Angeline felt incapable of loving someone again. Her heart harbored only deep-seated hatred.
"Hatred, huh?"
A voice echoed from the doorway.
Angeline turned her head. She saw an elderly gentleman standing at the door. He was about Robert's age. His eyes sparkled with kindness. He held a tray with a pot of chamomile tea.
She recognized him. He seemed to be the Lawson family's retired butler. She recalled Sean's assistant, Taylor, had mentioned that Paul Danvers, the retired butler, had been managing a farm for Robert on the outskirts of Krontos for many years.
"What?"
Angeline looked at Paul in puzzlement.
Paul approached Angeline with a smile. He placed the small table by her bed and set the teapot before her.
"I mean, Ms. Emmerson, you must hold onto that hatred in your heart. It will give you the strength to face challenges head-on! Constantly yielding and running away from trouble isn't the Lawson way.
"We believe in repaying our debts, whether in kindness or vengeance. Forgiveness is God's work, not ours," he explained.
Angeline was confused.
"If that's the case, why hasn't the Lawson family taken revenge on the Emmerson family?"
"Who says we haven't? Why do you think the entire Emmerson village is struggling in poverty? To let them see the world's prosperity, yet forever confine them to the lowest rungs of society, unable to break free despite their efforts. Isn't that more interesting than simply killing them?"
Angeline suddenly understood that the Lawson family had indeed spared her intentionally.
Over the years, the Emmerson family's village had become increasingly impoverished. It appeared that no college students were coming out from there anymore.
"From now on, I will be looking after your living necessities," Paul said gently.
"And the lives of the little ones in your womb."
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Second Marriage to Mr. Rich (Ned Fletcher)