<b>Chapter </b><b>8 </b>
During her shifts at the clinic, Elissa would tirelessly remind her patients to keep
themselves warm, repeating the advice as often as necessary. But when it came <i>to </i>her own health, she was far more indifferent.
Frank could only shake his head at her nonchnce. “What are <i>you </i>going <i>to </i><i>do </i>if you catch a cold or a fever?”
“I’ll just take some medicine,” she replied breezily.
She knew from experience that a simple cold was easy enough to treat–a dose or two of medicine and she’d be mostly fine. It had always been that way <i>for </i>the past three years.
She certainly didn’t expect Frank to take care of her.
In fact, she didn’t expect anyone to.
Frank watched her dismiss her own wellbeing and felt a vague difort settle in his chest. “You make it sound like your husband doesn’t care about you at all.”
She paused, caught off guard. “Did you open the present I gave you yesterday?”
“Not yet,” he answered in his usual even tone. “It’s for my birthday, isn’t it? I figured I’d save it for then.”
“…Alright,” she murmured.
That actually gave her plenty of time to prepare.
They rarely had much to talk about, and after that, the car fell into silence.
Frank nced over at Elissa, who simply gazed out of the window at the rush of traffic, <i>her </i>expression unreadable, her posture quietly reserved. She looked harmless, gentle
even.
He couldn’t understand why Marcia disliked her so much.
Frank’s lips twitched as he tried <i>to </i>think of something to say, but just then, his phone rang.
“Mr. Atwater, Ms. Carson has <i>gone </i>on a blind date,” said the voice on the other end, calm and measured.
Elissa heard every word.
The air inside the car instantly grew tight and stifling. Elissa could feel the storm brewing inside Frank as he fought <i>to </i>restrain his anger.
He was alwaysposed, rarely showing any trace of temper.
<b>1/3 </b>
13:28
“Send me the location,” he said, his voice cold and low.
After hanging up, Frank looked over at Elissa, his expression <i>once </i>again calm, but his words left no room for negotiation. “Elissa, something urgent hase up. I can’t go with you to the family dinner tonight.”
What urgent matter? Elissa didn’t bother to question him. There was <i>no </i>point in making herself look even more pitiful.
“I understand.”
She lowered her gaze. “Ridge, could you pull over up ahead?”
The car eased to a stop.
Frank didn’t move. Elissa looked at him in confusion. “Frank<i>, </i><i>you </i><i>should </i>get going. We can’t stay parked here.”
“…Alright.”
He hesitated for a moment, but seeing the softness in her expression, he found himself at a loss for words. So, he simply got out of the car.
11
The Murphy family’s monthly dinner was nothing like the lively, harmonious gatherings of other old families.
Counting Frank, there were only five people. To put it mildly, the atmosphere was quiet–quiet enough to rival a wake. Honestly, it felt a lot like one.
As soon as Elissa stepped into the old house, the butler led her toward the dining room.
“Miss Elissa, the matriarch has been waiting for you since this morning. She’s been looking forward <i>to </i>your return.”
“Thank you,” Elissa replied softly, her hands unconsciously tightening in front of her.
Inside the <i>dining </i>room, Matriarch Paige Murphy sat at the head of the table. To her left sat her eldest and second daughters.
Elissa entered and greeted them one by one, following the family’s tradition.
“Grandmother. Aunt Margaret. Aunt Sylvia.”
The two aunts responded with lukewarm acknowledgment. Matriarch Paige, however, peered over Elissa’s shoulder and frowned deeply when she saw she was alone, the lines on her face etched sharply. “Where’s Frank?”
Elissa answered honestly. “He had an urgent mattere up and had to leave.”
The next moment, a furious shout rang out, apanied by the sound of a teacup shattering on the table.
13:29
“Out! Kneel in the hallway!”