at

o me in bed impeccably made. No sign of Edward. Uncertainty returned, and the doubt of whet

neliness at the carefully set table only reinforced the feeling that something was a

the plate echoed the emptiness I felt in that house. A mixture of disappointment

Charles asked. "I can ask Mrs. Jeks

tely declined, indicati

ad his breakfast. I wouldn't dare ask the butler about his whereabouts. It would be too emb

company. For some strange reason, I didn't feel comfortable in the presence of the stiff gentleman. As I wal

was something in his expressio

re?" I asked, tryin

ted to your father's company," Edward

occurr

," I suggested enthusiastically. "I'm not used to coming to London, and

atrice. There's much to be d

ords. It seemed that the weight of business was pressing on him intense

ggling to disguise the growing s

sn't exactly welcome. I realized that I was intruding on his sanctuary, his place of w

I mutter, feeling a twinge of discomf

is expression so

your understand

s trying to contain seemed to grow, but I took a deep breath, reminding myself that it was

flowers gently dance with the breeze, my mind wandered to the moments we shared in the pa

ories that warmed my heart. However, the man in the library seemed distant from that cheerful and

Now, we found ourselves united by a marriage that, despite havin

ur families were inseparable. My father, George Paggett, and David Mad

ty of the business. It was at that moment that my father took the reins of the Maddo

to fail, he called him back to London. My father hoped that Edward would take his rightful place at the helm of the business

run our business in exchange for a marriage to me, ensuring his position in the company. Though concerned for my

rifice to marry the man I love. The news of Edward's return to London brought a wa

r-year age difference between us was never an obstacle to our friendship or even the de

that I'm here, lamenting on a Saturday morning, just a day after my wedding. Even more surprising is that

I was sitting in front of the massive vanity in our room when

a few steps away from me and observing

t was as if the Edward I had

," I replied, now feeling a bit embarra

a simp

harles is at your disposal. He and Mrs. Jeks have been long-time emp

im with a s

ard. That's ver

rier that had arisen between us was beginning to dissolve. As our eyes met in the mirror, I

id, breaking the moment that seeme

ling a mixture of expectation and anxiety to go

faster than I would like to admit. I wanted that moment to be spe

he conversation was neutral. As we exchanged words, a silent sadness took hold of me. I lamented the lack of intimacy we shared before. It was as if