me when I was yellin’ for you at the top of my lungs? I was142Please respect copyright.PENANAFVtf5Jbfy1
expectin’ ye back ages ago!”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rhona.142Please respect copyright.PENANASHpPjMVbcQ
I-I was busy preparing something for Mrs. Henderson when I saw there’s nothing142Please respect copyright.PENANAGm4XayaHrp
left of breakfast for her.”
Both women flinched.
Rhona shot a nasty glare at142Please respect copyright.PENANAOSHLnFqi8y
the young girl, her displeasure apropos to the way Megan was addressed,142Please respect copyright.PENANAG7NRkoBpoN
however, Arabel misunderstood it. “I didn’t know ye know you’re conversant with142Please respect copyright.PENANAZZFAPskCPa
Amerikie’s food.”
“When I knew Mrs.142Please respect copyright.PENANAz8kapItoic
Henderson was an American, I did tons of research on the country so I can serve142Please respect copyright.PENANAzrQOreDubw
her needs better.”
Megan felt incredibly142Please respect copyright.PENANA8pO9a8endR
uncomfortable being called that title again. She glanced at142Please respect copyright.PENANA2ZdO1LEXnL
Arabel from the corners of her eyes; seeing her sweaty, bright face and142Please respect copyright.PENANAL4dpZ8XtCj
quivering lips, she pitied her and decided not to expose her for her clear lie.
Rhonda observed Arabel142Please respect copyright.PENANAzianKECfnC
suspiciously. She’s not convinced of whatsoever nonsense she spewed out. A few142Please respect copyright.PENANAjApWWw59qB
seconds later, she waved her to leave the kitchen and the girl readily fled.142Please respect copyright.PENANAnTT7YtaiWw
Giving her head a shake, she turned back to Megan who had gone over to the142Please respect copyright.PENANAp3umYLOYrl
sink. This time, she didn’t bother hiding her feelings.
“Ms. Michelle, I’d like142Please respect copyright.PENANAAMcymVjXmz
it if ye don’t make Arabel cook for ye. She isn’t among the maids142Please respect copyright.PENANALH5IVqm03M
in charge of cooking, so don’t force the poor girl to do142Please respect copyright.PENANAS5hc3ibSXF
what she doesn’t want.”
Wow. Way to rip off the142Please respect copyright.PENANAcVM5uccSUD
bandage, Megan sardonically noted. Wiping her hands with a napkin, she met the142Please respect copyright.PENANAWp6TuEHMAB
angry older woman with the angering smile she uses on the people she doesn’t142Please respect copyright.PENANAnhjvwAAgOZ
like. “Hmm, but I wonder why any food wasn’t left for me?”
“I told the maids not142Please respect copyright.PENANA0IwI6C3WZ1
to leave any because I don’t know whether you’d like what we cooked or not. Ye142Please respect copyright.PENANAAXhbPCMTy2
were needlessly finicky of what you ate the last time you came here so I took142Please respect copyright.PENANAEn8DlG2bur
it upon myself to be the one to cook for ye,” Rhona paused, casting a142Please respect copyright.PENANAtGmHMLmNBk
depreciative look over at her figure. “Though if ye don’t mind me saying this,142Please respect copyright.PENANAscPEsWzNly
Ms. Michelle, I think starving a bit would do ye a solid good.” She jibed,142Please respect copyright.PENANAIEQ5tm3SsG
smirking when that smile was erased.
Megan dropped being142Please respect copyright.PENANAjgWCgr9aNl
polite. “Remind me again, what is your job exactly here?”
“What? Don’t tell me142Please respect copyright.PENANAEUsc1P8sLi
you’ve forgotten?”
“Oh, I haven’t. But I142Please respect copyright.PENANA3e3bin7fPv
just want to know if you’ve gotten promoted to a new high rank that gives you142Please respect copyright.PENANAQwj4cmgE7H
the unrestricted authority to disrespect me, the lady of this house? Or have142Please respect copyright.PENANAFMO3NYu9VP
you forgotten that I’m married to your boss and that also makes me your boss?”
“Ye---”
“Oh, how scatterbrained142Please respect copyright.PENANAXj3RQaCYZR
of me. You’re what? Sixty? Sixty-five? Your brain probably isn’t as sharp as it142Please respect copyright.PENANAFYugLurzak
is if you were my age, so I’ll take it that those stupidly inappropriate142Please respect copyright.PENANARo0ZLC1MPu
comments were caused by the parasite living in your head because I want to142Please respect copyright.PENANAaKBrV61ZIE
believe you valve your job and you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it.142Please respect copyright.PENANAeya7gqi9QA
Perhaps I’ll talk to my husband to let you retire. After all, you’re getting142Please respect copyright.PENANAo2zqlNQyyI
old. It’s obvious you’re no longer fit for this job and it’d be very cruel of142Please respect copyright.PENANAtUjRHzLFl6
us to continue to make me do what you don’t want to do. Don’t you think so?”
Rhona glared with reddened142Please respect copyright.PENANAkJ5bXMangc
eyes; her smirk long gone. She wanted nothing more than to close the distance142Please respect copyright.PENANAXR2xnoO1RC
between them and serve the insolent lass a well-earned slap. How dare she talk142Please respect copyright.PENANA8Ktpm0t5a7
to her that way.
Standing there, her142Please respect copyright.PENANAAP2V2i9zQD
chest heaving and looking as though she had been abandoned and betrayed by the142Please respect copyright.PENANA7Bztfu80MK
world, Megan felt zero ounces of pity for her. And why should she? Out of142Please respect copyright.PENANANA3K5rGdiS
nowhere, this judgmental woman – she had mistaken as someone good at first –142Please respect copyright.PENANAbVVINsKmnA
start spurting crap concerning her, disparaging her. Megan knew she’d be pissed142Please respect copyright.PENANA7OHD84lvtE
at herself later if she didn’t return the favor. She might look gentle, doesn’t142Please respect copyright.PENANAUwXtTtfisX
mean she’s not a pushover for anyone.
“Y-Ye j-jest! Ye think142Please respect copyright.PENANALQqOXWt7Yo
after what you did, Elie would want to listen to anything ye say, much less142Please respect copyright.PENANAMs0GUekNjp
believe ye? Ah, you’re delusional.”
“You wanna bet? He’s a142Please respect copyright.PENANAdzOCs5fTHj
man, isn’t he? Please, a little seduction and he’ll become pudding in my hands142Please respect copyright.PENANAvMZOAwQYT8
in a flash.” Megan tilted her head a bit to the side; the slow smile that142Please respect copyright.PENANAi7awxrgKxP
stretched on her face made her look very much like a vixen. “Would you like me142Please respect copyright.PENANAtHjIZHwCxj
to show you how it’s done?”
Rhona rushed out.
Megan dropped the act,142Please respect copyright.PENANAnjdJCcCw6N
disgusted beyond expression. What a pretentious, elderly woman. Brushing the142Please respect copyright.PENANAAmjwNTZQnW
conversation aside, she strode back to her room, put on some workout outfits,142Please respect copyright.PENANAKxpty7yLVo
and did yoga for an hour or so.
|!|!|!|!| |!|!|!|!|
“So, how is the142Please respect copyright.PENANAMACsX0bSKq
bakery doing?” Megan went straight to the point after exchanging pleasantries142Please respect copyright.PENANAnOtrmswV13
with the vibrantly dressed woman on a video call with her. Clad in her lazy-day142Please respect copyright.PENANAwplHDfDnzi
outfit; an old, baggy shirt having faded baseball logo – she snatched it from Shane142Please respect copyright.PENANAG3NpHcd4xA
months back when they began dating – and her favorite woolen cutoff – panties,142Please respect copyright.PENANAkSN1LF6Ll0
her aunt claimed they were – underneath. She was standing on the veranda142Please respect copyright.PENANAOE7YEtpmPG
outside her room; enjoying the pleasurable breeze which slip in and out of her142Please respect copyright.PENANAnpQm5DFEej
cloth and the beautiful, green scenery that lays around the manor.
“Oh, we’re doing142Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2HQ9FIZXP
alright. The guy your aunt brought, Kilian, is a gem. Granted, the cakes and142Please respect copyright.PENANA0FzGZCf1Yj
pastries he bakes aren’t precisely as great as yours, but the customers love142Please respect copyright.PENANARp0qUCGXqg
them! Look, just the first day and we’re already sold out.” The camera shifted,142Please respect copyright.PENANAhXrX3HsrIt
showing her the inside of her shop, which was crowded with people – just as142Please respect copyright.PENANATihKvhUYGf
when she was there – and the show glass was empty. Megan's brows lifted; she142Please respect copyright.PENANAzCnrjGBJJd
was impressed. It’s good to know she chose the right person among the four142Please respect copyright.PENANAz6OSw9J4K3
chefs she’d talked to.
Jemma’s excited chocolate142Please respect copyright.PENANASemPex3zT7
face came back into view. “Do you know he’s quite a shy guy? When one of your142Please respect copyright.PENANAhbPOTdFuvb
regulars Mrs. Copson, wanted to meet the new chef and Grey called him out, he142Please respect copyright.PENANAm0fOUFbljK
was such a cute nerve wrack. The way he stuttered in that lovely Greek accent,142Please respect copyright.PENANAQ01zEfaZjv
fiddled with his back hair, and blushed nonstop? Ah, I think I’m in love. I142Please respect copyright.PENANAJuoShJD9VO
don’t think I’m the only one; all your female clients are also in love with142Please respect copyright.PENANALXCcGdQXoQ
him. 90% of our buyers are females and I don’t think it’s entirely our goods142Please respect copyright.PENANAgFCF0kKmOh
they’re eager for if you get my drift. Not that I blame them one bit; I mean142Please respect copyright.PENANAfmxKxGRf7e
have you ever seen a man who’s so sinfully gorgeous you just want to lick him142Please respect copyright.PENANAaoeUVhcO85
up---”
“Godmother, please!” Megan had142Please respect copyright.PENANAChtnXh6Cvv
to interrupt, or her ears would be filled with descriptions she’d rather not142Please respect copyright.PENANAElUnTR1r6k
have regarding her employee. She wondered if she made the right decision,142Please respect copyright.PENANAPALSSMUWLM
allowing her godmother to persuade her to be her temporary manager. “You’re142Please respect copyright.PENANASjIOaJXF3c
fifty-four years and happily married with three children. For goodness’ sake,142Please respect copyright.PENANAvIvy3umL2k
act your age for once!”
“Killjoy. I was just142Please respect copyright.PENANAVRUb8BMPX6
looking, okay? There’s no one yet that can make leave that delicious,142Please respect copyright.PENANA7106aYY7Zr
one-of-its-kind specimen I have for a husband. Besides, my observation isn’t142Please respect copyright.PENANA5RQybGTwyZ
for me, it’s all for you, prude.” Jemma had that gleam in her eye, warning142Please respect copyright.PENANALR5Lq43ECR
Megan she was going to launch into her usual advice/speech – cough, nagging,142Please respect copyright.PENANAyw8xROUB2s
cough – before she’d rush her off the phone, she went off. Leaving her with no142Please respect copyright.PENANAZixymfqI0T
choice but listen.
“I’m not saying waiting142Please respect copyright.PENANAvy1N4Z9Cgs
for Shane is a bad thing but you have waited enough time on the man. You’ve142Please respect copyright.PENANAIx3my2EIgF
been obsessed with him since you were what, nineteen?”
“Twenty. But I’m---”
“Twenty! For six years142Please respect copyright.PENANAbFmEeSSeik
he never looked your way once. Why then are you still pining with that kind of142Please respect copyright.PENANA8IEOoqACJ9
man, huh?”
Megan gritted her teeth,142Please respect copyright.PENANAzlkDwXJIpI
“He confessed to me five months ago – I told you and mom all of it – and we142Please respect copyright.PENANAMXbjjZVDR1
both decided to take it slow. I don’t see what’s so wrong that everyone is142Please respect copyright.PENANAB2kFtTREck
complaining.” She couldn’t help the sass at the last words.
Jemma narrowed her jade-green142Please respect copyright.PENANAaebOqrzPq5
eyes, threateningly. “Don’t think that because you’re far away, you can run142Please respect copyright.PENANAY1WLnruwcO
your mouth on me on the phone anyhow, I won’t tolerate that.” Thank God she142Please respect copyright.PENANA7hz3oEXYfL
wasn’t close by or her godmother would’ve slapped her silly.
“Sorry.” She felt like142Please respect copyright.PENANAwTPrB3OQ3W
a schoolgirl as she apologized. “But I love him, Jemma.”
“You’re almost142Please respect copyright.PENANA8LrPX1Qzb4
thirty---” Jemma started.
“Twenty-six.”
“---and he hasn’t put a142Please respect copyright.PENANAuNW1fFs6OE
ring on your finger yet---”
“Again, we just started142Please respect copyright.PENANAGPssTIjcKZ
dating,”
“---What is he waiting142Please respect copyright.PENANAenyKybzeqs
for? The apocalypse? He isn’t sincere with you. Well, it’s a good thing you got142Please respect copyright.PENANAfIIlRyJb63
married to that Scottish guy, Aneislis, right? He’s the right one for you.”
Megan looked142Please respect copyright.PENANAE1QTZmlgkI
incredulous, “In case you’ve forgotten, he’s Michelle’s husband. I have no142Please respect copyright.PENANAZALSdeUcx3
interest in him.”
“He’s yours for life,142Please respect copyright.PENANADrqIiNJ8Lk
whether you accept it or not. Even though Michelle is found, she won’t be with142Please respect copyright.PENANADJuCyxYyDX
him. You should know this. Also, it’s best if---”
Megan was distracted.142Please respect copyright.PENANAmquEJav3cZ
Her sight was drawn to the glittering, luxurious car – a Maserati – gliding142Please respect copyright.PENANA1FHJG9KbFr
towards the manor. It stopped, the backseat door opened, and out came the man142Please respect copyright.PENANAdmJVs1nv4F
her godmother approved of. Her nose was wrinkled in distaste. She stared,142Please respect copyright.PENANAj2Bez3QDpZ
sour-faced, as he helped someone down – an adorable, little girl. He shut the142Please respect copyright.PENANA0JIGIzEpcy
car door and walked hand-to-hand a few steps before the girl made a demand.
“Daddy, carry me.”
Her cheerful, childish voice142Please respect copyright.PENANAaYKsr2xg4v
rang out. Aneislis obeyed, continuing his journey inside the house.
Megan unintentionally142Please respect copyright.PENANA51qTNh4D9U
pressed the end button to the video call as her mind pondered about the142Please respect copyright.PENANArrNNAps3o3
information she had learned.
So, he had a daughter. Wonder142Please respect copyright.PENANAsnW90PP8xW
why that tiny detail wasn’t told to her, she rolled her orbs.