Chapter 336
After four years away, Briony’s studio was still running smoothly.
Back when she first left, they lost a handful of regular clients, but over the past couple of years, business had slowly picked up again.
Briony’s return, with Little Nina in tow, sent a ripple of excitement through the staff.
Everyone crowded around to coo at Little Nina, immediately charmed by her sweetness and how much she resembled her mother.
Little Nina was a natural social butterfly; the unfamiliar faces didn’t faze her in the slightest.
James scooped her up to introduce her to everyone, then led her off to meet the golden retriever.
Four years ago, he’d been just a fluffy puppy. Now, he’d grown into a full–sized, dignified dog.
His old little dog bed had long since been outgrown.
Hannah Lane had cleared out a storage room, turning it into his own private space.
Sensing something special, Lucky’s tail wagged furiously the moment he saw Little Nina.
James kept a gentle hand on Nina’s shoulder, not letting her pet the dog–she might be allergic to his fur.
“He looks like a real gentleman, doesn’t he?” Nina giggled.
“Woof! Woof!” Lucky barked in reply.
“He was your mom’s dog. When she first brought him home, he was just a tiny thing, always following her around, James explained.
“Why didn’t Mom take him with her when she left?” Nina asked, peering up at him with wide
eyes.
James ruffled her hair. “Because she was pregnant with you, sweetheart. She had to take care of herself and you, so Lucky stayed behind.”
“Oh, poor Lucky!” Nina pouted sympathetically.
Lucky gazed up at her, as if he understood every word. He barked twice, tongue lolling happily.
Nina fell instantly in love, settling in for a long conversation with him.
She had a lot to say, and Lucky seemed to answer every sentence with a wag or a bark.
Watching them, James couldn’t help but chuckle. “It’s almost scary how strong the family genes are. Both mother and daughter can talk to Lucky like he’s just another person in the
room!”
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Chapter 336
Up in the office, Briony looked around at the familiar space, her voice soft with nostalgia. “After four years, nothing here has changed at all.”
“I come in every day to tidy up and keep things in order. I always had a feeling you’d come back someday,” Hannah replied.
Tears welled up in Hannah’s eyes as she looked at Briony. “Honestly, Briony, I thought I’d never see you again in this lifetime.”
Briony glanced at her, a touch helpless as she noticed Hannah’s mascara running down her cheeks. “I had my reasons. For these past four years, I just couldn’t get in touch.”
“I know.” Hannah grabbed a handful of tissues, dabbing her eyes. “Mr. Delaney came by a few times. I asked about you, and he said you were fine, but he couldn’t tell us more because he was worried Attorney Wentworth would make trouble.”
Briony managed a smile. “That’s all behind us now. I’ll be in Northborough for a while.”
“Thank God!” Hannah’s face lit up. “Now I get to see you every day again!”
Briony grinned. “Four years and you still don’t have a boyfriend?”
“I did,” Hannah huffed, “but we broke up last month. Turns out his family’s some kind of royalty! When I met his parents, they said I had to get pregnant and have a son before we could even talk about marriage!”
Briony winced. “That’s insane!”
“Right?” Hannah sniffled indignantly. “Well, I wasn’t about to put up with that. I flipped the table, grabbed my gift bag, and walked right out!”
Briony blinked, then burst out laughing. “Good for you. Better to walk away than let yourself get pushed around.”
Briony left Little Nina in the care of Crystal and Hannah; she and James had someone to meet.
Their white Range Rover pulled away from the studio and, ten minutes later, stopped outside a private tea room.
An elderly gentleman, dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, stepped out to greet them.
“Ms. Kensington, Mr. Delaney–Mr. Seven is waiting for you inside. Please, follow me.”
Briony and James followed him into the tea room.
Not far away, in a black sedan parked on the street, a man picked up his phone and dialed a number.
“Mr. Wentworth, looks like she and Delaney are meeting with Mr. Seven…”
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