Chapter 65
Chapter 65
Briony still chose to go through with the procedure.
Stella, sensing that her friend wasn’t exactly in a calm state of mind, suggested she go home, take a hot shower, get some sleep, and wait until morning to make a final decision. “There’s no rush,” she said gently.
But Briony was resolute.
Seeing her determination, Stella didn’t try to talk her out of it any further.
It wasn’t that Stella necessarily thought keeping Stewart’s child was the better option. She just worried that Briony was acting out of pure emotion, and she didn’t want her friend to make a decision she’d regret when the storm had passed. So she’d pressed a little harder, just in case.
But now, with Briony’s mind made up, Stella switched to unwavering support–just as any best friend would.
That night, Stella accompanied Briony back to her place at Dolphin Cove.
Once home, she all but pushed Briony toward the bathroom. “Go take a hot shower,” she said. “I’ll make us some pasta. By the time you’re out, dinner will be ready.”
Briony nodded quietly.
Stella wagged her finger at her. “Don’t stay in too long, okay? You’re pregnant, and long hot showers can make you dizzy!”
“Alright, I know,” Briony replied.
As the bathroom door closed, she walked over to the mirror.
The woman staring back at her looked pale, with eyes red and swollen from crying.
She was a mess.
Briony turned on the faucet and splashed icy water onto her face. The cold washed away some of the fog in
her mind.
After a moment, she looked up again, meeting her own gaze in the mirror. Slowly, the sorrow in her eyes began
to fade.
After tonight, those five years of misguided devotion–no matter how pitiful or ridiculous–would be behind her.
[Briony, move forward. Don’t look back.]
A vicious snowstorm had raged through the night, but by morning, sunlight sparkled across the city, blanketing everything in a dazzling layer of white. It looked as if the world had been draped in a veil studded with
diamonds.
Briony woke early. She made some nourishing soup and steamed a few fresh rolls for breakfast.
When everything was ready, she went to rouse Stella, who was still snug under the covers.
Stella had work that morning, so after breakfast, the two left together.
Briony needed to stop by her studio, so Stella dropped her off on the way.
Before Briony got out of the car, Stella checked one more time. “Are you sure about this?”
Briony met her eyes, calm and steady. “Director Grant said they can’t schedule the procedure for at least another week, right? That’s perfect–I have an artifact restoration to finish in the next few days. The timing works out.”
“Sounds like you’ve got everything under control.” Stella thumped her chest in mock relief. “Alright, I’ll support
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whatever you decide.”
Briony smiled faintly. “Thanks.”
Once she was at the studio, Briony called James.
He arrived about ten minutes later.
She grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.
Once in the car, she buckled her seatbelt and said, “Let’s go. I checked–there’s an antiques market over in Ashbourne Valley, about thirty miles away. If we head out now and don’t waste time, we should be able to get back today.”
James rested one hand on the wheel, idly fiddling with a wooden bead bracelet in the other.
“So I’m your chauffeur now?”
Briony glanced over at him, meeting his eyes. “Wasn’t it your idea? You said you didn’t trust me not to cheat, and you had to supervise the whole process.”
James just grunted.
“Come on. I have to leave town for a while next week. I need to finish this restoration before then.”
“Leave town?” James asked. “Where to?”
Briony turned her gaze to the window. “Just taking some time off. Need a break.”
He snorted. “No wonder Professor White says you lack ambition.”
Briony’s lashes fluttered, but she didn’t argue.
James was a skilled driver. He made the thirty–mile trip in just over half an hour.
Ashbourne Valley sat on the edge of Northborough, a quirky little town full of odds and ends–some genuine, many not. For newcomers, it was a minefield of fakes and scams, but every so often, a real treasure surfaced for the trained eye.
Briony and James spent the whole morning combing through the market, but came up empty–handed. By lunchtime, they ducked into a nearby diner for a quick bite before heading back out.
Meanwhile, Jason was also at the market, hunting for pieces for the auction house he planned to open.
He’d just scored a promising find when he spotted Briony and James. Raising an eyebrow, he snapped a few photos on his phone and sent them to the group chat.
Jason: [Am I cursed or something? Why do I keep running into Briony everywhere lately?]
Cedric Clarke was on his lunch break. Curious, he tapped the notification and scrolled through the photos. Cedric Clarke: [The guy with Ms. Kensington looks pretty young. Is that her boyfriend?]
Jason: [Boyfriend? No way. James is three years younger than Briony, I think.]
Cedric Clarke: [So what? Older women, younger men–didn’t you date someone nine years your senior las Jason? Who was it calling her ‘ma’am‘ every five minutes?]
ear,
Stewart: [Is that the one you had to pay half a million to break up with?]
Jason: [……]
Cedric Clarke: [Haha! Attorney Wentworth never forgets a detail.]
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Jason: [Cedric, if you can’t say anything nice, just don’t say anything at all!]
Cedric replied with a shrug emoji.
Rosita: [Jason, I told you gossiping about people behind their backs isn’t right.]
Jason rolled his eyes and typed back: [I didn’t say anything bad this time!]
N
Rosita: [I just think Ms. Kensington is a grown woman. She’s beautiful and successful–if she’s dating a younger guy, good for her! We don’t know the whole story, so let’s not jump to conclusions.]
Jason couldn’t help himself. He shot back: [She’s hardly what I’d call ‘successful–all she does is try to land a rich man.] Then he exited the chat, put away his phone, and walked over to where Briony and James were standing.
Of course, he wasn’t interested in Briony. His real target was James, the young prodigy already on the government’s radar for his talents.
Briony had finally tracked down the materials she needed. After negotiating the price and paying, she was about to leave when she turned and found herself face–to–face with Jason.
She simply glanced at him, indifferent.
James, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow.
Jason, ever the smooth operator, extended his hand to James. “Mr. Delaney, it’s an honor. I’ve seen your interviews on the Arts Channel…”
Briony didn’t interrupt. She just turned away, heading for another antiques stall nearby.
