Even though the Finch family wasnât technically responsible for the disaster, Joelle couldnât help but feel the pain wash over her again when she saw them.
It wasnât that she wanted to sever ties with them; she simply wanted to avoid the overwhelming grief that washed over her every time she was reminded of the incident by seeing them.
âItâs okay. Iâm much better now,â she said, holding Adrianâs arm. âI forgot something in the pavilion. Letâs go back and get it.â
It was clearly just an excuse to avoid further interaction with the Finch family, something that didnât need to be stated outright.
As Joelle turned away, Aurora sneaked a glance at Dunn, who was standing beside Gracie. His tiny fists were clenched, and his gaze mirrored the unease and worry in Auroraâs eyes. Even at such a young age, they both understood that they couldnât be friends anymore because of the issues between their families.
Just when the tension had started to ease, Milaâs disgruntled voice rang out. âAre you really going to be like this, Joelle? Do we owe you anything, huh? Donât act like youâre the only one suffering! Weâve had significant losses too, okay?â
Mila apparently failed to read the room, letting her anger take over without regard for anyone elseâs feelings. Fred shot her a cold look and growled, âShut up, Mila.â
âWhat? Was I wrong?â Mila shot back. âBecause of her, Grandpa has been hospitalized. Weâre victims too! Why should we keep putting up with this?â
Gracie grabbed her arm. âThatâs enough, Mila.â
Step into new worlds at g Ɐ lnÏ Î½ð® âsâ¤conn âIf the two of you are too afraid to speak up, Iâm not!â Mila shoved Gracieâs hand away and confronted Joelle. âYour child was your responsibility, Joelle. You canât expect the whole world to feel sorry for you just because you jumped off a building. When your son died, the person he probably hated most was you. You failed to look after him as his parent. Itâs entirely your fault heâs dead, yet you act like everyone should grieve the same way you do. Get over yourself and quit the drama, will you?â
âCut it out, Aunt!â Even Dunn was acutely aware of how outrageous those words sounded, yet Mila steadfastly held on to her self-righteous position, unwavering. Before Joelle could gather her thoughts, Adrian spun around and strode toward Mila with determined intensity.
Mila froze, shocked by the chill in his gaze. As she drew breath to speak, her words were stolen by the sting of a sudden slap that crashed across her face.
Mila was visibly shaken, and Joelle was equally shocked. Adrian had slapped a woman.
Though still in shock, Joelle felt an undeniable urge to applaud him. After all, Mila had brought this upon herself. âAdrian!â
Fred and Gracie instinctively stepped in front of Mila. No matter the situation, they were bound to defend their familyâs honor in the publicâs gaze.
âMilaâs just acting childish; sheâs still so young,â Fred commented.
Adrianâs gaze was as cold as ice. âEven Dunn shows more maturity than she ever does. This isnât just immaturity; itâs pure foolishness.â
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Message from Noa: Had a great weekend dear readers! Had an amazing day. God bless you, and Noa wishes you all the best. (ââ¿â¿O)
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