Faux Vows, True Desires novel Chapter 499

After the family reunion, lunch was served—a hearty spread of roast beef, mashed potatoes, and green beans filled the dining room with the comforting aromas of a traditional Western meal.

As the last bites of apple pie were savored, Grandma and Grandpa announced they were tuckered out and headed upstairs for a nap.

“Come on, Lucy, let’s go up,” said Janice warmly as she took Lucinda's hand, guiding her away from the lingering relatives.

The grandparents’ departure was the cue for everyone else to scatter. Janice, already bored with the small talk, eagerly led her daughter upstairs.

Not long after, Kayla and Ashley gathered their broods and retreated to their respective corners of the large family home.

Once inside her room, Ashley turned to her daughter, her voice a mix of curiosity and trepidation. “Erin, bring me those two jewelry boxes your grandma gave you, sweetheart.”

Erin trotted over, her small arms clutching the ornate boxes with ease—a bad sign. What Grandma had given her might just be the boxes—empty promises.

Little Erin, still naïve in her youth, reveled in her triumph of having been favored by Grandma. She had always heard how her cousin Lucy, who had gone missing years ago, was the apple of Grandma's eye.

Now that Lucy had returned, Erin’s status as the cherished princess of the Blue family felt threatened. She realized that not only her position but also the attention at fancy gatherings might shift towards her cousin, who was, after all, the legitimate daughter of the head of the family.

But don't be fooled by Erin's tender age of ten; in the Blue household, even the youngest had their wiles.

“Here, Mom. From now on, whatever Lucy gets from Grandma, I'll ask for the same. I can't let her outshine me. I'm still Grandma's favorite granddaughter,” Erin declared with a cute yet calculated smile, handing the boxes over to Ashley.

Ashley opened them to find they were indeed just boxes—empty at that. Not even a single bracelet, much less any precious jewels.

She sighed, her intuition verified.

“Huh? Why are they empty?” Erin's confusion was evident as her eyes widened in disbelief.

Ashley opened the second box to find it just as barren. She tossed them to the floor in frustration and gave Erin a pointed look. “Didn’t you think to ask for the jewelry and not just the boxes? Your cousin probably got the real treasure, and you—just the containers.”

Erin’s face fell, her innocence unable to shield her from the sting of the lesson. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she realized that Grandma’s affections might have shifted with Lucy’s return.

Left behind, Kayla muttered to herself, vexed by her daughter's lack of ambition but oblivious to the wisdom in Judith's caution.

Nevertheless, Kayla decided not to go and revel in the misfortunes of Ashley from the third household.

Her daughter had made some very sensible points, after all.

Janice had returned.

And so had Lucinda, bringing with her the wealthiest man from Pinehurst. The dynamics under Sunnyglade Abbey's roof were about to shift dramatically.

After some thought, Kayla handpicked a selection of nourishing delicacies, then summoned two maids to assist her with carrying them. She set off once again toward the grand central manor where the head of the household resided.