Pepper leaned in closer to Gianna, her voice soft yet firm as she attempted to quell the rising storm within her friend. "Gianna, listen to me. You are the heiress of the Malone family. Why would you even think about confronting a woman like Anneliese head-on? Without Old Mr. Fullbuster''s endorsement, she''s nothing more than a jester in this grand y of high society. Trust me, they will eventually push her out of their circle. There''s no need for you to rush into this."


    Navigating the treacherous waters of high society had never been a simple task, especially when it came to securing a good marriage.


    Wendy and Adrian had once burned with a passion that resembled wildfire, and Wendy had truly believed that she would find love in her marriage. But, as fate would have it, her dreams had been dashed, leaving her heart shattered and alone.


    Anneliese, on the other hand, bore the heavy burden of a divorce, her body marked by scars that made the prospect of motherhood seem like a distant dream.


    Shecked even the capabilities that Wendy had possessed at that time. When Wendy had married Adrian, she had already been carrying their child, Steven.


    Had that not been the case, Adrian''s father would never have allowed her into their prestigious family.


    Jonathan had rushed to secure the marriage license with Anneliese before even informing the rest of the family. This only fueled the resentment that the Fullbuster family would undoubtedly harbor against her; her journey within their world was bound to be fraught with obstacles.


    The oue of this tangled web of rtionships felt as if it had already been etched into stone.


    "I can''t stand her! I absolutely hate her!" Gianna burst out, her frustration evident as she shook Pepper''s arm in a fit of anger.


    Pepper gently pinched Gianna''s cheek, a motherly gesture meant to calm her. "You mustn''t make things more difficult for her, especially in Mr. Fullbuster''s presence. No matter the circumstances, she is his wife, and he will always defend her reputation."


    "Lucky b*tch. Some people are just born with all the advantages, aren''t they? Divorced, yet she still manages to marry Jonathan,” Gianna retorted bitterly, unable to shake the feeling that Anneliese was no different than Jessica.


    A shadow passed over Pepper''s eyes, her expression darkening slightly. "Yes, she certainly has her share of luck."


    Just then, Jonathan descended the staircase, and his eyes fell upon Wendy, who was lost in thought by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the sitting room.


    "Madam Chalmont," he greeted her, his voice warm yet filled with concern.


    Wendy''s gaze remained fixed outside, her mind seemingly adrift in distant memories, as if she hadn''t heard him at all.


    As Jonathan stepped closer, the sound of his footsteps seemed to break the spell, causing Wendy to startle slightly and bring her focus back to the present moment.


    He noticed she was clutching a yellowed piece of paper, which appeared to be some kind of medical test result. Before he could discern its contents, Wendy swiftly folded it and tucked it away, as if hiding a secret.


    "Why are you down here? I may not know all the details of what she went through, but it must have been terrifying. Right now, you should be with her, offering yourfort,” he urged, concern etched on his face.


    Though Anneliese had not shared every detail with Wendy, the wounds that marred her body and the frantic way she had jumped into Wendy''s car spoke volumes. Wendy could piece together the fragments of Anneliese''s ordeal.


    Perhaps it reminded her of a simr experience from her own youth-being kidnapped and fleeing for her life.


    That harrowing chapter of her past ignited a fierce protective instinct within Wendy towards Anneliese.


    She had brought her home, and


    wave of worry washed over her as she thought of the young woman''s plight.


    "Thank you for your kindness, Madam Chalmont. My wife is struggling right now. We may need to impose an you for a little longer. apologize for ruining your New Year Jonathan said, his voice tinged with regret.


    Wendy chuckled softly, a lightness in her tone. "Look at you you''ve learned to appreciate her without anyone needing to teach you. That''s wonderful.”


    Jonathan raised an eyebrow, a tender smile ying at the corners of his lips. "Please, no teasing, Madam Chalmont."


    She shook her head, her expression


    sincere. "I''m not teasing. I''m


    genuinely relieved. I can see that


    she''s a good person. It makes sense that


    ally


    Mrs. Fullbuster personall asked me to design her wedding dress."


    s?novels


    Jonathan, taken aback, realized he had never heard that before; Penelope had kept


    it from him.


    "My wife in a dress designed by you? She''s going to look absolutely breathtaking, and I can''t contain my excitement,” he replied, his voice filled with enthusiasm.


    Wendy couldn''t help but smile, a warmth spreading through her heart. He had never been this talkative; his evident affection for Anneliese was unmistakable.


    As Jonathan''s feelings became more apparent, old memories and quiet anxieties stirred within Wendy, lingering in the back of her mind.


    After a moment of contemtion, she asked cautiously, "Would you mind sharing what happened?"


    A sense of unease settled over her, fearing that this incident might echo the dark shadows of her own past involving India.


    But then again, India had never struck her as that kind of person, though perhaps she had misjudged her. Some girls transformedpletely when they fell in love.


    "My wife''s background is a bitplicated," Jonathan began, sensing her concern. Since Wendy had been so supportive of Anneliese, he feltpelled to provide her with a brief overview of the situation.


    Upon learning that it wasn''t rted to India, Wendy exhaled a sigh of relief. “So her past is truly turbulent. It sounds like she grew up without parents. Poor girl..."


    For reasons she couldn''t quite articte, the image of Anneliese in an orphanage, finally reuniting with her parents only to be met with further hardships, twisted Wendy''s heart painfully.


    Perhaps it was her age; she couldn''t help but think of her own daughter.


    If her daughter were still alive, Wendy hoped she would have grown to be as resilient and radiant as Anneliese.


    Jonathan smiled at her, a knowing look in his eyes. "You''ve taken quite a liking to her, haven''t you, Madam Chalmont?"