Chapter 955:
“Your cousin is quite the character. She’s genuinely smitten with him. I hope they can be together forever,” Elyse shivered, rubbing her arms. “What a crazy couple. I hope they never break up.” Still, she felt uneasy about Hyde. Something odd and hard to pinpoint bothered her.
“But Hyde works as a glass designer. It’s quite a specialized field. He’s the first person I’ve met who does that.”
Geraldine suddenly thought of something. “But why is his skin so delicate and pale? Working with glass involves high temperatures. As a designer with his own workshop, he should be getting plenty of exposure to heat, which would normally tan someone’s skin.”
Elyse added, “Yet he’s not tanned at all. He looks eerily pale, and his skin is so smooth.”
Geraldine clutched Elyse’s arm. “Now that you mention it, that is certainly very strange. Could he be sick?”
Elyse pondered. “Maybe he isn’t really a glass designer and lied about his job?”
Geraldine gasped, covering her mouth. “That might be true. The way he charmed Mabel seemed way too practiced, like he’s done this many times before.”
Then, as if a thought struck her, Geraldine said, “Your cousin isn’t being fooled by him, is she? Could he be a professional seducer? Should we warn her to be cautious?”
Elyse responded helplessly, “Have you seen how she acts? If I tell her, she might think I’m just jealous.”
Elyse felt overwhelmed with frustration. She and Mabel were virtually at odds. Why should she bother? If Mabel were deceived and abandoned, it wouldn’t be her problem.
Meanwhile, Mabel trailed Hyde back to his residence. She noticed that since he’d encountered Elyse, he had grown remarkably silent and contemplative, as though burdened by thought.
She clasped his hand. “Elyse has such an irritating disposition. She’s not a virtuous individual. Don’t question yourself because of her. In my view, you’re the best.”
Hyde swiveled his head to gaze at Mabel’s earnest look. He mused over her naiveté, her willingness to humble herself, fearing he might dump her at any moment.
It was clear why Kaelyn took pleasure in manipulating Mabel. Mabel was gullible enough for it. Given her willingness to please him, why not take the chance and find pleasure in it?
. . .