Shirley stood in front of the mirror, lost in a sea of white lace and silk. The boutique was all glittering chandeliers and soft music, but she barely noticed. With the wedding coming up so fast, there was no way to order a custom dress, so she had to settle for something off the rack.
Across the room, Alice was also trying on dresses. Just as she smoothed down the fabric, her phone rang. One of the saleswomen, all smiles and efficiency, hurried over with her purse.
Alice picked up. “Hello? Who is this?”
“Alice, it’s Catherine. I’m calling to let you know Dad’s been moved to Harrisburg to recover. He said you should just focus on Shirley’s wedding and not worry about him.”
Alice’s eyes widened. “What? Your dad’s in Harrisburg now?” Annoyance crept into her voice. “No one even thought to discuss this with me?”
“It was Neely’s idea. Besides, Dad can make his own decisions. He’s at The Cabinda Military Medical University, and my father-in-law is helping take care of him.” Catherine’s tone held a subtle warning, as if daring Alice to interfere.
Alice’s heart skipped. The Cabinda Military Medical University wasn’t some small private clinic. There was no way to pull any tricks there without getting caught.
“Are you sure this is what your dad wanted?” Alice asked, trying to keep her anger in check.
“It’s exactly what he wants. You can call him yourself if you don’t believe me,” Catherine replied.
Catherine was right about Alice. With Shirley’s wedding on her mind, there was no way she’d go all the way to Harrisburg just to look after Nestor.
A sly glimmer appeared in Alice’s eyes as she glanced at her reflection. She put on an act, sighing. “Honestly, your father… making this kind of decision without talking to me first. But if that’s what he wants, fine. I’ll respect it.”
“Just focus on your daughter’s wedding. Don’t make Dad worry about anything else,” Catherine added.
Alice caught the trace of envy in Catherine’s voice and smirked. “Of course I’ll make sure everything is perfect. The James family is treating Shirley like royalty.”


VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: After the Fall A Leap into a Stranger's Arms