Chapter 2299
“Ms. Lewis, you are a blessed soul, and one day, you’ll find a husband who cherishes you just as much. But good things come to those who wait.”
Mara looped her arm through Alyssa’s, seeking warmth in the connection. “I wonder if I might snag a bit of affection from you, just like Ivy does? The first time I laid eyes on you, I felt this incredible sense of familiarity, like coming home to a freshly baked apple pie. Staying here has only deepened that feeling. You and Dean are just the kindest folks. I feel so close to you both, and I just hope I’m not wearing out my welcome.”
Alyssa, eagerly awaiting Ivy’s return, was in no mood for idle chit-chat. She gently patted Mara’s hand before sliding it off her arm.
“In time, you’ll find someone who’ll dote on you just the same, Ms. Lewis,” she said with a kind but distant tone.
Dean, meanwhile, was the picture of discretion, seemingly absorbed in his own thoughts and oblivious to the ladies’ exchange.
Mara was pushing the boundaries a bit, as far as family ties went. No matter her connection to Balfour, she couldn’t possibly hold a candle to Ivy.
Her words hung awkwardly in the air, but Mara, undeterred by the subtle rebuff, simply positioned her hand on Alyssa’s shoulder, feigning an intimacy that wasn’t quite there.
Just then, Balfour’s car pulled up to the curb. Alyssa’s attention shifted instantly, her face brightening as she moved to greet him.
Ivy, quick on her feet, stopped her. “Grandma, stay put! I’ll grab the stuff from the car and be right there.”
As Ivy turned to get her things, Balfour suggested she greet Alyssa first while he handled the luggage. She accepted nonchalantly, having grown accustomed to his attentiveness, and approached Alyssa with a beaming smile.
Alyssa was much warmer to her than to Mara. She grabbed Ivy’s hands and gave them a
firm shake.
“Oh, your hands are as cold as ice! Weren’t you using the heater in the car?” Alyssa clucked with concern, her hands enveloping Ivy’s in a warm grasp.
Then, Ivy greeted Mara in a nonchalant manner. “Ms. Lewis.”
“Ivy, dear, are you feeling completely recovered?” Mara asked.
Ivy nodded, then turned back to Alyssa. “Balfour wanted to turn on the heat, but I was feeling too warm, so I asked him not to. My hands are just a little chilly.”,
Alyssa also knew that once autumn and winter arrived, Ivy’s hands and feet would
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become icy. She mentioned that they should find a traditional medicine practitioner to
help regulate it. “Well, we might need to get a specialist to look into that. But for now, let’s get inside.”
Alyssa and Dean escorted Ivy inside, paying little mind to their grandson Balfour, leaving Mara alone at the entrance, peering inside with growing astonishment.
The longer she stayed with this family, the more she marveled at Ivy’s finesse. Despite being an outsider, Ivy was showered with the kind of adoration typically reserved for blood relatives. Mara couldn’t help but wonder what sort of magic Ivy wielded to win such affection. If they weren’t on opposite sides, she might’ve even asked for a few pointers.
Alyssa’s concern for Ivy seemed genuine, as if she were her own flesh and blood, radiating the sort of love that sometimes seemed to surpass even that of blood relatives.
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