Unknown to both. Many things had changed between them and their whole families because of that small involuntary action from them.
Outside the room, Katie watched on for a bit and then said calmly, with her arms clasped humbly in front of her,
"Geneva, if she is really in there now, do we want to disturb them?"
Geneva, who had been about to knock again, paused with her hand mid-air.
"Silly me! Why did I not think of this?"
Turning to Suzie, she said, "Keep me updated and do not disturb them. It would be best if they were working on my future grandchild now."
Suzie blushed and nodded. Geneva gave a few more instructions and left afterwards.
Shelby, discarded as if she were nothing, snapped and started getting angry. But even in that state, she held a bit of rationality and did not speak out.
’Did I tell him to kiss me?! What a jerk!’
She got up from the bed hurriedly and straightened her pyjama. As her eyes had gotten accustomed to the dark, she had no problems getting out of the still-darkened room without sparing a backward glance. She pulled the door open and stepped into the sanctuary of her own room on time before her angry tears spilt down her cheeks. She felt so humiliated.
"What does he mean by this? Kiss me and then kick me out? Who does he think he is?" She used her sleeve to clean her tears and whispered in her empty room.
"Why do I always make people treat me this way? When will this ever end?"
She wiped more tears off her face.
"Huh?" Shelby looked around carefully as she hiccupped.
"Wh-o w-as that? Am I h-allucinating now?"
This time, it was unmistakable. She heard the voice clearly before it faded out. The voice never completed its statement. However, instead of getting more scared from hearing a voice with no one in sight, she surprisingly felt her heart calm down but still looked around guardedly.
"W-hat is going to happen soon?" She asked and looked around warily. A thought clicked in place then.
"Are you the person Gabriel talked about? Murray?"
Nevertheless, no matter how much Shelby called out, she heard no response and gave up after a while.
She climbed into her bed and started running the evening’s sequence of activities in her mind. She touched her slightly raw lips. She could still feel the imprint of his on hers.
’No matter what, he is your husband, so kissing you should be okay, Shelby. Let’s not overthink things. At least we are one step closer to our goal!’
She nodded as if to console herself and drifted off to a surprisingly peaceful sleep.
Across town and in another residence, a girl argued vehemently with her father. Even though it was late into the night, the residence was brightly lit and most of the workers here were hovering in conspicuous places to look at what was happening.
"Briana, my dear, don’t be so stubborn about this. I will find ano-"
"But mummy! I do not WANT another man; I want Ian... just him! Didn’t you and Daddy say that you would give me anything I wanted? This is what I want, Daddy!!! Where are you!"
Briana stomped her foot like a child, throwing a tantrum, which was exactly what she was doing then.
Mrs Mush rubbed his temples as he felt a headache start. ’Why did we promise Briana this?’
She and her husband had an ongoing conversation with Mr and Mrs Thornston when the older man casually mentioned that they were looking for a catalogue bride for their eldest son. Initially, she wanted no hand in it because catalogue brides were just baby makers, and she wanted the best for her daughter. The whole idea of such a bride was beneath them!
But Brianna had been so insistent about Ian that she eventually gave in. Personally, she, Mrs Abi Mush, would have preferred the younger Thornston son but- that was not her daughter’s wish.
"I don’t know what she sees about a widow with three kids!" she muttered.
Abi had thought that the bride selection would be a meticulous process or even a business transaction of a sort and had promised that she would help her talk to them. But Abi Mush never knew that a few short weeks of business trip with her husband would result in a missed opportunity like that.
Even without her daughter making a fool of herself in front of their servants, she knew that they had missed out a lot!
"Briana! Please, there is nothing more Mummy can do about this. Ian Thornston is already married... and to your best friend too..."
"I don’t care! I want him! I want him! I want him!"
Abi opened his mouth to talk, but Briana kept repeating the same thing repeatedly, and her control nearly snapped. Abram, her husband, was the one who had spoilt their daughter rotten! Abi did not count her role in this at all.
"BRIANNA! YOU ARE A GROWN WOMAN! Behave as such!"
Briana stopped shouting and stomping her feet, looking at her mother in surprise. Abi never raised her voice on her beloved daughter, ever in her life. This was the first time in Briana’s life that she had been subjected to such harsh words by her favourite Mummy.
Abi sighed and opened her mouth to apologize, but...
Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she looked at her mother. But all of a sudden, "Aaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!!" Brianna screamed as if physical harm was being done to her and dropped herself on the floor, rolling around and throwing her arms in the air.
Abi’s control snapped this time. Whatever consoling or apologetic words she had been about to say remained unsaid. Instead, she shouted at the housemaids,
"Lock her up in her room until she returns to her senses! What rubbish attitude is that?!"
Two strong-looking women approached. They shared a silent look between them. They were used to Brianna’s antics with her parents whenever she wanted something. The thing was it always worked! This made them curious to see how Abi Mush would bend over her daughter this time. Notwithstanding this, they held Brianna by either arm and dragged her from the room.
Abi looked at Brianna, who now had tears streaming down her face as she was dragged from the room and felt her heart constrict. She felt a slow range of helplessness wash over her, and distress set in seeing how devastated her daughter was. She started regretting her words, but then, she really needed Brianna out of the way so that she could think.
"I am sorry, dear Brianna. Mummy will make this right!" She vowed.
Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^