Chapter 9
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“I’ll take some medicine.”
Colds were the easiest to treat-one done unually took care of most of it. She’d been through it enough times to know.
Just like the past three years. It had always been the same.
She couldn’t expect Nigel to take care of her.
She never had.
She couldn’t count on anyone.
Seeing how indifferent she was about her own health, Nigel felt a strange sense of unease. “You make it sound like your husband doesn’t care about you at all.”
She paused for a moment. “Did you not open the gift I gave you yesterday?”
“Not yet.”
Nigel replied flatly, “Wasn’t it a birthday present? I figured I’d wait until my birthday to open it.”
“…Fair enough.”
That gave her more time to prepare anyway.
She and Nigel didn’t share many topics of conversation. The rest of the drive was silent.
Nigel glanced over and saw Lottie quietly watching the city traffic roll by outside the window. No telling what she was thinking. Her expression was calm and soft.
Harmless. Mild-mannered.
He really couldn’t understand why Esther disliked her so much.
Just as Nigel was about to speak, his phone rang.
“Mr. Mathis, Ms. Berry is at a matchmaking meeting.”
The voice on the line was calm and clear.
Lottie heard every word.
The air inside the car instantly felt tight. She could sense Nigel struggling to keep his anger in check.
He was usually composed and measured-rarely lost his temper.
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“Send me the location.”
His tone was cold and clipped.
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After hanging up, he turned back to Lottie, face composed again, but his voice left no room for discussion. “Lottie, something’s come up. I won’t be able to make it to the family dinner with you.”
Something came up?
Lottie didn’t ask. What was the point?
Digging into it would only make her feel worse.
“Alright.”
She lowered her gaze slightly. “Chester, please pull over up ahead.”
The car slowed to a stop.
But Nigel didn’t move.
Lottie looked at him, puzzled. “Nigel, go on-this isn’t a place we can park for long.”
“…Okay.”
He seemed momentarily caught off guard. Seeing her gentle expression, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything
more.
So he got out of the car.
The Pollard family’s monthly dinner wasn’t like the warm, bustling gatherings of other old families.
There were only five people-six, if you counted Nigel.
To put it bluntly, it was quiet.
Quiet enough to feel like a memorial service.
And the atmosphere wasn’t far off.
As soon as Lottie stepped into the old house, the butler came to lead her to the dining room.
“Ms. Cummings, Lilly has been waiting for you all morning. She’s been looking forward to your return.”
“Okay.”
Lottie gave a small nod, her hands tightening slightly from nervousness.
Inside the dining room-
Lilly sat at the head of the table. On her left were her eldest and second daughters.
Lottie entered and greeted them politely. “Hi, everyone.”
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Her two aunts responded coolly. Lilly, however, looked past her, searching. When she realized the person she wanted to see wasn’t there, her frown deepened, the lines between her brows sharp.
“Where’s Nigel?”
Lottie answered honestly, “Something urgent came up. He had to leave.”
The very next second, a coffee cup flew straight at her, followed by a thunderous shout.
“Get out and bow!”
When Lottie stepped out of the Pollard family estate, her limp was noticeably worse.
Over the past three years, if Nigel didn’t return with her, this was always how it ended-another round of punishment.
She wasn’t surprised.
What Nigel never realized was that every time he tried to prove his love to the woman he cared about, he was pushing Lottie closer to the edge.
The Pollard family had no place for a useless young lady who couldn’t even hold onto her husband’s heart.
