She Turned Her Grief Into Wings novel Chapter 21

By the end of the day, Shera's face felt paralyzed from smiling so much.

As the sky darkened and she finally saw off the last group of guests, she let out a quiet sigh of relief. Perhaps from the breeze down by the pond, her nose was beginning to feel congested.

"Ma’am, Dewitt is asking for you."

Shera looked puzzled. She glanced at Caden beside her, who seemed equally clueless, so she turned back to Finch.

"Do you know what it's about?"

The butler shook his head. "You'll know when you go in."

Inside the living room, Dewitt sat in his wheelchair with a light blanket draped over his legs. Seeing Shera enter, he waved her closer. "I noticed your wrists were bare during the toasts today. This is for you."

He pulled a velvet box from his pocket.

Shera leaned forward to take it, and Dewitt gave a brief nod, signaling her to open it.

Inside rested a flawless emerald heirloom bracelet.

Dewitt said, "This is passed down to the women who join the Hayes family. It should have been yours a long time ago."

Shera stared at the bracelet, zoning out for a brief moment.

She recognized it. She had seen one just like it on Effie's wrist before. Each daughter-in-law of the Hayes family received one, but since Caden's mother had passed away early, this particular piece had remained in Dewitt's possession.

An indescribable wave of emotion churned in her chest.

Once, she would have dreamed of receiving this. It wasn't just a piece of jewelry; it was the ultimate seal of approval from the Hayes family. She had tried so hard to earn their validation, to truly become part of this family. She had waited for Dewitt to offer it, waited for Caden to mention it, waited for the day she would finally be accepted.

But after three whole years of waiting, nothing ever came.

Eventually, she stopped hoping. And later, she stopped wanting Caden altogether.

Now, sitting in the palm of her hand, the bracelet felt cool and exquisite—even more beautiful than the one she remembered on Effie.

Shera looked at it for a couple of seconds before snapping the velvet box shut.

It was too late. She didn't need it anymore.

After a long silence, she finally spoke. "Have Aiken bring the agreement over tomorrow, and pick a time for us to go to City Hall to finalize the paperwork."

Caden didn't react. His expression remained completely unreadable, and he stayed perfectly silent.

Outside, a light drizzle began to fall, the raindrops drumming softly against the car.

The warmth inside the cabin caused a thin layer of fog to bloom across the windows, where droplets of condensation trickled down in winding trails.

For the nearly hour-long drive, the car was deathly quiet, filled only with the sound of the rain and their steady breathing.

The car finally glided to a stop at the entrance. Shera's lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but she ultimately stopped herself. She pushed the door open and walked straight inside.

Only when the front door clicked shut did Caden withdraw his gaze. On the center armrest sat an object that hadn't been there before. He glanced down to see the velvet box. Resting on top of the box was the cold pill he had just given her.

He didn't need to open it; he knew exactly what was inside, and he knew exactly why the old man had called her in.

Caden lowered his eyes, the dim light casting a shadow through his lashes, hiding whatever thoughts were racing through his mind.

The rain continued to fall. No one knew how long his car remained parked in the dark.