Chapter160ALessonLearned Cartergazedat mewithsuchtenderness,asifhiseyescarriedaninfinitedepthofaffection.
Youllfindoutintime,hesaidsoftly,leavingthequestionunansweredandmyheartfeelinghollow.
Afteradayofnegotiations,thefamiliesfinallycametoanagreement.
Anna andAshleysengagementwassettled,buttheHudsonshad theirreservations.
Theyagreedtocoverthebetrothalgiftandtheweddingexpenses,buttheyrefusedtoregisterthemarriage.Itwasaclearsignthat thisarrangementwasonlyforshow.
OnceAnnalosthervalue,theycoulddiscardherwithouthesitation.
TheSanders,whohadthoughtthismarriagewasastepupforthem,weredeeplyhumiliatedbytheHudsonsblatantdistrust..
Whatisthemeaningofmarryingwithoutregistration?Areyoutreatingmydaughterlikesomedisposableobject?Katesnapped.
FionaHudson,impeccablydressedandperfectlypoised,satacrossfromher.ComparedtoKate,whohadagedsignificantlyafterherrecentloss,Fionalookedatleastadecadeyoungerdespitebeingaroundthe sameage.
Herhighendtailoreddress,diamondbracelet,andflawlesscomplexionallexudedanairofsuperiority.
Shestirredhercoffeeleisurelywithahintofdisdainflashingacrossherdelicatefeatures.
DoIreallyneedtospelloutwhatyourdaughterisworth?Iassumedweallunderstood,shesoundedlikeanevilmotherinlaw , Settingherspoondown,Fionacontinued,Kate,webothknowhowthisengagementcameabout.Givenyourrecentloss,werealreadybeingmorethangenerous.Registeringthemarriagewouldtieourfamiliesintereststogether.Iftheygenuinelylovedeachother,wewouldntobject.Butsincetheresnoemotionalfoundationhere,whyshouldtheHudsonsshoulderunnecessaryrisks? rsona Ofcourse,ifyourdaughtermanagestobuildarealconnectionwithoursonandgiv
esusagrandchildortwo, themarriagecertificatewontbeoutofthequestion.
Atthementionofchildren,theSandersfamilyvisiblytensed.
Fornow,onlytheBoltonsandtheSandersknewaboutAnnaspregnaney.IftheHudsonsfoundout,themarriagewouldfallapartinaninstant.
Havingjustreceivedasubstantialhushpayment,theSanderswerenaturally union.
inclinedtopushforthis Fromstarttofinish,AnnawastreatedlikeacommodityShehadnorighttostateheropinions.
Thistime,shehadnochoicebuttomarryAshley.
Bothfamiliessettheweddingdateforthe15thofnextmonth,leavinglittletimeforpreparations.
1/3 08:23Tue,Dec10 Chapter160ALessonLearned ourAshleyshowednokindnesstowardAnna.Beforeleaving,hecoldlyinstructed,Sononyourweddingdress yourself.MakesureitsdecentenoughnottoembarrasstheHudsons Annaboardedthecarwithacoldexpression,completelyignoringAshleyfromstarttofinish.
Then,Ashleykickedthecarhardandspat,Dmnit!Whatareyousosmugabout? Icrossedmyarmsandwatchedthedramaunfoldinamusement.Whoknowswhatkind ofsparksthispairofresentfulloverswouldignite.
JudgingbyAshleyscontortedexpression,heseemedthetypewithseverepsychologicalissues.
Hewastheweakestandleastfavoredathome.HisyearsofpentupresentmentweresimmeringbeneaththesurfaceWhileheseemedmanageablemostofthetime,thesmallestissuecouldtriggerviolenoutburstsagainsthisfamily.
Incontrast ,thingsappearedmuchmoreharmoniousbetweenAlisaand Luke.Alisa,withhergracefulandgentledemeanor,willinglyagreedtoforgoaweddingceremony,contentwithsimplyregisteringtheir marriage.
Herintelligenceandtactwonherfavor withintheBoltons .
Thetwodecidedtoregistertheirmarriagethenextmorning.
Inprivate,Alisa pulledmeasideandthankedmeprofusely.
Iknowshesnotasgentleassheseems,soIkepttheconversationpoliteandsuperficial.
Alisa,youvethrownyourselfintothiswithouthesitation.YoumustknowLukedoesntloveyou.Areyou sureyou wontregretmarryingsomeonewhodoesntreturnyourfeelings? Zoey,IvefinallygottenthechancetomarrythemanIlove.HowcouldIregretit? Itwas thenIrealizedthatmarriagetrulywaslikeawall, Thoseoutsideweredesperatetogetin,whilethoseinsidelongedtoescape.
AfterAlisaleft,Ibeganoverseeing preparationsfortheirmarriage.
NowthatJeffreyhadacknowledgedmyplaceinthefamily,Ihadtotakechargeofvariousmatters.
Luke,too,understoodthathewasnomatchforCartereitherinabilityorhealth.
Fornow,hecouldonlyfollowCartersarrangements.
Onelessonwayallittook.
Heseemedcalmer,perhapswaitingfortherightmoment.
Afterall,Carterhadplayedhimmasterfully,andsomeonelikeLukewouldneverletsuchaslightgo unanswered.
However,hewas alsokeenlyawareofthepowergapandhadchosentolielowfornow.
2/3 Chapter160ALessonLearned Iwassittinginthetearoom.Thearomaofbrewingteaftedthroughtheairanteamcurledupwards.

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Lukeapproached andgreetedme,AuntZoey Carter,busyreading nearby,glancedupbriefly,Reluctantly,Lukeadded,UncleCarter Ismiledwarmlyathim.Luke,yourehere.Yourhealthntgreatssitdownandrestwhilewechat Mywords,thoughkindlydelivered,struckanerve.
Lukefrownedbutsaidnothing Luke,Dadhasaskedmetohandleyourweddingarrangements.Althoughyourenothavingaformalceremony,theHudsonsarestilladistinguishedfamilyWecantaffordtobenegligent,soweneedtoensureeverything isdoneproperly.About themaritalhomedoyouwanttousetheoneyousharedwithChloe,orshouldweprepareanewproperty? Ihadntexpectedtoarrangemyexhusbandsmarriage.Itwasridiculous! Lukesvoicewaslowashe replied,Anewproperty.ThehousewasdecoratedentirelybyChloe.Iwontletanyoneelsedesecrateit.
Ismirked.Luke,youdoloveplayingthedevotedman.WerentyoualreadyrollinginthesheetswithAnnainthat veryhouseon yourweddingnight?Ifthatwasntenoughtodefileit,whatdifferencedoesitmakenow?Chloesdead,afterall.Shewontmind.
Bang! Lukeslammedhishandagainstthetableandstoodabruptly.Howdoyouknowwewereinthenewhouse?heaskedwhileglaringatme.