Chapter 38
The dining table was laden with a feast of exquisite dishes. Fintan and Kira greeted Amaris warmly, their enthousiasm podpalde. Tara, in partici couldn’t stop talking. “Amaris, eat more.” Eira encouraged with a bright smile. Back in the countryside, you didn’t have much arreu to freal this, did you? If there’s anything you’d like, let me know. I cur cook it for you and send it over anytime.”
Across the table. Ismay smiled sweetly, her expression radiating innocente.
Amaris didn’t even pick up her spoon. “Who knows what you might have put in the food? Baison, mayla
Fintan slammed his spoon down, his face reddening with anger. “Amiris! Have sonie manners Fira spent the whole afternoon in the kitchen preparing this meal for you!!
Ismay’s voice quivered, adding a note of wounded vulnerability. That’s right Amaris. We’re family. We mean you no harm”
Amaris’s lips curled into a smirk. “Cut the act. Nobody goes out of their way like this without an agenda. If you’ve got something to say, spit it out
‘Don’t waste time pretending we’re one big happy family–It’s disgusting,’ she thought.
Fintan glared at her, his jaw tightening. Ismay’s earlier complaints about Amaris rang true in his cars. She’s arrogant, disrespectful, and completely out of control, he thought. If she marries into the Hale family, she’ll cause trouble for us!
He opened his mouth to yell, but Eira tugged at his sleeve under the table.
Fintan exhaled sharply, forcing himself to calm down. “Fine. Amaris, I know you’ve been studying medicine under your grandfather, and you’re quite talented. I have a friend who’s been battling a chronic illness for years. I want you to take a look at him. Do me this favor, Amaris. The Larkspur family is a prestigious household. If you can help him, it’ll open doors for you. Everyone will know you are genius. It’ll help you when you marry Ostic–people won’t look down on you anymore?
Amans leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. “And why should I care? You’re nobody to me?
Fiman’s hand slammed down on the table, rattling the plates and glasses. I’m your father! Don’t forget that! If it weren’t for ine, you wouldn’t even be Osric’s fiancee! The Hale family wanted an alliance with the Wynn family, not your grandfather’s side of the family!”
Amaris’s eyes darkened. He has the nerve to bring up my mother’s family!
She met his gaze, her voice cold and sharp. “Fintin–right now, you’re the one asking for my help. If you want me to do anything for you, you’d better show some humility. Why don’t you take your little mistress to my mother’s grave, kneel down, and knock your heads against the tombstone ten times while saying. T’m sorry‘? Maybe then Ell consider it.”
“You ungrateful brat!” Fintan shot to his feet, his face red with fury
He grabbed a glass and hurled it to the floor, shattering it into pieces.
Eira’s expression stiffened. “Amaris, that’s enough. How could you say such things? Your father and I didn’t marry until after your mother passed away. You shouldn’t be accusing me of anything!”
“Oh, is that so!” Amaris glanced at Eira and Ismay, a mocking glint in her eyes. “You married him when Ismay was already four or five years old. Are you claiming your daughter isn’t his?”
She turned her gaze to Fintan, her smile sharp as a blade. “Well, Fintan, if that’s the case, you’ve been tolerating it for years, haven’t you?”
Fintan clutched his chest, his breathing labored.
“You disrespectful… “His voice broke as he raised his hand to strike her.
“Let’s see you try!” A deep voice boomed from the doorway
Fintan froze, his hand suspended mid–air–because he saw Oric
“Mr. Hale, what brings you here?” Eira exclaimed excitedly the moment she spotted Osric
Jamnay, who had just risen to her feet, looked at the tall, strikingly handsome Oric standing in the doorway with his usual air of defiance. Her eyes sparkled, and her heart began to race.
Oric stood at the entrance, his figure illuminated by the warm, golden glow of the porch lights. Amaris stared at him, momentarily taken aback For the first time, she found herself admitting that his presence carried a certain undeniable chartuma
The light around him only accentuated his face, strikingly handsome. Every feature, from the tilt of his eyes to the curve of his brunes, sermed
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Chapter 38
meticulously crafted–flawlessly perfect and exuding an undeniable air of aristocracy.
Osric’s lips curved into a faint smirk as he caught her lingering gaze.
He strode over before pulling her behind him with a firm yet casual tug Leaning down slightly, he murmured in her ear, his voice low and teasing, “Have you stared enough“”
Amaris blinked, snapping out of her daze.
What’s he doing here! I didn’t even tell him I came back to the Wynn family, she thought.
Osric straightened, his expression turned icy as he faced Fintan. ‘Go ahead. Hit her. What’s stopping you?”
Fintan’s hand dropped awkwardly, his anger replaced by unease: Eira stepped forward quickly, plastering on a smile “Mr. Hale, please don’t misunderstand. Amaris and Fintan just had a little disagreement. We were trying to calm things down.”
Ismay jumped in, her tone sweet and deferential “That’s right Mr. Larkspur’s illness isn’t something even experienced doctors can treat. Amaris is still a novice—if she fails, wouldn’t it reflect poorly on the Hale family!”
The mention of the Larkspur family made Ovric’s sharp eyes narrow further, the temperature in the room seemingly dropping
