Because in the few times they''d met, Prisci couldn''t help but run her mouth like she was some kind of lottery winner who''d just hit it big.

    Every conversation with her was the same: brag about her precious son, trash her daughter-inw.

    She seemedpletely oblivious to the fact that her son had married into the Livingston family, and all their fancy dinners and country club invites came courtesy of the Newsoms.

    If you listened to Prisci, though, you''d think it was the Newsoms who should be grateful her boy even looked their way!

    She honestly believed Winona wasn''t good enough for her son. To hear Prisci tell it, Winona was nothing but a pretty face-a gold-digger who couldn''t boil an egg, let alone clean a house, and didn''t lift a finger for her inws.

    She''d rant, "That little tramp won''tst long. Just you wait-if she doesn''t give me a foot rub or massage my shoulders, I''ll make sure my son divorces her!"

    What a piece of work.

    Who did Prisci think she was? The Queen Mother? Expecting foot baths and massages, threatening to have her son toss his wife out likest week''s leftovers? Honestly, the woman had zero ss. If anything, the Livingstons should be lighting candles in gratitude theynded someone like Winona!

    She''s gorgeous and sweet—if Winona were my daughter-inw, I''d be over the moon. I''d spoil her rotten, treat her like a princess! No one would dare mess with her-not even Keaton. If he so much as looked at her the wrong way, I''d be the first to set him straight.

    Thinking about Prisci, I couldn''t decide if I was more annoyed or jealous.

    Even someone like Prisci managed to snag a daughter-inw.

    And here I am-waiting, hoping, praying for a daughter-inw of my own, but not even a shadow of one appears.

    Sigh.

    Poor Winona.

    Honestly, I felt bad for myself, too.

    She''d been unlucky in love; me, I couldn''t seem to find a daughter-inw no matter how hard I tried.

    Janelle gave Winona''s hand a gentle pat, her heart aching for her.

    "Out with the old, in with the new, honey. There are plenty of good men out there

    -don''t let some jerk drain your spirit. The next one will be better!"

    Winona managed a smile. Janelle really was something else.

    One minute, she was tearing up over her own son. The next, she wasforting Winona.

    Funny thing was, Winona hade here to console her!

    "I''m not upset," Winona said lightly. "It''s a long life. So I ran into a jerk-he''s history as far as I''m concerned."

    Janelle nodded emphatically. "That''s the spirit! No point wasting tears on a loser. Let him do the crying for once."

    Winona smiled again, and she and Elysia helped Janelle to a bench by the rose bushes.

    "So, what''s really going on with Keaton and Ms. Sutton?" Winona asked. Janelle let out a long sigh. "It''s all Keaton''s fault! Poor Beatrix didn''t deserve it."

    Winona and Elysia exchanged a

    look. Most women from old-money families would swear their sons

    could do po wrong, always ming

    the other party. But not Janelle.

    "What did Keaton do?" Winona pressed.

    Janelle''s brow furrowed. "He''s my son, but I''m not taking his side. Frankly, he deserved what he got it he never uked Beatrix, why agree to** the engagement in the first ce? If he was just trying to keep us happy, that''s no excuse for... for hurting her."

    Winona and Elysia grew quiet. "Hurting her?" Elysia echoed.

    Janelle''s frown deepened, lips pressed tight. She seemed torn, struggling to get

    the words out.

    "Did they... sleep together?" Winona asked gently.

    Janelle clenched her jaw. "If it had

    C

    been consensual, maybe it''d be different. But he he forced her My son. That bastard."

    OW

    Winona and Elysia stared at her in shock.

    Keaton had assaulted Beatrix?

    Suddenly, it made sense why the Suttons were furious, why Richard was calling

    for old-school punishment.

    This wasn''t just a messy breakup this was criminal.