Yet, no matter how strained their relationship had become, she had still raised Melody—had cared for her, nurtured her. And seeing her like this, broken and sobbing, shook her to the core.
She knew she had acted impulsively, that she had made a mistake. But at the same time, the sound of Melody's heart-wrenching cries, the girl she had loved and raised for over a decade, made it impossible for her to remain indifferent.
Mrs. Evans tried several times to explain, but no words came out. She opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, yet no sound escaped.
Guilt weighed heavily on her as she glanced at her best friend, Mrs. Winters, whose face was twisted with rage. Then, her eyes shifted to Duke, whose cheeks had flushed red, though he remained regal and composed, as if nothing had happened.
However, the chilling coldness in his eyes was unmistakable, sending a shiver down her spine, making her feel as though she had been plunged into an ice cellar.
