hapter 1038
Cornelia was like, âWill you tell me?â
She was super into the whole Mr. Augustine saga, and Marcus didnât want to rain on her parade, so he spilled it all out, âThe death of Mr. Augustineâs wife and kid is all tangled up with his family.â
Cornelia jumped up, âSeriously? His own kin caused his wife and kid to bite the dust? What kind of sc umba gsâ¦â
Marcus told her to cool it and sit back down, âChill, let me finish my story.â
Cornelia was like, âGo on.â
Marcus continued, âMr. Augustineâs family is from the Capital, typical blue-bloods. Who he was gonna marry was pretty much a done deal from the mament he was born. But Mr. Augustine wasnât down with the chick his fam wanted him to marry. He tried to call off the engagement a few times, but got shot down each time.â
Cornelia sighed, âRich families always put their interests first, never giving a da mn about how their kids feel. Probably see them as pawns to expand the family business. Whether theyâre actually happy or not, nobody gives a cr ap.â
She then realized that she might have hit a nerve with Marcus, âJeremy, I wasnât throwing shade at the Hartley family.â
Marcus just ruffled her hair, âStill wanna hear about Mr. Augustine?â
Cornelia nodded, âIâm all ears.â
Marcus went on, âThe news about Mr. Augustine trying to bail on the engagement reached his fiancee pretty quick. So she cooked up a plan to meet him. She confessed she had eyes for someone else and didnât want to get hitched either. They decided to ditch their families and fight against this cr ap py arranged marriage.â
Cornelia asked, âDid she make a run for it? Did she end up with the guy she had the hots for? Did she live happily ever after?
Marcus replied, âShe did and theyâre living the dream. Theyâre both in their nineties now and still kicking.â
Cornelia asked, âYou know them?â
Marcus nodded, âMr. Augustine and her might not have wanted to be husband and wife, but they became best buds. They kept in touch and I happened to know them.â
Cornelia was like, âAwesome! Now dish on how Mr. Augustine met his wife.â
Marcus continued, âAfter Mr. Augustine escaped from the Capital, he ended up in Sunflower Springs. Thatâs where he met his wife Mr. Augustineâs wife was just a regular gal, but rumor has it that he fell head over heels for her in a heartbeat. Mr. Augustine was a hottie, and from the Capital no less, What girl wouldnât fall for him? He wooed her and in no time, she was all his. They tied the knot and even had a kid. Then Mr. Augustineâs grandpa got sick and he went back to the Capital to see him. When he came back, his wife and kid were gone.â
Cornelia asked, âWas it an accident?â
Marcus replied, âThatâs the word on the street. His family might not have been cool with some regular girl, but they wouldnât snuff out Mr. Augustineâs kid.â
âMr. Augustine must have been crushed.â Just hearing the news made Cornelia feel like the rug had been pulled out from under her like she was suffocating.
She couldnât even picture what it must have been like for Mr. Augustine. Everything was fine when he left, but when he came back his wife and kid were gone. That had to be
kick in the teeth.
Marcus said, âIâm not sure how low he was, but I know heâs been beating himself up over it for decades. He always says, if only he hadnât gone back to the Capital, his wife and kid would still be alive and kickingâ
Cornelia held tight to Marcusâ arm, âWe never know if a curveball or the future will hit us first. We gotta cherish every moment and not wait until we lose it to regret it.â