Megan woke up at high noon.304Please respect copyright.PENANAkmvLEZ0yGA
She sat up on the comfortable bed, stretching and yawning like a lazy cat. She304Please respect copyright.PENANAgGvlZM1cNT
felt energized after her beauty sleep, thus putting her in a good mood. Her304Please respect copyright.PENANAZTbB8jksJM
stomach grumbled resentfully as if complaining about the lack of substance it304Please respect copyright.PENANAe2k6pO0hE6
hasn’t been given for more than six hours. Megan tried to remember the last304Please respect copyright.PENANAMjwlKWyHYw
time she had eaten; that must be the three muffins’ cupcakes she had to force304Please respect copyright.PENANAtDGVYGynKN
herself to choke down on the plane, as her upset tummy wouldn’t give her304Please respect copyright.PENANAgVUrYXPyqg
appetite for anything more. No wonder she feels a headache and was mildly dizzy304Please respect copyright.PENANAtFIrvBcFQR
when she stood – those were her recognized signs of hunger. Never one to forget304Please respect copyright.PENANAJpZr0hxVGV
hygiene no matter how hungry she is, Megan moved to the door she presumed to be304Please respect copyright.PENANAUx2dJVtlOc
the bathroom to refreshen up. When done, she headed out.
Long hallways stretched out304Please respect copyright.PENANA4lV3pIq2zZ
at either side of her, causing her to pause with a small frown. Debating304Please respect copyright.PENANAJkgwKwnUws
mentally for some secs, she decided on the left hallway. As much as she tried304Please respect copyright.PENANABWzVkjrH2n
not to notice, she still found herself admiring the unusual, yet sophisticated304Please respect copyright.PENANA1OsKak54ww
interior design of the house. Priceless paintings displaying Scottish history304Please respect copyright.PENANA9XrT5QkaT4
with artifacts were mounted on the golden walls. Various-sized vintage vases304Please respect copyright.PENANAeKI5cNfQOV
noticeably worth more than she thinks, including the plain-looking ones, stood304Please respect copyright.PENANA7SmEVX5hQu
at every corner of the hallways. She’d have spent more time appreciating if her304Please respect copyright.PENANAtd1zlTZMQS
belly didn’t protest again, this time louder.
She walked faster,304Please respect copyright.PENANAjRkY3cyz9T
coming out to a staircase. There was another flight of stairs in front of her304Please respect copyright.PENANAYyDmM5cyS0
but she ignored it, choosing to locate the kitchen. Thankfully, she didn’t304Please respect copyright.PENANAkwplfJQUQb
spend much time at all. The spacious, spotless kitchen equipped with modern304Please respect copyright.PENANAM6mdVFUxTD
utensils almost made her giddy and Megan couldn’t wait to start preparing tasty304Please respect copyright.PENANArZ6OzufVpg
food on the big counter. She opened the double-doored fridge and grinned304Please respect copyright.PENANAMp7gk0AEnc
broadly at how well-stuffed it is. As someone who enjoys cooking a lot, she304Please respect copyright.PENANA4E2plmEvEZ
always appreciates it a lot when the fridge is filled up with all sorts of304Please respect copyright.PENANAuNxHD1NLg8
varieties of foods.
“Oh.”
Megan glanced behind her304Please respect copyright.PENANAYNUrrnWHQS
shoulders to see a young girl, she doesn’t look more than nineteen years,304Please respect copyright.PENANAwuznYKOU6r
standing – frozen more like it – at the entrance of the kitchen. Her pale green304Please respect copyright.PENANAqvdvTVLYiy
orbs were filled with anxiety, reluctance, and tiny curiosity as she held a304Please respect copyright.PENANAho3x4bWpdD
tray holding an empty bowl and cup. Everything regarding her, from her posture304Please respect copyright.PENANA1XSoTGNhgu
to her expression, screams she wants to be anywhere but here. Megan felt304Please respect copyright.PENANAaJx3d76irR
strangely fascinated. Shutting the fridge, she faced the girl. She noted how304Please respect copyright.PENANAWLWIslxdt1
she tensed up immediately and Megan raised an inquisitive brow at her. The girl304Please respect copyright.PENANAmYcSKHoFB3
crimsoned. She tried to stammer out something, but under Megan’s bold stare,304Please respect copyright.PENANAi2EnmO64zI
she couldn’t form anything that made sense.
Having a strong impression,304Please respect copyright.PENANAtm6qulJbkP
she was terrifying the poor girl, Megan eased up her expression, putting on the304Please respect copyright.PENANAJUiW3MDZ1J
winning, a failsafe smile she used whenever she wants to soothe her304Please respect copyright.PENANAxFhMGjSGWL
not-so-polite, demanding customers of her culinary abilities. “I’m sorry if I304Please respect copyright.PENANAmlAx8MkicO
frightened you or anything. Believe me, it’s not my intention.”
The girl gave a brief smile,304Please respect copyright.PENANA4JmCeEt4oF
her stance relaxing. “I-I’m the one who’d apologize to you,” she went to the304Please respect copyright.PENANAapKiakn4ZL
sink to drop the tray. “I shouldn’t have behaved like that. It was incredibly304Please respect copyright.PENANAym1QuGO9Ye
rude of me. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
She’s still304Please respect copyright.PENANA8tNwpysPud
uncomfortable with me, Megan thought. “You weren’t rude. So, there’s no need to304Please respect copyright.PENANAFjgAh78wLa
apologize….”
The girl stared at her304Please respect copyright.PENANAJtbFNqi3Ka
blankly. Realizing she was asking for her name, she quickly replied, “Arabel304Please respect copyright.PENANA31WdE27Q0B
Shaw, ma’am.”
“Oh. A lovable beauty304Please respect copyright.PENANAtI6FZDLa5m
worth of her name.”
The girl went red, almost304Please respect copyright.PENANAxpVql6vZpU
like the gingery curls on her head.
A low growl sounded out of304Please respect copyright.PENANAvPqzJ6Uvtl
Megan’s stomach, prompting Arabel to turn pale and become frantic. “Oh, my God!304Please respect copyright.PENANAwkti9biBwW
I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I’m such an idiot. How can I not know that304Please respect copyright.PENANA53w9nsoKxN
you’d be hungry when you awake?” She pulled out a pot and pan. Going to the304Please respect copyright.PENANAXyIvb54aWn
fridge, she was just about to pull out a crate of eggs but was stopped.
“You don’t need to do304Please respect copyright.PENANARztmiaq1Y6
that. I can make something for myself.”
“But—"
“Even if you cook for304Please respect copyright.PENANAPAHVJ5K796
me, there’s a high probability I won’t like it. So, to save ingredients and304Please respect copyright.PENANAxBXJw7gXNJ
time, let me do it.”
“But—”
Arabel has led away304Please respect copyright.PENANAGsaDadf3VM
from the refrigerator and lightly pushed one of the stools in the kitchen.304Please respect copyright.PENANAJJGg05rvSv
“Sit.” She complied. Like a three-year-old child who always wants to keep his304Please respect copyright.PENANAcHE8pkuElT
mother within his sight, she trailed her every move with large curious eyes.304Please respect copyright.PENANAL7I0lJcrjU
Whenever she sees her not knowing where some things she needs are, she bolts up304Please respect copyright.PENANAk0Fr8S3U7g
like an antelope. Providing said items within a blink. The smile on Megan’s304Please respect copyright.PENANAHw7dTAYx63
lips keeps increasing.
“So, what are you304Please respect copyright.PENANARBCLy7IFMu
doing to cook?” The young girl, unable to hold it in anymore, asked. She was304Please respect copyright.PENANAoT5JAPjGDu
standing alongside Megan, taking in the things she was preparing on the304Please respect copyright.PENANAwyHRqd0Czi
counter.
“Brisket hash with304Please respect copyright.PENANAUlW0Xt5IHg
eggs."
“Oh.”
Done making ready304Please respect copyright.PENANAxrzGu1wCcR
the ingredients, Megan placed a large skillet over medium heat and poured in304Please respect copyright.PENANArXNnomNDHA
two tablespoons of olive oil. When it was heated, she added diced onion and304Please respect copyright.PENANArXSunkhuKv
fried it until it was translucent. She put in minced garlic cloves with one medium304Please respect copyright.PENANAiSd4S3yJJa
red pepper, which she’d seeded and chopped. She mixed them, leaving it for a304Please respect copyright.PENANAbGqvaoPbyz
moment. Adding the potatoes she’d cut into cubes to the vegetables, she had304Please respect copyright.PENANA2dxgh2KBCw
everything cooked for fifteen minutes. An eager-to-help Arabel, who had been304Please respect copyright.PENANAWaW6CmOWvM
salivating nonstop the instant the mouthwatering aroma spread out, was in304Please respect copyright.PENANATmSsD9y3N7
charge of monitoring and flipping the mixture every few minutes with a flat304Please respect copyright.PENANAa09wkuSIlZ
spatula so the lot browned evenly while she whisked down the eggs.
When it was time, Megan304Please respect copyright.PENANAKiuvIYQzbZ
tossed in the cubed brisket. She combined it well, afterward seasoning it with304Please respect copyright.PENANAIpmND9kcrW
salt and black pepper. She gave a quick turn after that leave it to cook for304Please respect copyright.PENANAzwAoX6X8GA
some minutes. Until the beef became brown and the potatoes succulently tender,304Please respect copyright.PENANAF2ID2t278b
before removing it from the heat. In a separate pan, she made scrambled eggs304Please respect copyright.PENANAOyIHIeSSE0
and then plated them, not forgetting to add barbeque sauce.
Arabel was genuinely stunned304Please respect copyright.PENANAj49Y4WvEev
when Megan gave her a sizeable portion of the food. It took a whole minute to304Please respect copyright.PENANAvTPYJRhP8n
get her to stop thanking her. The second Arabel took a bite, her head never304Please respect copyright.PENANApg8abUkdOZ
came up again 'til she’d wiped her plate clean. Literally. Within a few blinks.304Please respect copyright.PENANAMQGF0XzACn
That spoke of how delicious the food is.
Megan had paused from taking304Please respect copyright.PENANAM1wONXC60m
lifting her spoon. She googled, half shocked, half amazed. But secretly304Please respect copyright.PENANAmxFedhOvBp
pleased. Arabel felt embarrassed, even wished the earth should open and swallow304Please respect copyright.PENANA1WmKvAT1h6
her up, when a light belch sipped out from her lips, despite her hard best to304Please respect copyright.PENANAEK278p9bKL
keep it in.
“Here.” Megan handed304Please respect copyright.PENANAHSYCdEnHr2
her the glass of orange juice meant for her, which after small hesitation, she304Please respect copyright.PENANAkai9tR8Bjd
gulped down. “I’ve never had anyone react that much to my cooking, and quite304Please respect copyright.PENANAw4PcxbbWFQ
frankly. Arabel, I love it.”
The girl pepped up, looking304Please respect copyright.PENANA36khKF7qCQ
partly convinced. “Really?”
“Cooking is a great304Please respect copyright.PENANAYHdeqhtz5Z
passion of mine and as a chef, there’s nothing more that delights my soul than304Please respect copyright.PENANAKN7EuKRPKo
seeing my food consumed with such great…. relish.”
Arabel ducked her head.304Please respect copyright.PENANALaPge9TrLx
“Okay, whatever you say.”
“I—”
“Arabel!”
A voice called from somewhere304Please respect copyright.PENANA2ndoocgwLq
outside the kitchen. The way Arabel jumped from her seat would’ve been comical304Please respect copyright.PENANALWegiESMYU
if she didn’t nearly trip over her feet and fallen flat on the floor. “Arabel!304Please respect copyright.PENANACLWQpbeoMR
Where are ye, silly lass?”
Said person had gone304Please respect copyright.PENANAXdkQu5HHmE
pale, as though she’d seen a ghost. In a flash, she was at the sink. Dropping304Please respect copyright.PENANALIysBfEipU
the plate, the one she’d eaten with, she packed the bowls and pans used for304Please respect copyright.PENANAF1fWQySqi6
cooking and began to demonstrate the quickest washing and rinsing known in304Please respect copyright.PENANAZpaENRPLpf
history. Megan watched like a captivated audience while eating. Drawn to the304Please respect copyright.PENANAI1rjNpiDS7
clanging of the utensils, footsteps drew closer to where they are. Just as304Please respect copyright.PENANA22DgLDu31d
Arabel finished, the woman Megan saw yesterday stepped into the kitchen. An304Please respect copyright.PENANAQfgA8R9av5
exasperated frown covered her expression but there was no misreading the304Please respect copyright.PENANAumt7R8kLgM
fleeting surprise and repulsion Megan spied in her gaze. This time, she was304Please respect copyright.PENANAtMMNhenEVz
certain this sweetishly-looking woman has something against her.
Whatever.
“Ye silly lass! Why304Please respect copyright.PENANAOdfuoICYTV
didn’t ye answer me when I was yellin’ for you at the top of my lungs? I was304Please respect copyright.PENANAbkYTi4SuY3
expectin’ ye back ages ago!”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rhona.304Please respect copyright.PENANAqf4QkpLseB
I-I was busy preparing something for Mrs. Henderson when I saw there’s nothing304Please respect copyright.PENANAxpAuLQaPEe
left of breakfast for her.”
Both women flinched.
Rhona shot a nasty glare at304Please respect copyright.PENANAXedYO4vzkE
the young girl, her displeasure apropos to the way Megan was addressed,304Please respect copyright.PENANAsvLWGGPT5B
however, Arabel misunderstood it. “I didn’t know ye know you’re conversant with304Please respect copyright.PENANAYJ5PFCJhoo
Amerikie’s food.”
“When I knew Mrs.304Please respect copyright.PENANAEPE6JF3EFu
Henderson was an American, I did tons of research on the country so I can serve304Please respect copyright.PENANA40vdF2R0Ag
her needs better.”
Megan felt incredibly304Please respect copyright.PENANAsjdutacsL8
uncomfortable being called that title again. She glanced at304Please respect copyright.PENANAFBEYR5ELfj
Arabel from the corners of her eyes; seeing her sweaty, bright face and304Please respect copyright.PENANAqIbxFPzPy8
quivering lips, she pitied her and decided not to expose her for her clear lie.
Rhonda observed Arabel304Please respect copyright.PENANAyCKvmL4TjL
suspiciously. She’s not convinced of whatsoever nonsense she spewed out. A few304Please respect copyright.PENANAuRhAoZ8hau
seconds later, she waved her to leave the kitchen and the girl readily fled.304Please respect copyright.PENANAWCozPaTWtQ
Giving her head a shake, she turned back to Megan who had gone over to the304Please respect copyright.PENANAPDKn3pwHpx
sink. This time, she didn’t bother hiding her feelings.
“Ms. Michelle, I’d like304Please respect copyright.PENANApCdHTRIvV6
it if ye don’t make Arabel cook for ye. She isn’t among the maids304Please respect copyright.PENANAWVGhk2Pntf
in charge of cooking, so don’t force the poor girl to do304Please respect copyright.PENANAh62rmFFM4r
what she doesn’t want.”
Wow. Way to rip off the304Please respect copyright.PENANA9nWg01qIgH
bandage, Megan sardonically noted. Wiping her hands with a napkin, she met the304Please respect copyright.PENANAwWb78PjF2g
angry older woman with the angering smile she uses on the people she doesn’t304Please respect copyright.PENANASrEk7vVhPS
like. “Hmm, but I wonder why any food wasn’t left for me?”
“I told the maids not304Please respect copyright.PENANAlXQHfR0AzA
to leave any because I don’t know whether you’d like what we cooked or not. Ye304Please respect copyright.PENANAcbssty2NK6
were needlessly finicky of what you ate the last time you came here so I took304Please respect copyright.PENANAX2KWUBxUvY
it upon myself to be the one to cook for ye,” Rhona paused, casting a304Please respect copyright.PENANANPZOwiR7yz
depreciative look over at her figure. “Though if ye don’t mind me saying this,304Please respect copyright.PENANAfCp4OnGTEK
Ms. Michelle, I think starving a bit would do ye a solid good.” She jibed,304Please respect copyright.PENANAMolaBPlwcJ
smirking when that smile was erased.
Megan dropped being304Please respect copyright.PENANASkrPMOrCvf
polite. “Remind me again, what is your job exactly here?”
“What? Don’t tell me304Please respect copyright.PENANAo6y6h7GEMg
you’ve forgotten?”
“Oh, I haven’t. But I304Please respect copyright.PENANAimYtN57x15
just want to know if you’ve gotten promoted to a new high rank that gives you304Please respect copyright.PENANAeGbLqwY8wq
the unrestricted authority to disrespect me, the lady of this house? Or have304Please respect copyright.PENANAgFwpjgLprq
you forgotten that I’m married to your boss and that also makes me your boss?”
“Ye---”
“Oh, how scatterbrained304Please respect copyright.PENANAhelxjsMNxH
of me. You’re what? Sixty? Sixty-five? Your brain probably isn’t as sharp as it304Please respect copyright.PENANA5jyeLVY5ar
is if you were my age, so I’ll take it that those stupidly inappropriate304Please respect copyright.PENANAdhlnaqdDkN
comments were caused by the parasite living in your head because I want to304Please respect copyright.PENANACyn9i7fUwx
believe you valve your job and you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it.304Please respect copyright.PENANA7yESXjqncn
Perhaps I’ll talk to my husband to let you retire. After all, you’re getting304Please respect copyright.PENANApcuIrGisDW
old. It’s obvious you’re no longer fit for this job and it’d be very cruel of304Please respect copyright.PENANAoFCZJEXy5y
us to continue to make me do what you don’t want to do. Don’t you think so?”
Rhona glared with reddened304Please respect copyright.PENANAS3D9gZE8WQ
eyes; her smirk long gone. She wanted nothing more than to close the distance304Please respect copyright.PENANA6lUCppLv1V
between them and serve the insolent lass a well-earned slap. How dare she talk304Please respect copyright.PENANATgzbNlrOZP
to her that way.
Standing there, her304Please respect copyright.PENANAM1sCUWbzGr
chest heaving and looking as though she had been abandoned and betrayed by the304Please respect copyright.PENANAvUPEu2HZjr
world, Megan felt zero ounces of pity for her. And why should she? Out of304Please respect copyright.PENANABzyw83NbHW
nowhere, this judgmental woman – she had mistaken as someone good at first –304Please respect copyright.PENANA5FbQUdZAms
start spurting crap concerning her, disparaging her. Megan knew she’d be pissed304Please respect copyright.PENANA0fdKAD5ycq
at herself later if she didn’t return the favor. She might look gentle, doesn’t304Please respect copyright.PENANAu9zNVVpMu2
mean she’s not a pushover for anyone.
“Y-Ye j-jest! Ye think304Please respect copyright.PENANAY5u3bvg3pv
after what you did, Elie would want to listen to anything ye say, much less304Please respect copyright.PENANAkQRHk2oaH7
believe ye? Ah, you’re delusional.”
“You wanna bet? He’s a304Please respect copyright.PENANA533LzhYmXq
man, isn’t he? Please, a little seduction and he’ll become pudding in my hands304Please respect copyright.PENANAeSknvUY4Kb
in a flash.” Megan tilted her head a bit to the side; the slow smile that304Please respect copyright.PENANADQHcKAmzpC
stretched on her face made her look very much like a vixen. “Would you like me304Please respect copyright.PENANAAmOAmO06kE
to show you how it’s done?”
Rhona rushed out.
Megan dropped the act,304Please respect copyright.PENANAkLVHde85gO
disgusted beyond expression. What a pretentious, elderly woman. Brushing the304Please respect copyright.PENANA32Cdp7bRcn
conversation aside, she strode back to her room, put on some workout outfits,304Please respect copyright.PENANAXsi9KCDMpv
and did yoga for an hour or so.
|!|!|!|!| |!|!|!|!|
“So, how is the304Please respect copyright.PENANAZ2oFx14MkW
bakery doing?” Megan went straight to the point after exchanging pleasantries304Please respect copyright.PENANAveBwOXGltM
with the vibrantly dressed woman on a video call with her. Clad in her lazy-day304Please respect copyright.PENANAoSm2moQ1FJ
outfit; an old, baggy shirt having faded baseball logo – she snatched it from Shane304Please respect copyright.PENANA3hkHQ0vMe7
months back when they began dating – and her favorite woolen cutoff – panties,304Please respect copyright.PENANAhf9avff9FP
her aunt claimed they were – underneath. She was standing on the veranda304Please respect copyright.PENANASEy7yForCP
outside her room; enjoying the pleasurable breeze which slip in and out of her304Please respect copyright.PENANAuln7UAz714
cloth and the beautiful, green scenery that lays around the manor.
“Oh, we’re doing304Please respect copyright.PENANA81nZppcUrU
alright. The guy your aunt brought, Kilian, is a gem. Granted, the cakes and304Please respect copyright.PENANAnzGHE48z1l
pastries he bakes aren’t precisely as great as yours, but the customers love304Please respect copyright.PENANAUwJcd8QhhW
them! Look, just the first day and we’re already sold out.” The camera shifted,304Please respect copyright.PENANA4DrQo3Si94
showing her the inside of her shop, which was crowded with people – just as304Please respect copyright.PENANADBUEyYrkrq
when she was there – and the show glass was empty. Megan's brows lifted; she304Please respect copyright.PENANAxTcUeERVxH
was impressed. It’s good to know she chose the right person among the four304Please respect copyright.PENANAG28av1aCkY
chefs she’d talked to.
Jemma’s excited chocolate304Please respect copyright.PENANAGWW55o9EZr
face came back into view. “Do you know he’s quite a shy guy? When one of your304Please respect copyright.PENANAUJ8Tds7xRW
regulars Mrs. Copson, wanted to meet the new chef and Grey called him out, he304Please respect copyright.PENANADmR7v6Nfwj
was such a cute nerve wrack. The way he stuttered in that lovely Greek accent,304Please respect copyright.PENANACtZiP88SDs
fiddled with his back hair, and blushed nonstop? Ah, I think I’m in love. I304Please respect copyright.PENANAzdlYBNsjSI
don’t think I’m the only one; all your female clients are also in love with304Please respect copyright.PENANApn64nmflUw
him. 90% of our buyers are females and I don’t think it’s entirely our goods304Please respect copyright.PENANAfJQBt5BXGK
they’re eager for if you get my drift. Not that I blame them one bit; I mean304Please respect copyright.PENANApsW9m9xxpP
have you ever seen a man who’s so sinfully gorgeous you just want to lick him304Please respect copyright.PENANA14tI7FA7RA
up---”
“Godmother, please!” Megan had304Please respect copyright.PENANAwRSZFETr7v
to interrupt, or her ears would be filled with descriptions she’d rather not304Please respect copyright.PENANApvEoEMMvpv
have regarding her employee. She wondered if she made the right decision,304Please respect copyright.PENANA56TzVmIm0d
allowing her godmother to persuade her to be her temporary manager. “You’re304Please respect copyright.PENANAaGnslQi6Ik
fifty-four years and happily married with three children. For goodness’ sake,304Please respect copyright.PENANAMQ1OS9ymAs
act your age for once!”
“Killjoy. I was just304Please respect copyright.PENANAjNSzBQfb4g
looking, okay? There’s no one yet that can make leave that delicious,304Please respect copyright.PENANAk1Qwmxg8nE
one-of-its-kind specimen I have for a husband. Besides, my observation isn’t304Please respect copyright.PENANATI5M3GFxAJ
for me, it’s all for you, prude.” Jemma had that gleam in her eye, warning304Please respect copyright.PENANAFhWfWvLLKy
Megan she was going to launch into her usual advice/speech – cough, nagging,304Please respect copyright.PENANAMDFI9az3Sn
cough – before she’d rush her off the phone, she went off. Leaving her with no304Please respect copyright.PENANAJSGCNcps0r
choice but listen.
“I’m not saying waiting304Please respect copyright.PENANALp0YXtcBRN
for Shane is a bad thing but you have waited enough time on the man. You’ve304Please respect copyright.PENANA6J2OgOI12t
been obsessed with him since you were what, nineteen?”
“Twenty. But I’m---”
“Twenty! For six years304Please respect copyright.PENANAaExqmIq35a
he never looked your way once. Why then are you still pining with that kind of304Please respect copyright.PENANArl5yqorAMW
man, huh?”
Megan gritted her teeth,304Please respect copyright.PENANA964Fslhcnn
“He confessed to me five months ago – I told you and mom all of it – and we304Please respect copyright.PENANAwdfqgGYC6w
both decided to take it slow. I don’t see what’s so wrong that everyone is304Please respect copyright.PENANASZ3tIQykMb
complaining.” She couldn’t help the sass at the last words.
Jemma narrowed her jade-green304Please respect copyright.PENANA299e3GKeyf
eyes, threateningly. “Don’t think that because you’re far away, you can run304Please respect copyright.PENANAyLhfoMsVY4
your mouth on me on the phone anyhow, I won’t tolerate that.” Thank God she304Please respect copyright.PENANAoBLvBkwlG2
wasn’t close by or her godmother would’ve slapped her silly.
“Sorry.” She felt like304Please respect copyright.PENANALJoc5p1Gg0
a schoolgirl as she apologized. “But I love him, Jemma.”
“You’re almost304Please respect copyright.PENANASOcOR0qoCe
thirty---” Jemma started.
“Twenty-six.”
“---and he hasn’t put a304Please respect copyright.PENANAeBHKtXXq2v
ring on your finger yet---”
“Again, we just started304Please respect copyright.PENANADlRkVzsXD3
dating,”
“---What is he waiting304Please respect copyright.PENANADQMesFHybQ
for? The apocalypse? He isn’t sincere with you. Well, it’s a good thing you got304Please respect copyright.PENANARruIBLS5wh
married to that Scottish guy, Aneislis, right? He’s the right one for you.”
Megan looked304Please respect copyright.PENANALkuoxgWP26
incredulous, “In case you’ve forgotten, he’s Michelle’s husband. I have no304Please respect copyright.PENANAowcam9USkV
interest in him.”
“He’s yours for life,304Please respect copyright.PENANAeA609dwOSy
whether you accept it or not. Even though Michelle is found, she won’t be with304Please respect copyright.PENANACopdS1YC3X
him. You should know this. Also, it’s best if---”
Megan was distracted.304Please respect copyright.PENANABYkf8CifAp
Her sight was drawn to the glittering, luxurious car – a Maserati – gliding304Please respect copyright.PENANA24l2qdEmaH
towards the manor. It stopped, the backseat door opened, and out came the man304Please respect copyright.PENANAR1iyDvRc9V
her godmother approved of. Her nose was wrinkled in distaste. She stared,304Please respect copyright.PENANABM9JOY8uPc
sour-faced, as he helped someone down – an adorable, little girl. He shut the304Please respect copyright.PENANAjMzoM4HFlA
car door and walked hand-to-hand a few steps before the girl made a demand.
“Daddy, carry me.”
Her cheerful, childish voice304Please respect copyright.PENANAJBmla8ZUw2
rang out. Aneislis obeyed, continuing his journey inside the house.
Megan unintentionally304Please respect copyright.PENANAT7DseRyAXS
pressed the end button to the video call as her mind pondered about the304Please respect copyright.PENANApDOA0kKJ4l
information she had learned.
So, he had a daughter. Wonder304Please respect copyright.PENANAQmXQ1qMsNh
why that tiny detail wasn’t told to her, she rolled her orbs.