Chapter 113 The Pendant's Secret
BELLA
The room fell silent, tension crackling like a storm about to break. All eyes were glued to the pendant around Jasper's neck, its polished surface catching the light like a beacon. My chest tightened as Mrs. Williams stepped forward, her gaze fixed on it with an unsettling intensity.
"Where did you get that?" she asked, her voice tight with something between curiosity and desperation.
The words tumbled out of me before I could stop them. “I own it.”
Her sharp gaze shifted to me, cutting through the air like a blade. “How did you come by it?” she pressed, her steps drawing her closer.
I swallowed hard, heat crawling up my neck. “It was my dad’s,” I managed. “He gave it to me.”
Her features softened, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. For a moment, something flickered in her eyes relief, maybe? Regret? “I’m sorry for making a scene,” she said, smoothing her dress as if nothing had happened. “It just reminded me of something I used to have.”
“Right,” Mr. Copperfield cut in, his voice breaking the tension. “Drama aside, can we please eat now? I’m starving.”
Everyone shuffled toward the dining room, the clatter of chairs and the hum of idle chatter filling the air. But I couldn’t shake the unease twisting in my gut. While the others laughed and talked over their meals, I kept sneaking glances at Mrs. Williams. She caught my eye every time, her expression unreadable, though her lips curled in a faint smile.
At one point, she reached over with her fork and dropped a piece of meat onto my plate. “Eat,” she said gently. “You need your strength.”
I smiled back, tight-lipped and confused, before poking at my food. Why was she being so kind? I couldn’t focus on the meal, my appetite swallowed by a growing sense of unease.
Later, as the evening wrapped up, David and I headed toward the car. Jasper was cradled in his arms, his tiny breaths soft and steady as he slept. The cool night air hit me like a balm, but it wasn’t enough to calm my nerves.
“Bella,” Mrs. Williams called out behind me.
I turned slowly, my heart thudding. She approached with a measured grace, her hand reaching out as if to touch my hair, but she stopped just short. Instead, she smiled warmly, her voice almost a whisper. “Would you come visit me this weekend?”
The request caught me off guard. “Uh… sure, ma’am,” I said hesitantly.
She hesitated again, her hand hovering, before she leaned in and wrapped me in a hug. Her embrace was brief but surprisingly firm, as though she were holding on to something she didn’t want to let go of.
“Have a beautiful night, child,” she murmured.
I nodded, a weak smile tugging at my lips, before slipping into the car beside David. The engine purred to life, and the mansion disappeared behind us as the driver pulled away.
David broke the silence, his tone low and pensive. “Don’t you think that was… odd?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, though I already knew.
He adjusted Jasper in his arms, his gaze flicking to mine. “Mrs. Williams and the pendant. You don’t think it’s strange she has one just like yours?”
I sighed, leaning my head back against the seat. “I don’t want to think about it,” I said. “Elowen told me my biological parents are dead. There’s no point digging up ghosts.”
“Still,” he pressed, his brow furrowing. “What if there’s more to it? What if Mrs. Williams is..”
“She’s not,” I cut him off, my voice sharper than I intended. “The pendant doesn’t mean anything. It could belong to anyone.”
David didn’t respond immediately, but I could feel his eyes on me, searching. “Bella,” he said softly, “maybe it’s worth looking into.”
I closed my eyes, the weight of exhaustion pulling at me. “I’m too tired for this, David. Can we just… not?”
He didn’t push further, letting the silence settle between us. But as the car hummed along the road, my thoughts churned relentlessly.
Could Elowen have lied? No, she wouldn’t she’s been like family to me, the only one who’s ever been constant. But Mrs. Williams’s strange behavior… the way she looked at me…
What if?
The question lingered, heavy and unanswered, as I drifted into restless sleep.