Chapter 511:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

“Thea, you think so too, don’t you?” Clara lifted her tear-streaked face, hope and excitement flaring as she turned toward Thea. “You believe Miss Reed should agree to this, right?”

Thea arched a brow and strolled over with an easy smile. She angled her body just enough to block Clara’s line of sight to Gerda, cutting off any chance of dragging her back into a meaningless exchange. “Yes, indeed.”

She lifted her gaze to Clara, whose face had already darkened at having her view obstructed, and let a faint, knowing smile linger on her lips. “What you all just said makes perfect sense to me.”

“Thea…” Behind Thea, Gerda’s brows knitted together. She reached out uncertainly, tugging at Thea’s sleeve, her voice dropping to a whisper meant for them alone. “Do you even know what you’re saying?”

How could she acknowledge Clara as her close friend at a moment like this?

Catching the hesitation in Gerda’s tone, Thea let her smile deepen. She patted Gerda’s hand lightly, a silent reassurance.

“Miss Reed.” Someone nearby, having overheard Gerda’s question and watched the interaction unfold, spoke up eagerly. “You really shouldn’t hesitate anymore. Just agree to it.”

“See? Even Miss Dawson agrees!”

“Exactly.”

Clara quickly composed herself. Her shrewd gaze slid past Thea’s shoulder and settled on Gerda. “Miss Reed, I truly wish to have you as my close friend… Since Jaylynn left, I’ve come to realize I can no longer live trapped in grief. Today, when I saw you come to wish me a happy birthday, I suddenly understood, this is the gift I desire above all else…”

𝘈𝗰𝘵𝘪𝘃𝖾 𝘤𝗈𝗆mun𝗂𝘁у 𝗈𝘯 𝗴𝘢𝘭nоvе𝘭𝘴.с𝗈𝗺

She carefully softened her eyes, molding them into a picture of gentleness. “Would you grant the wish of a mother who has lost her daughter?”

If Gerda agreed tonight under the weight of everyone’s urging, Clara was certain she could bind the girl to her for life. If Victor finalized the agreement with Jerred and she secured Gerda’s support, then the Dawson family’s bright future would be firmly within her grasp.

Clara’s words and the surrounding voices pressing in made Gerda’s brows draw together.

She frowned, her gaze drifting back to Thea standing before her. “Thea, you—”

“Yes,” Thea said calmly. “If Aunt Clara has truly lost her daughter, then it would indeed be fitting for you to do this to comfort her.”

She looked at Gerda, a faint smile lifting the corners of her lips. As she spoke, she deliberately stressed the words “has truly lost her daughter.”

Gerda paused for a heartbeat. Then understanding dawned. She stopped resisting. Drawing in a slow breath, she looked at Thea and returned her smile. “Thea is right,” she said solemnly. “If Mrs. Dawson’s daughter has truly passed away, then I should indeed offer her the birthday gift she wants, to comfort her.”

With that, she turned, tilting her head to look at Clara with apparent sincerity. “However, Mrs. Dawson, you know my position. As the eldest daughter of the Dawson family, I believe such a decision cannot be made lightly. Even if we don’t need my parents’ immediate consent, this should certainly be done in public, right?”

Clara was briefly caught off guard, but she quickly rearranged her expression into a radiant smile. “You’re absolutely right! Of course we should announce it publicly.”

Rising at once, she raised her voice to the guests scattered throughout the house. “Everyone, may I have your attention, please? I have an important announcement to make!”

.

.

.

The End

.

.

Message from Noa: Have a beautiful morning dear readers. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (˵ •̀ ᴗ – ˵ ) ✧

.