When Two Winters Met (Henrietta and Yosef) novel Chapter 210

It was a striking mark, and on an adult woman, it had a certain allure.

“Jethro and Leticia were both there that night,” Yosef explained, rubbing her fingers. “He said he ran into Artina at the entrance to the ballroom, and she was wearing a low-cut gown.”

Of course. It all made sense now.

“At the party last night,” Henrietta recalled, “her birthmark was visible then, too.”

In a room full of women in evening gowns, it wouldn’t have been unusual.

“No wonder Jethro is so devoted to her,” Henrietta mused. He had found the girl who had shown him a small act of kindness years ago, and now, every time he saw her in a certain dress, that birthmark would serve as a constant reminder of that sweet, innocent moment. It explained why he was so willing to forgive her, to indulge her, even to publicly apologize on her behalf.

Henrietta rubbed her temples, not knowing what to think. The whole situation was more dramatic than a soap opera—tragic, absurd, and utterly ridiculous. The pitiful little boy denied a piece of candy had grown into a refined, gentle, and handsome man. But the kind little girl who had offered it to him had grown into a complete monster.

“Yes,” Yosef said. “After he saw her, he said he didn't really think about it in a romantic way at first. He didn't even contact her privately or mention the candy. He just saw it as a pleasant encounter with a piece of his past, a sense of closure. But in the days that followed, he found himself thinking about her more and more. Then, Mom started pressuring him to find a suitable partner for an arranged marriage. But the Harmon family was nowhere near the level he was expected to marry into.”

“I know,” Henrietta nodded. The gap between the Harmon and Nash families was immense. Artina would never have crossed paths with Jethro in their usual social circles.

“He couldn't find anyone suitable, and his thoughts kept returning to Artina. That’s when he realized his feelings. He told our mother, and they approached the Harmon family to propose the engagement.”

Henrietta sighed.

Yosef glanced at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. “What are you sighing about, my dear wife?”

“I just find it all so… unfortunate,” she said after a moment.

“Tell me.”

“When you were children, your parents were strict because they wanted you to grow into exceptional adults. But now that you’re grown, they seem to have become less demanding.”

Or maybe… she should talk to Jethro first, after dinner? Give him a hint, at least, to prepare him for the shock.

The truth would be a brutal blow, and she wasn't sure how he would react. Would he, in an effort to protect his pride or his idealized memory of that little girl, ask her to go easy on Artina?

She frowned, feeling conflicted.

Yosef, sensing her turmoil, said, “Henrietta, don’t feel regret or pity over this. Some people are simply wrong from the start, and a few fleeting moments of goodness don’t change who they are.”

Henrietta looked at him, struck by his words. The man beside her, so handsome and coolly detached, was rational to the point of being cold.

But he was right. Knowing Artina’s true nature, Henrietta understood that better than anyone.

Suddenly, she understood why his top aides revered him as a god. He was rational, perceptive, and composed, but he could also be ruthless and decisively cruel when necessary.