After all this time, she could pretty much read her mother’s thoughts like an open book.
“Mom, I know what you’re worried about,” Tessa coaxed gently. “It’s just like what happened with Joseph, isn’t it? Have you forgotten how he tricked Aurora back then? In the end, he even made her account for every cent she spent. Every little expense had to be justified.”
Tessa clicked her tongue, shaking her head with a mix of disbelief and disdain. “Honestly, even talking about it now feels humiliating. It was just so disgraceful.”
“Enough,” Grace snapped, unable to hold back her anger.
Tessa immediately fell silent.
She knew her mother wasn’t angry with her, but with Joseph. Everything about that man had already been laid bare. He was nothing more than a spineless opportunist, and not even a competent one. Rumor had it he’d been holed up at Hunt Enterprises, trying to manage something new, and hadn’t been seen at any social events in quite a while. The elite circles of Ravenshore were abuzz with speculation. Was Joseph finally turning over a new leaf? Had the infamous playboy actually grown a conscience?
Tessa found the whole thing oddly amusing, but it wasn’t her business. At this point, she was just a bystander watching the show. To her, Joseph was nothing more than a pathetic clown. As for Julian, he was merely an accomplice – never once had she considered him a real fiancé. Even now, marriage wasn’t something Tessa had ever seriously thought about, especially not with someone like him. The idea was laughable. If she ever did marry, it certainly wouldn’t be to Julian. At the very least, the man had to look better than Lucas. If Aurora could have someone like that, then so could she. She wasn’t about to settle for less.
Back on the other end of the call, Grace found herself regretting her harsh tone almost the moment the words left her mouth. But pride kept her from backtracking. She wasn’t the kind of person who took her words back once spoken. All she could do now was continue down the path she’d started.
“Enough. What happened between Aurora and Joseph is in the past. There’s no point in dragging it out. It helps no one. And besides, our reputation won’t be tarnished by one person’s mistake. She’s your sister.”
That last part said it all, and Tessa heard the unspoken meaning loud and clear. “She’s your sister, so be the one to give way.” That was exactly why she resented both Aurora and Grace. So, what if she was the older one? Did that mean she always had to be the one to yield? If anything, given her poor health, wasn’t it Aurora who should’ve been the one to make sacrifices? All these years, it felt like she’d never truly been cared for by anyone in that household.
“Anyway, Mom, I’ve said everything I needed to,” Tessa added calmly. “Whatever the case, I don’t trust Lucas. No one should ever hand over their blind trust that easily.”