Bride behind the mask novel (Marguerite) novel Chapter 883

Miley snapped her fingers toward the doorway, and a middle-aged woman promptly walked in.

Pointing at the newcomer, Miley began her introduction, “Mr. Winston, this is Laura—the top nurse in all of Cresthaven. I pulled some serious strings and paid a premium just to get her here for you! Trust me, with Laura taking care of you, you’ll be in much better hands than with Marguerite.”

Hayes, perched on the woman’s lap, nodded so enthusiastically it was almost comical. “That’s right, Uncle Maurice! Laura is wonderful—she’s incredibly attentive and focused. She has so many certifications, she could stack them up and they’d be taller than me! And she can give you massages every day!”

The man’s expression darkened noticeably, so much so that Marguerite could almost sense a dangerous glint in his eyes. But with his injuries having taken the fight out of him, and with everyone watching, there wasn’t much he could do about it.

Robert smiled, ever the peacemaker, and explained gently, “Maurice, Marguerite’s been handling Poppy Petal Fragrances ever since you were hospitalized. The canceled launch yesterday has already caused an uproar—she needs to be with the company. Keeping her here in the hospital day after day just isn’t practical. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Marguerite fully expected Maurice to refuse, but to her surprise, the harshness in his eyes softened. He turned to look at her, his voice laced with an unfamiliar note of compromise. “If that’s the case, you should go with them.”

Marguerite was stunned. Had he really agreed?

What was going on with Maurice? Lately, he’d been giving in to her more and more—first letting her attend the wedding, now letting her go home. It was so out of character for him.

She couldn’t figure out what he was thinking, or if he was quietly seething inside. Frowning, she pressed, “You’re really letting me go? You’re not going to have someone follow me?”

Maurice, pale and weakened by his injuries, looked almost heartbreakingly fragile. “Yes, you can go. I shouldn’t have insisted you stay before. Just come visit when you have time.”

Since when had Maurice become so magnanimous?