Megan woke up at high noon.379Please respect copyright.PENANAuPkikKwHg9
She sat up on the comfortable bed, stretching and yawning like a lazy cat. She379Please respect copyright.PENANA6EbxDHqiBW
felt energized after her beauty sleep, thus putting her in a good mood. Her379Please respect copyright.PENANAbGwMS9Y1G2
stomach grumbled resentfully as if complaining about the lack of substance it379Please respect copyright.PENANAlzSqRAKuzq
hasn’t been given for more than six hours. Megan tried to remember the last379Please respect copyright.PENANA1F51Ni8QvP
time she had eaten; that must be the three muffins’ cupcakes she had to force379Please respect copyright.PENANAOxaCdH9YxM
herself to choke down on the plane, as her upset tummy wouldn’t give her379Please respect copyright.PENANAB85gpozByb
appetite for anything more. No wonder she feels a headache and was mildly dizzy379Please respect copyright.PENANAYzOmtXyOt2
when she stood – those were her recognized signs of hunger. Never one to forget379Please respect copyright.PENANAPQgb7bY4vs
hygiene no matter how hungry she is, Megan moved to the door she presumed to be379Please respect copyright.PENANAAIi79rbfwL
the bathroom to refreshen up. When done, she headed out.
Long hallways stretched out379Please respect copyright.PENANAGrJ5skZ08z
at either side of her, causing her to pause with a small frown. Debating379Please respect copyright.PENANA3wiDxao3hD
mentally for some secs, she decided on the left hallway. As much as she tried379Please respect copyright.PENANAEi038FtdNz
not to notice, she still found herself admiring the unusual, yet sophisticated379Please respect copyright.PENANA13ziDjYXxV
interior design of the house. Priceless paintings displaying Scottish history379Please respect copyright.PENANACwb10mIUwo
with artifacts were mounted on the golden walls. Various-sized vintage vases379Please respect copyright.PENANAX73siRNYFw
noticeably worth more than she thinks, including the plain-looking ones, stood379Please respect copyright.PENANAxW59k0RQG6
at every corner of the hallways. She’d have spent more time appreciating if her379Please respect copyright.PENANAg4g67Yp8l3
belly didn’t protest again, this time louder.
She walked faster,379Please respect copyright.PENANAQYkcqBVsfg
coming out to a staircase. There was another flight of stairs in front of her379Please respect copyright.PENANARDGsSAKoS9
but she ignored it, choosing to locate the kitchen. Thankfully, she didn’t379Please respect copyright.PENANAHe89ZXIHaE
spend much time at all. The spacious, spotless kitchen equipped with modern379Please respect copyright.PENANAi62ziXOC4x
utensils almost made her giddy and Megan couldn’t wait to start preparing tasty379Please respect copyright.PENANANcHjeTozes
food on the big counter. She opened the double-doored fridge and grinned379Please respect copyright.PENANAy5rryWd0u5
broadly at how well-stuffed it is. As someone who enjoys cooking a lot, she379Please respect copyright.PENANA9BdrDGg411
always appreciates it a lot when the fridge is filled up with all sorts of379Please respect copyright.PENANAL8lDaZmlSx
varieties of foods.
“Oh.”
Megan glanced behind her379Please respect copyright.PENANAUNoZQQIfaK
shoulders to see a young girl, she doesn’t look more than nineteen years,379Please respect copyright.PENANAvYpmrbl5Qa
standing – frozen more like it – at the entrance of the kitchen. Her pale green379Please respect copyright.PENANAXaNrsqJ4BL
orbs were filled with anxiety, reluctance, and tiny curiosity as she held a379Please respect copyright.PENANAQTi36zZekE
tray holding an empty bowl and cup. Everything regarding her, from her posture379Please respect copyright.PENANAcyIJJJIB9W
to her expression, screams she wants to be anywhere but here. Megan felt379Please respect copyright.PENANA4f5TAG2k9v
strangely fascinated. Shutting the fridge, she faced the girl. She noted how379Please respect copyright.PENANAKoed2hJIOJ
she tensed up immediately and Megan raised an inquisitive brow at her. The girl379Please respect copyright.PENANASG7NVDvWl0
crimsoned. She tried to stammer out something, but under Megan’s bold stare,379Please respect copyright.PENANAxxvBgqsNOU
she couldn’t form anything that made sense.
Having a strong impression,379Please respect copyright.PENANAOB3NAFuhTR
she was terrifying the poor girl, Megan eased up her expression, putting on the379Please respect copyright.PENANAcdn6rGztjx
winning, a failsafe smile she used whenever she wants to soothe her379Please respect copyright.PENANAuUBO7rfSa8
not-so-polite, demanding customers of her culinary abilities. “I’m sorry if I379Please respect copyright.PENANAc64iPhYslL
frightened you or anything. Believe me, it’s not my intention.”
The girl gave a brief smile,379Please respect copyright.PENANAWnbiCYaNIA
her stance relaxing. “I-I’m the one who’d apologize to you,” she went to the379Please respect copyright.PENANAL3zMKKpawf
sink to drop the tray. “I shouldn’t have behaved like that. It was incredibly379Please respect copyright.PENANACWbHvLp1Y2
rude of me. I’m sorry, ma’am.”
She’s still379Please respect copyright.PENANARcUxXobA8M
uncomfortable with me, Megan thought. “You weren’t rude. So, there’s no need to379Please respect copyright.PENANAU6K8jr8hMM
apologize….”
The girl stared at her379Please respect copyright.PENANAIUGtIZ6rVt
blankly. Realizing she was asking for her name, she quickly replied, “Arabel379Please respect copyright.PENANAFy6okYt7cL
Shaw, ma’am.”
“Oh. A lovable beauty379Please respect copyright.PENANAOCF3wf0thp
worth of her name.”
The girl went red, almost379Please respect copyright.PENANA87isQcEivn
like the gingery curls on her head.
A low growl sounded out of379Please respect copyright.PENANAT70YXfVL2Q
Megan’s stomach, prompting Arabel to turn pale and become frantic. “Oh, my God!379Please respect copyright.PENANABzr6eAHeCC
I’m so, so sorry. I can’t believe I’m such an idiot. How can I not know that379Please respect copyright.PENANAJjCchc6Om9
you’d be hungry when you awake?” She pulled out a pot and pan. Going to the379Please respect copyright.PENANADneE5MHXq4
fridge, she was just about to pull out a crate of eggs but was stopped.
“You don’t need to do379Please respect copyright.PENANATfbivKuNdC
that. I can make something for myself.”
“But—"
“Even if you cook for379Please respect copyright.PENANALOlT5hS47E
me, there’s a high probability I won’t like it. So, to save ingredients and379Please respect copyright.PENANACSQGUoq0Jm
time, let me do it.”
“But—”
Arabel has led away379Please respect copyright.PENANAaud08kF8aM
from the refrigerator and lightly pushed one of the stools in the kitchen.379Please respect copyright.PENANAyFGgatnVVB
“Sit.” She complied. Like a three-year-old child who always wants to keep his379Please respect copyright.PENANA5DyDbfpLPx
mother within his sight, she trailed her every move with large curious eyes.379Please respect copyright.PENANAI2zT0dkERm
Whenever she sees her not knowing where some things she needs are, she bolts up379Please respect copyright.PENANA9ZUPzTxs0H
like an antelope. Providing said items within a blink. The smile on Megan’s379Please respect copyright.PENANAPDJQ6rwRG0
lips keeps increasing.
“So, what are you379Please respect copyright.PENANAuIENnzpHZ1
doing to cook?” The young girl, unable to hold it in anymore, asked. She was379Please respect copyright.PENANAsUwU00Du7V
standing alongside Megan, taking in the things she was preparing on the379Please respect copyright.PENANAFIW2lAigf5
counter.
“Brisket hash with379Please respect copyright.PENANAubTSWM4Sbx
eggs."
“Oh.”
Done making ready379Please respect copyright.PENANAVvXscc87ly
the ingredients, Megan placed a large skillet over medium heat and poured in379Please respect copyright.PENANASTJ1oZV6Ul
two tablespoons of olive oil. When it was heated, she added diced onion and379Please respect copyright.PENANAUXyawCzfDz
fried it until it was translucent. She put in minced garlic cloves with one medium379Please respect copyright.PENANAEiMol2iVSG
red pepper, which she’d seeded and chopped. She mixed them, leaving it for a379Please respect copyright.PENANAY8yCaenlNa
moment. Adding the potatoes she’d cut into cubes to the vegetables, she had379Please respect copyright.PENANAZXKWp6zY1v
everything cooked for fifteen minutes. An eager-to-help Arabel, who had been379Please respect copyright.PENANAaToTTDQ30K
salivating nonstop the instant the mouthwatering aroma spread out, was in379Please respect copyright.PENANAY6fAgC9LS9
charge of monitoring and flipping the mixture every few minutes with a flat379Please respect copyright.PENANA5igF6N7dRq
spatula so the lot browned evenly while she whisked down the eggs.
When it was time, Megan379Please respect copyright.PENANAEXKHQUU6we
tossed in the cubed brisket. She combined it well, afterward seasoning it with379Please respect copyright.PENANAM00xLGAM2G
salt and black pepper. She gave a quick turn after that leave it to cook for379Please respect copyright.PENANA4VTuXnTk8r
some minutes. Until the beef became brown and the potatoes succulently tender,379Please respect copyright.PENANAldbAD6p2f3
before removing it from the heat. In a separate pan, she made scrambled eggs379Please respect copyright.PENANAAugwaZqxtN
and then plated them, not forgetting to add barbeque sauce.
Arabel was genuinely stunned379Please respect copyright.PENANAV8iNgc8guG
when Megan gave her a sizeable portion of the food. It took a whole minute to379Please respect copyright.PENANA1nR82D60R5
get her to stop thanking her. The second Arabel took a bite, her head never379Please respect copyright.PENANAWBNKg9pCW7
came up again 'til she’d wiped her plate clean. Literally. Within a few blinks.379Please respect copyright.PENANA2DE0mSHhTD
That spoke of how delicious the food is.
Megan had paused from taking379Please respect copyright.PENANAdSvnHcyPZP
lifting her spoon. She googled, half shocked, half amazed. But secretly379Please respect copyright.PENANAyy4Vuyts85
pleased. Arabel felt embarrassed, even wished the earth should open and swallow379Please respect copyright.PENANAjdX8Z7q1Ip
her up, when a light belch sipped out from her lips, despite her hard best to379Please respect copyright.PENANABThdXMbqVu
keep it in.
“Here.” Megan handed379Please respect copyright.PENANARQxNXyqrDu
her the glass of orange juice meant for her, which after small hesitation, she379Please respect copyright.PENANADHHew0ngfV
gulped down. “I’ve never had anyone react that much to my cooking, and quite379Please respect copyright.PENANAZCMNhGk40Y
frankly. Arabel, I love it.”
The girl pepped up, looking379Please respect copyright.PENANAeEwky1ACIZ
partly convinced. “Really?”
“Cooking is a great379Please respect copyright.PENANACcSZF0tGoX
passion of mine and as a chef, there’s nothing more that delights my soul than379Please respect copyright.PENANASUK7kKyvBG
seeing my food consumed with such great…. relish.”
Arabel ducked her head.379Please respect copyright.PENANAKx2XOjgGR5
“Okay, whatever you say.”
“I—”
“Arabel!”
A voice called from somewhere379Please respect copyright.PENANAukQQ7LOLiL
outside the kitchen. The way Arabel jumped from her seat would’ve been comical379Please respect copyright.PENANADKPfRxBQ7W
if she didn’t nearly trip over her feet and fallen flat on the floor. “Arabel!379Please respect copyright.PENANAgKtVIwVXYW
Where are ye, silly lass?”
Said person had gone379Please respect copyright.PENANAE2OoxXtzQl
pale, as though she’d seen a ghost. In a flash, she was at the sink. Dropping379Please respect copyright.PENANA1Ar9fJOOzV
the plate, the one she’d eaten with, she packed the bowls and pans used for379Please respect copyright.PENANAcWPrVCbjRj
cooking and began to demonstrate the quickest washing and rinsing known in379Please respect copyright.PENANAQtSby0mMPR
history. Megan watched like a captivated audience while eating. Drawn to the379Please respect copyright.PENANApiODYamuoi
clanging of the utensils, footsteps drew closer to where they are. Just as379Please respect copyright.PENANARTUJdCQkwA
Arabel finished, the woman Megan saw yesterday stepped into the kitchen. An379Please respect copyright.PENANAnnzeygz3W5
exasperated frown covered her expression but there was no misreading the379Please respect copyright.PENANAcak66hChpa
fleeting surprise and repulsion Megan spied in her gaze. This time, she was379Please respect copyright.PENANAU2I13hiznr
certain this sweetishly-looking woman has something against her.
Whatever.
“Ye silly lass! Why379Please respect copyright.PENANAslX6UXhd9u
didn’t ye answer me when I was yellin’ for you at the top of my lungs? I was379Please respect copyright.PENANAa9FTimZcPz
expectin’ ye back ages ago!”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Rhona.379Please respect copyright.PENANABIy2rq5VAw
I-I was busy preparing something for Mrs. Henderson when I saw there’s nothing379Please respect copyright.PENANAQjyKaH5TN9
left of breakfast for her.”
Both women flinched.
Rhona shot a nasty glare at379Please respect copyright.PENANA3SwBMczRfz
the young girl, her displeasure apropos to the way Megan was addressed,379Please respect copyright.PENANAmd4yK47rR8
however, Arabel misunderstood it. “I didn’t know ye know you’re conversant with379Please respect copyright.PENANAlqtdptdqoa
Amerikie’s food.”
“When I knew Mrs.379Please respect copyright.PENANAyQT2UUhuE5
Henderson was an American, I did tons of research on the country so I can serve379Please respect copyright.PENANAm6IU5nEsLx
her needs better.”
Megan felt incredibly379Please respect copyright.PENANAbRYSq4au1w
uncomfortable being called that title again. She glanced at379Please respect copyright.PENANAaHBXESY2CG
Arabel from the corners of her eyes; seeing her sweaty, bright face and379Please respect copyright.PENANA5O8Z6PeQM8
quivering lips, she pitied her and decided not to expose her for her clear lie.
Rhonda observed Arabel379Please respect copyright.PENANA7BPeKtMWlJ
suspiciously. She’s not convinced of whatsoever nonsense she spewed out. A few379Please respect copyright.PENANAP2ylV6zVIz
seconds later, she waved her to leave the kitchen and the girl readily fled.379Please respect copyright.PENANAFqCnm52qkw
Giving her head a shake, she turned back to Megan who had gone over to the379Please respect copyright.PENANA2KiKfe6KLy
sink. This time, she didn’t bother hiding her feelings.
“Ms. Michelle, I’d like379Please respect copyright.PENANA9vrwgWrhi6
it if ye don’t make Arabel cook for ye. She isn’t among the maids379Please respect copyright.PENANAsYdkwQZlf9
in charge of cooking, so don’t force the poor girl to do379Please respect copyright.PENANAyi0E1Jd2vJ
what she doesn’t want.”
Wow. Way to rip off the379Please respect copyright.PENANAObo6dYgN8N
bandage, Megan sardonically noted. Wiping her hands with a napkin, she met the379Please respect copyright.PENANAzjcD5u1Dri
angry older woman with the angering smile she uses on the people she doesn’t379Please respect copyright.PENANAJJUzLd7KJc
like. “Hmm, but I wonder why any food wasn’t left for me?”
“I told the maids not379Please respect copyright.PENANAjvcocRNjCv
to leave any because I don’t know whether you’d like what we cooked or not. Ye379Please respect copyright.PENANA7wQH7D1wBK
were needlessly finicky of what you ate the last time you came here so I took379Please respect copyright.PENANAK6GEYet22Q
it upon myself to be the one to cook for ye,” Rhona paused, casting a379Please respect copyright.PENANAHE7msaVcTg
depreciative look over at her figure. “Though if ye don’t mind me saying this,379Please respect copyright.PENANADv3uv6oq1v
Ms. Michelle, I think starving a bit would do ye a solid good.” She jibed,379Please respect copyright.PENANAnSrZfNXwvP
smirking when that smile was erased.
Megan dropped being379Please respect copyright.PENANAypeZKSp4hh
polite. “Remind me again, what is your job exactly here?”
“What? Don’t tell me379Please respect copyright.PENANA0y4ho7F5CA
you’ve forgotten?”
“Oh, I haven’t. But I379Please respect copyright.PENANABmBRtg743E
just want to know if you’ve gotten promoted to a new high rank that gives you379Please respect copyright.PENANAF2Nrc2tqlc
the unrestricted authority to disrespect me, the lady of this house? Or have379Please respect copyright.PENANAoOvpbD67PV
you forgotten that I’m married to your boss and that also makes me your boss?”
“Ye---”
“Oh, how scatterbrained379Please respect copyright.PENANA1xEfLdcCMQ
of me. You’re what? Sixty? Sixty-five? Your brain probably isn’t as sharp as it379Please respect copyright.PENANAXXWkvfNOwO
is if you were my age, so I’ll take it that those stupidly inappropriate379Please respect copyright.PENANAMUQ2z37zJ3
comments were caused by the parasite living in your head because I want to379Please respect copyright.PENANAi7awjteeVy
believe you valve your job and you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize it.379Please respect copyright.PENANAe2rD3Agtlm
Perhaps I’ll talk to my husband to let you retire. After all, you’re getting379Please respect copyright.PENANAtmEgrbeWAL
old. It’s obvious you’re no longer fit for this job and it’d be very cruel of379Please respect copyright.PENANAAkjiqEECGI
us to continue to make me do what you don’t want to do. Don’t you think so?”
Rhona glared with reddened379Please respect copyright.PENANA5kNyZmfbgZ
eyes; her smirk long gone. She wanted nothing more than to close the distance379Please respect copyright.PENANAdYFWWbXgmj
between them and serve the insolent lass a well-earned slap. How dare she talk379Please respect copyright.PENANAlXpskgxIAW
to her that way.
Standing there, her379Please respect copyright.PENANAVyCdFOxd4d
chest heaving and looking as though she had been abandoned and betrayed by the379Please respect copyright.PENANA3LirBaABtv
world, Megan felt zero ounces of pity for her. And why should she? Out of379Please respect copyright.PENANABimFNoHrBA
nowhere, this judgmental woman – she had mistaken as someone good at first –379Please respect copyright.PENANAtxKwkif4m2
start spurting crap concerning her, disparaging her. Megan knew she’d be pissed379Please respect copyright.PENANAxhiiMtE82D
at herself later if she didn’t return the favor. She might look gentle, doesn’t379Please respect copyright.PENANAKjNoBkCpiu
mean she’s not a pushover for anyone.
“Y-Ye j-jest! Ye think379Please respect copyright.PENANArBCKNsLLH4
after what you did, Elie would want to listen to anything ye say, much less379Please respect copyright.PENANA4gpi31xDXd
believe ye? Ah, you’re delusional.”
“You wanna bet? He’s a379Please respect copyright.PENANAaCOkXYpALt
man, isn’t he? Please, a little seduction and he’ll become pudding in my hands379Please respect copyright.PENANAE0HapRcOot
in a flash.” Megan tilted her head a bit to the side; the slow smile that379Please respect copyright.PENANAqaJRjVLHFb
stretched on her face made her look very much like a vixen. “Would you like me379Please respect copyright.PENANApM3BORFELk
to show you how it’s done?”
Rhona rushed out.
Megan dropped the act,379Please respect copyright.PENANAoGOfgoi1Qo
disgusted beyond expression. What a pretentious, elderly woman. Brushing the379Please respect copyright.PENANAWOQrgF36SY
conversation aside, she strode back to her room, put on some workout outfits,379Please respect copyright.PENANAa5iQBjYCte
and did yoga for an hour or so.
|!|!|!|!| |!|!|!|!|
“So, how is the379Please respect copyright.PENANAV89RqsAvNn
bakery doing?” Megan went straight to the point after exchanging pleasantries379Please respect copyright.PENANA6mE0czgBqj
with the vibrantly dressed woman on a video call with her. Clad in her lazy-day379Please respect copyright.PENANADdjGK94mnP
outfit; an old, baggy shirt having faded baseball logo – she snatched it from Shane379Please respect copyright.PENANAAUIOGI31ZX
months back when they began dating – and her favorite woolen cutoff – panties,379Please respect copyright.PENANAmThH27lMn2
her aunt claimed they were – underneath. She was standing on the veranda379Please respect copyright.PENANAcAYivSgAU0
outside her room; enjoying the pleasurable breeze which slip in and out of her379Please respect copyright.PENANAd1TTs6a0NT
cloth and the beautiful, green scenery that lays around the manor.
“Oh, we’re doing379Please respect copyright.PENANAMTnuHUh2r1
alright. The guy your aunt brought, Kilian, is a gem. Granted, the cakes and379Please respect copyright.PENANARZxq9pOgIr
pastries he bakes aren’t precisely as great as yours, but the customers love379Please respect copyright.PENANA7DZH6Eh42H
them! Look, just the first day and we’re already sold out.” The camera shifted,379Please respect copyright.PENANAZ72iV9P3HQ
showing her the inside of her shop, which was crowded with people – just as379Please respect copyright.PENANAfrMX3hNzJQ
when she was there – and the show glass was empty. Megan's brows lifted; she379Please respect copyright.PENANA8ynNVi2VE7
was impressed. It’s good to know she chose the right person among the four379Please respect copyright.PENANA8z7ED3xIqJ
chefs she’d talked to.
Jemma’s excited chocolate379Please respect copyright.PENANAIfvXhfM1GO
face came back into view. “Do you know he’s quite a shy guy? When one of your379Please respect copyright.PENANAX4Vjzglhcn
regulars Mrs. Copson, wanted to meet the new chef and Grey called him out, he379Please respect copyright.PENANA4wB0Cp0ARF
was such a cute nerve wrack. The way he stuttered in that lovely Greek accent,379Please respect copyright.PENANACsGPDPfaEg
fiddled with his back hair, and blushed nonstop? Ah, I think I’m in love. I379Please respect copyright.PENANA1nYi8oaIxY
don’t think I’m the only one; all your female clients are also in love with379Please respect copyright.PENANAaCnFDwWOS8
him. 90% of our buyers are females and I don’t think it’s entirely our goods379Please respect copyright.PENANAdBayBWuILz
they’re eager for if you get my drift. Not that I blame them one bit; I mean379Please respect copyright.PENANAvfMnVRhCIR
have you ever seen a man who’s so sinfully gorgeous you just want to lick him379Please respect copyright.PENANAv7QpQAigBV
up---”
“Godmother, please!” Megan had379Please respect copyright.PENANAtbwg0Cdpej
to interrupt, or her ears would be filled with descriptions she’d rather not379Please respect copyright.PENANAhnhlgqOX75
have regarding her employee. She wondered if she made the right decision,379Please respect copyright.PENANArrLXKWk52p
allowing her godmother to persuade her to be her temporary manager. “You’re379Please respect copyright.PENANAQqOg5qPWKv
fifty-four years and happily married with three children. For goodness’ sake,379Please respect copyright.PENANA8l95I5joDh
act your age for once!”
“Killjoy. I was just379Please respect copyright.PENANAtHpSy7hSdB
looking, okay? There’s no one yet that can make leave that delicious,379Please respect copyright.PENANADEczz6go9h
one-of-its-kind specimen I have for a husband. Besides, my observation isn’t379Please respect copyright.PENANAaSoJT3rmWG
for me, it’s all for you, prude.” Jemma had that gleam in her eye, warning379Please respect copyright.PENANAjOQw88CHBC
Megan she was going to launch into her usual advice/speech – cough, nagging,379Please respect copyright.PENANAIHy3Q7qO16
cough – before she’d rush her off the phone, she went off. Leaving her with no379Please respect copyright.PENANAOU9orLfgK6
choice but listen.
“I’m not saying waiting379Please respect copyright.PENANALchfdEcwfo
for Shane is a bad thing but you have waited enough time on the man. You’ve379Please respect copyright.PENANALm7NIE6e2f
been obsessed with him since you were what, nineteen?”
“Twenty. But I’m---”
“Twenty! For six years379Please respect copyright.PENANArIXToPofUc
he never looked your way once. Why then are you still pining with that kind of379Please respect copyright.PENANAM5gsDwoERW
man, huh?”
Megan gritted her teeth,379Please respect copyright.PENANAAozjtJy2Cl
“He confessed to me five months ago – I told you and mom all of it – and we379Please respect copyright.PENANAbhYHb2xlUN
both decided to take it slow. I don’t see what’s so wrong that everyone is379Please respect copyright.PENANAUUA85xwqa6
complaining.” She couldn’t help the sass at the last words.
Jemma narrowed her jade-green379Please respect copyright.PENANACtcnm6d4Hv
eyes, threateningly. “Don’t think that because you’re far away, you can run379Please respect copyright.PENANAUx9sOVv7jI
your mouth on me on the phone anyhow, I won’t tolerate that.” Thank God she379Please respect copyright.PENANAZRMhdYEZT6
wasn’t close by or her godmother would’ve slapped her silly.
“Sorry.” She felt like379Please respect copyright.PENANAe344XC5iKe
a schoolgirl as she apologized. “But I love him, Jemma.”
“You’re almost379Please respect copyright.PENANALwzBlT1onP
thirty---” Jemma started.
“Twenty-six.”
“---and he hasn’t put a379Please respect copyright.PENANALNlG4Qimaq
ring on your finger yet---”
“Again, we just started379Please respect copyright.PENANAkmjDin8dMN
dating,”
“---What is he waiting379Please respect copyright.PENANAV0Wxvs4cZh
for? The apocalypse? He isn’t sincere with you. Well, it’s a good thing you got379Please respect copyright.PENANA5f4fPPHB0E
married to that Scottish guy, Aneislis, right? He’s the right one for you.”
Megan looked379Please respect copyright.PENANAUa4FMaJI9Q
incredulous, “In case you’ve forgotten, he’s Michelle’s husband. I have no379Please respect copyright.PENANAUtivngDknB
interest in him.”
“He’s yours for life,379Please respect copyright.PENANAk9yFKHrmS0
whether you accept it or not. Even though Michelle is found, she won’t be with379Please respect copyright.PENANAqt7PxzHlxC
him. You should know this. Also, it’s best if---”
Megan was distracted.379Please respect copyright.PENANAcZIrkSAJOq
Her sight was drawn to the glittering, luxurious car – a Maserati – gliding379Please respect copyright.PENANAB1SrRxOjxe
towards the manor. It stopped, the backseat door opened, and out came the man379Please respect copyright.PENANAALbwhCkq8h
her godmother approved of. Her nose was wrinkled in distaste. She stared,379Please respect copyright.PENANABbFA1Hnpoa
sour-faced, as he helped someone down – an adorable, little girl. He shut the379Please respect copyright.PENANAX8leNmAbTl
car door and walked hand-to-hand a few steps before the girl made a demand.
“Daddy, carry me.”
Her cheerful, childish voice379Please respect copyright.PENANAcfEqBFGG27
rang out. Aneislis obeyed, continuing his journey inside the house.
Megan unintentionally379Please respect copyright.PENANA4m81dgRluq
pressed the end button to the video call as her mind pondered about the379Please respect copyright.PENANADRwJ0twFjQ
information she had learned.
So, he had a daughter. Wonder379Please respect copyright.PENANAPP0texrtCJ
why that tiny detail wasn’t told to her, she rolled her orbs.