Miranda''s face darkened immediately; she stopped asking Adrian to serve her.

    From the corner of her eye, she saw that, even with dishes right in front of Cecilia, Nathaniel still reached over to serve her.

    Whenever Cecilia merely nced at a dish, Nathaniel ced the food on her te.

    A pang of envy pricked Miranda''s heart. Why was her own husband neither as capable nor as considerate?

    Her dissatisfaction with Adrian deepened; she longed to divorce him on the spot.

    But all of Adrian''s assets were under Robert''s control; if she left, she would gain nothing.

    "Cecilia, you really are blessed."

    Cecilia looked up and smiled. "Aren''t you blessed too, Miranda? Or is Adrian treating you badly?"

    The two questions left Miranda at a loss for words.

    At that moment, Robert looked over, frowning. "Miranda, has Adrian fallen short somewhere?"

    Miranda shook her head quickly. "Of course, not. I was just chatting. Cecilia, don''t twist what I said. I only said you''re blessed; I never said I''m not."

    Cecilia''s eyes curved yfully. "Oh, that''s all. The way you asked made me think you were unhappy."

    Miranda clenched her hand, furious yet helpless.

    She gave Adrian a gentle nudge, hoping he would speak up for her.

    Adrian nced up nkly. "Why are you poking me?"

    Miranda fell silent and lowered her head; despite the delicious spread, she tasted nothing.

    The family was midway through the meal when a voice rose from the doorway.

    "A family dinner and no one thought to wait for me?"

    The speaker was Elena.

    Wren had assumed she wouldn''te; her sudden appearance caught him off guard.

    He cleared his throat. "Didn''t you say you weren''ting?"

    "If outsiders can attend, how could the child''s mother stay away?"

    Elena had sensed immediately that Robert and his entire family never turned up unless some sort of trouble was brewing, so she hade over to find out exactly what

    scheme they were hatching.

    Unfortunately, her timing was off; Robert and the others had already finished talking by the time she arrived.

    Wren said, "Drop the sarcasm. There are no outsiders here. Since you''re here, sit down and eat. Where are Luke and Gabe?"

    "The boys are already asleep, so I left them at home."

    Elena took the seat directly opposite Robert, her gaze sharp as a de. "Robert, what brings you here tonight?"

    Robert knew Elena''s temperament all too well; she was nothing like his pliable younger brother.

    He chuckled amiably, "It''s just a family meal. What else could it possibly be?"

    "I hope that''s all it is. Don''t think being the elder gives you the right to bully and exploit Nathaniel again and again. Thest incident wasn''t that long ago," Elena said bluntly.

    Robert and Wren exchanged embarrassed looks; neither had expected her toe straight at them like that.

    Wren hurried to smooth things over. "What''s done is done."

    "It may be over for you, but it isn''t over for Nathaniel,” Elena shot back.

    As Nathaniel''s mother, she refused to let so-called family bonds ce her son in harm''s way.

    Because of Elena''s arrival, the meal that followed was anything but harmonious.

    After Robert and his family finally left, Wren could no longer hold back. "Elena, must you keep pressing the issue even when you''re in the right?"

    "Pressing the issue? So you admit I''m in the right? Have you already forgotten how Robert nearly had Nathaniel thrown in jailst time?" she retorted without the slightest courtesy.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and

    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!