Chapter 49
Chapter 49
Justin sent the address to Jayne’s phone.
Edith glanced at him, anxiety flickering in her eyes. “Are you sure my mom’s going to be alright?”
Justin set his phone aside and placed his hands on Edith’s shoulders, steady and reassuring. “I promise, she’ll be fine. You trust me, don’t you?” His conviction was unwavering. Despite the knot of worry still in her chest, Edith found herself nodding almost involuntarily. “Yeah. I trust you.”
A small smile tugged at Justin’s lips. “That’s all I need.”
He picked up his phone again and, with a few clipped instructions, told his assistant to swing by the Sumner residence and make sure Jayne was safe.
In truth, Justin was almost certain Beckett Vance didn’t have the guts to do anything reckless-he was all bluster, the sort of coward who found his strength only in intimidating women. Still, sending someone to check on Jayne gave Edith peace of mind, and that was reason enough for
Justin.
Meanwhile, Beckett stared at the address glowing on his phone screen. There was something oddly familiar about it, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen it before. One thing was clear: it was well outside the
city.
The Vance family estate sat in the heart of Northcrest’s most exclusive neighborhood. Seeing a suburban address made Beckett smirk with self-satisfaction. Just as he suspected-after leaving the Vance family, Edith would never find anyone who could measure up.
Across Northcrest, the Vances were among the elite. And on top of that, Beckett was young, successful, and, in his own opinion, exceptionally handsome. He genuinely believed he was the best match Edith could
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ever hope for.
As he drove toward the address, Beckett couldn’t help but imagine the look of regret on Edith’s face-how she’d react once she realized he wasn’t Bennett, but Beckett. If he just told her the truth and asked her to wait for him, she’d surely break off her engagement and come running back.
The sense of superiority filled Beckett with so much confidence, he found himself humming along to the radio, tapping the steering wheel in time with the rain as it drummed against his windshield. The further he drove from the city, the more his contempt grew. Only people who couldn’t afford a true mansion in town would buy a “country estate” and pretend it was something grand.
Had Edith really been fooled by a wannabe country manor? Did she honestly think her new suitor was wealthy just because of this place? It was laughable. How could she have lost all sense of judgment after leaving the Vance family?
As Beckett approached the destination, the surroundings
shifted—everything seemed more orderly, the trees lining the road neatly pruned and the landscaping clearly cared for. It all looked carefully maintained, as if someone had deliberately crafted the setting.
Finally, he pulled up in front of the Hawksley estate. Beckett hesitated for a moment, suddenly uncertain. The grand entrance hinted at the kind of luxury he hadn’t expected. Stepping out, umbrella in hand, he scanned the gate for any crest or family name-but there was nothing. Beckett smirked again. Clearly, whoever lived here was trying to keep up appearances. If this was truly an old family, wouldn’t they flaunt their name at the gate? This was just more show than substance-just another way of pretending to be something they weren’t.
The torrential rain showed no sign of letting up.
Inside, Justin watched the headlights pull up outside the estate. Finally-Beckett had arrived.
A message buzzed on his phone: his assistant had checked in, reporting
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that Jayne was perfectly safe. Police patrols were quietly keeping watch near the Sumner home.
Justin shared the news with Edith, and relief washed over her.
“Mr. Vance is here. I should go talk to him,” she said, rising from her seat. Beckett had come to see her; it didn’t feel right to leave it all to Justin.
But before she could stand, Justin gently stopped her. He glanced at his watch. “It’s past midnight. Aren’t you tired?”
Edith blinked, thrown by the question. She nodded, honest and a little
confused.
Then she wondered-was she just making excuses to avoid Beckett, leaving everything for Justin to handle?
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Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.