<b>Chapter </b>548
Noticing David’s displeasure, Jillian thought her husband was making a fuss <b>over </b>nothing.
They’re already engaged. What’s the harm in them seeing each other more often? You’re just worrying too much,” she said.
<b>Not </b>caring that there were guests present, David mmed his fork down and eximed, “What do you mean, ‘seeing <b>each </b>other more often<b>‘</b><b>? </b>She’s a young woman who always runs off to a man’s house. What will people say if the word gets out?
“I don’t care where she is. We <b>have </b>guests here<b>, </b>so go get her back for me, now<b>!</b>”
Jason Molina, their son, <b>was </b>familiar with situations like this. He thought, ‘Honestly, it’s kind of strange. Dad had agreed to Millie marrying Samuel, but now he didn’t want them to spend too much time together. I guess he just has nothing better to do.’
<b>As </b><b>a </b>young guy, Jason naturally had a soft spot for pretty girls like Aubree. He nudged Aubree and whispered, “Don’t mind my dad, and don’t be scared. He’s always like this. He has a bad temper, but he’ll cool off soon.”
Aubree just smiled and nodded without saying anything. From the situation, it seems like there was definitely something going on with the vige chief’s family.
The group naturally didn’tment on the family’s matters. They remained quiet and tried to gather as much information as they could from the conversation.
Jillian didn’t like that her daughter was being criticized in front of guests<b>, </b>so she and David started bickering back and forth, and it looked like they were on the verge of having a full–blown fight.
Ethan quickly jumped in to smooth things over <b>as </b>he offered, “Hey, don’t worry. If Millie isn’t back yet, I’ll go get her and bring her home.”
Just then, they heard someone at the courtyard gate, “Dad, Mom!” That must be Millie back.
Jason nced over and <b>was </b>shocked to see his sister. He asked in concern, “Millie, what happened to you? Why are your eyes so puffy?”
Millie’s eyes were swollen red, and she kept wiping away her tears. She tried to stifle her sobs when she noticed they were guests in the house<b>, </b>but she just couldn’t hold it in and blurted everything out, “I went to see Samuel today! Josephine Walls, who lives near the end of the vige<b>, </b>is picking on me again!”
*Watch your mouth!” David barked.
Jillian, who had already brought up her daughter’s marriage earlier when Aubree and the others arrived, now grew even more upset. She chided, “Why can’t she say it? You’re her father, so how can you sit there and let someone walk all over your daughter?”
Millie choked back her <b>tears </b><b>as </b>she exined, “These days, everyone in the vige is gossiping that Samuel and Josephine are messing around behind my <b>back</b>. I went to confront him about it today, and the way he stammered and avoided my eyes. He is totally guilty, I can just tell from his behavior!”
No one knows how the rumor started, but word is that one day after work in town, someone saw the vige chief’s son, Samuel, and widower, Josepine, getting all handsy at the bus stop. It was sad that Samuel even chased her all the way back to her house<b>. </b>
The rumors just kept spreading, and before long, it turned into everyone saying Samuel and Josephone had been hooking up for ages, and as Millie <b>was </b>just the one getting screwed over.
Jillian knew all too well how the vigers loved to gossip, and that half of what they said was probably fabricated. She usually vented at home, since if she actually went to the <b>vige </b>chief’s house to argue about something with no proof, she’d have no real reason to back herself up.
But now, hearing her daughter <b>say </b>all this, Jillian got anxious and eximed, “Samuel always looked like such an honest guy. How could he do something like that?
“No way, I’m going to the vige chief’s house to get some answers<b>.</b><b>” </b>
She wiped her hands on her apron, took it off<b>, </b>and grabbed Millie, <b>ready </b>to head out.
David yelled as he mmed his hand on the table<b>, </b>“Stop right there<b>! </b>
<b>“</b>What <b>are </b>you trying to do?
“This is <b>all </b><b>just </b>idle gossip. It’s only because you gossipy women in town have nothing better to do than always keep <b>an </b>eye on other people that these rumors even get started.”
Millie stomped her foot in frustration<b>, </b>calling out, “<b>Dad</b>!