Chapter 215
Chapter 215:
Once Fiona made up her mind, she wasted no time. She stayed for dinner and then casually suggested spending the night at Moss Manor now that darkness had fallen.
Before Wesley could even respond, Loretta interjected, “Fiona, you’re a young lady from a prominent family. Staying overnight at another household so freely wouldn’t reflect well on your reputation p>
“It won’t be an issue,” Fiona replied smoothly, though her eyes slid toward Gabriela with a flash of disdain. “The Moss family and my family have a close relationship. It’s perfectly fine for me to stay here. But Miss Haynes…” Her lips curled faintly. “She’s the one whose presence is questionable p>
Loretta’s expression tightened, her tone cooling. “Gabriela is here for work.” She crossed the room to stand protectively by Gabriela’s side, her hand brushing the girl’s arm with grandmotherly affection. “Besides, I treat her like my own granddaughter. There’s nothing improper about her staying here p>
Actually, Loretta secretly hoped for whispers to spread; a little gossip could only add fuel to her quiet wish of seeing Wesley marry Gabriela sooner rather than later.
Fiona’s smile faltered. Rage burned beneath her polished exterior. Loretta had once doted on her and tried to boost her relationship with Wesley, so why now was her favor shifting toward someone of such modest origins? What spell had Gabriela cast on Loretta?
Though Fiona couldn’t come up with a reason, she was not willing to give up her pursuit of Wesley. She actually had a trump card, but the time to use it had not yet arrived.
Fiona complained, “Mrs. Larson, it seems you treat Miss Haynes with more affection than you do me p>
𝗠o𝘳𝘦 𝗇о𝗏𝘦𝗅𝘀 о𝗇.со𝘮
As she spoke, her gaze wandered across the living room and came to rest on an aquarium. Inside, a fish shimmered in brilliant hues of blue, yellow, and red. She complimented, “Wesley, this colorful fish is truly exquisite p>
Wesley answered with nothing more than a slight nod.
Fiona pressed on, her tone measured and thoughtful. “With all that space, it seems quite empty to have only one fish in your aquarium. Why don’t you consider adding a few more? Having a diverse group of fish swimming together would create a much livelier atmosphere, don’t you think? Plus, it would be delightful to watch them interact and brighten up your home even more p>
“Actually, that’s a Betta splendens.” Wesley’s cold voice cut cleanly through her words.
Fiona froze, momentarily dumbfounded. “What p>
But it wasn’t Wesley who answered. A calm, almost careless voice chimed in, “This kind of fish can only be kept alone. If you add another to the aquarium, they’ll fight until one of them dies p>