Chapter 31

LOUISA'S POV

Tears were pooling in my eyes before I even realized it, and I couldn’t stop them. My little hands balled into fists on my lap as Benedict’s long strides pulled him ahead, leaving me behind in the tense, suffocating air of the boutique parking lot.

My chest ached, and my throat felt raw from crying. My day had started so pretty. I had been excited to shop with Benedict, to pick out dresses without anyone sneering at me or taking pictures of me like I was some sort of spectacle. But now… now it was all a mess because Sabrina’s friends and their sneers came along.

Benedict had been so gentle yesterday, touching me in ways that made my skin tingle and my chest feel like it was doing little flips I didn’t understand. He called me beautiful and my heart still fluttered remembering it.

And now… he wasn’t even looking at me. His fingers were swiping across his phone, his jaw so tight as he barked numbers and names I didn’t understand, all the while muttering business words that sounded like a complete foreign language to me.

I sniffled, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand and hoping that Benedict might glance at me, but he never did.

My chest hurt as my stomach was twisting in knots. I tried to pull my hand from the car seat, hoping to reach out to him, maybe even touch him just a little, and I froze when he pulled his hand away from mine before I even touched him.

The car ride that was supposed to be the next best thing after our little morning together felt like forever. My fingers twitched, my tears spilling over again. “Benedict…” I whispered, hoping he would hear me, hoping he might soften, but he ignored me.

By the time the car stopped, I realized we weren’t heading back to the hotel as I had expected. My stomach dropped as I saw the gates of the Blackwood estate.

My hands froze in my lap, my heart thudding painfully. Going inside meant facing his mom, the woman who had called me a thief just yesterday.

Benedict stepped out of the car first. He didn’t even look back at me as he headed straight toward the estate. I hesitated, my toes curling on the asphalt, unsure if I should go in behind him or run away and hide somewhere.

I stood there, rooted on the spot for what seemed like hours. My fingers curled around my dress as I whispered to myself. “I… maybe I shouldn’t go in…” I whispered to myself. “Maybe he won’t notice if I just… hide behind a bush or—oh no, there aren’t any bushes, just… gates… oh, oh no.”

And then, amid my mental thoughts, I saw Henry at the far end of the driveway, looking like he had been waiting for me. Relief flared in my chest instantly.

“Henry!” I cried, breaking into a run before I even thought it through. “Henry! Henry, there you are!”

Henry looked startled for a moment, but then he crouched slightly, holding his arms out. “Louisa!” he said, his voice warm. I practically threw myself into him, gripping his arms like a lifeline.

“Where… where have you been? I didn’t see you… oh, I… I—” I babbled, my words tumbling over each other.

Henry sighed gently, resting his hands on my shoulders. “Louisa… I had to leave for my hometown urgently. My wife fell ill. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”

“Oh!” My hands went to my mouth, horrified. “Oh no! I… I’m so sorry, Henry! That’s… that’s really awful! I… I hope she gets better… oh, I… I really hope she gets better!”

Henry nodded, offering me a small, comforting smile. “Thank you, Louisa. That means a lot.”

I blinked at him, still trying to straighten my messy hair as I sniffled and wiped at my cheeks. “And… and how have you been, Henry? I… I mean… did… did anything happen?”

Henry’s expression softened. “I’ve been alright. But tell me, Louisa… how have YOU been? How have things been going for you?”

And then I started talking. I talked about everything. About the boutique, Sabrina’s friends, about Angel and Benedict… everything. My words were messy, my voice shaky, my emotions tangled up in sobs and relief that I could finally talk to someone without being judged.

“And then… and then… oh Henry, he—Benedict… he got so mad at me… and Angel came and—oh Henry, it was all so bad!” I said, waving my hands frantically. “I… I just wanted to buy some dresses… I just… I didn’t want trouble… I just…”

Henry placed a firm hand on my shoulder, steadying me. “Louisa, listen to me. You need to stay away from the Caldwells. They’re trouble.”

I tilted my head, puzzled. “Stay away? But… Henry… Angel… he was helping me. He wasn’t… bad. He was nice! And… and… I don’t know… I mean… why?”

Henry’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Louisa, if you want to be accepted by the Blackwoods, you should never mention the Caldwells.”

I blinked, confused, tilting my head like a little bird. “Never… mention… oh! I… okay… I… I guess. But… what if I just… I...” My voice was high and nervous. I didn’t really understand why Henry’s expression had turned so serious, but I nodded anyway, pretending I did.

Henry let out a breath, shaking his head just slightly. “Just… trust me, Louisa. Stay away from them, at least until you’re fully accepted.”

I nodded though I didn’t understand half of it. “Yes, yes! Okay! I… I understand. I’ll try really hard. I promise!”

We started walking toward the estate, Henry slightly ahead, me clinging to his arm like a lifeline. I was so lost in my thoughts that I barely noticed the maid stepping toward me.

She gave me a curt little bow. “Miss Louisa, you have been summoned by Mr. and Mrs. Blackwood. Please, follow me.”

My heart skipped a beat. I stopped in my tracks, clutching Henry’s arm. “Summoned…? Oh no! Summoned? Why? Did… did I… oh Henry… do you think… is it because… because of… um… you know…” My voice dropped to a whisper, high-pitched and trembling. “The… the boutique thing? Or… or because of Angel? Or… oh no… did I do something… really wrong?”

Henry’s hand squeezed my shoulder lightly. “Just… follow the maid, Louisa. Everything will be fine.”

I swallowed hard and nodded, though the lump in my throat felt like it would choke me. I followed the maid

slowly, feeling like I was walking toward a lion’s den.

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