Chapter 314

Joanna took a sip of ice water, feeling the cool liquid calm her down. She looked at Maisie with a composed expression.

“They’ll go back to Lunova and get married. I’m not torturing them,” she said.

“Not torturing them? If it weren’t for you, would my brother and Edith be in so much pain?” Maisie was utterly disappointed in her mother. “Do you really think my brother doesn’t know I’ve been keeping in touch with you all this time?”

Joanna paused for a moment but quickly regained her composure. “So what? Porter owes me this.”

“My dad owes you? You owe him!” Maisie laughed angrily. “If you hadn’t interfered, their family of four would be living a happy life. It’s you who ruined them! My brother has already been generous by sparing your life.”

“You don’t understand the things adults go through,” Joanna said, taking a few more sips of ice water. “Your brother and I have talked, but I won’t be going back to Lunova.”

“You!” Maisie was at a loss for words.

“I’ll make sure your uncle agrees to their marriage and won’t mention me anymore,” Joanna added.

Joanna’s tone gradually softened, and Maisie felt a pang in her heart. “Even now, you still refuse to change your ways?”

“Yes!” Joanna took a deep breath. “I did nothing wrong, so there’s no reason for me to go back.”

Maisie felt a mix of anger and pain, her eyes turning red. “Mom, it’s fine if you don’t love me enough. But even Edith–your favorite–can’t change your mind?”

“I have my own reasons,” Joanna said, glancing at the time. “That’s enough. You should go now. Don’t ever come looking for me again.”

“Fine! Remember, you said it!” Maisie snapped.

Maisie stormed off, flinging her hand in frustration.

Joanna, who had been sitting so straight, suddenly hunched over.

‘I’m sorry, Maisie. I love you too… but once you take the wrong path, every step after just goes further off track,’ Joanna thought to herself.

When Maisie returned to the hospital, having finally calmed herself down, she found Edith already fast asleep. Daniel was sitting by her bedside, gazing at her with a look full of tenderness.

“Brother,” Maisie called out softly.

Daniel turned around, clearly surprised. “Maisie? What brings you here?”

“I’m here to be your wingman!” Maisie winked mischievously, making sure not to mention Joanna at all.

“It’s good you’re here. Edith will be so happy to see you,” Daniel said, his face relaxing into a gentle smile.

Maisie sat down and started peeling a tangerine. “When Edith ran away from home this time, my uncle was scared out of his wits. He probably won’t try to stop you two from getting married anymore.”

“Yeah, I got a call earlier. The Meyers family wants to hold the wedding on the sixth of next month,” Daniel replied.

“So soon?” Maisie’s hands froze mid-peel.

It was already the sixteenth today, which meant there were only twenty days left until the sixth of next month. ‘Will Amelia and Landon be back from Dreicean in time?’ Maisie wondered.

“It’s fine if it’s soon. Everything’s already been prepared. We just need to go back,” Daniel said, with a gentle look in his eyes.

“What about Amy? Will she be able to make it?” Maisie asked.

“I don’t know,” Daniel replied, shaking his head.

“Mais, I don’t want to make Edith wait any longer,” he added.

“But don’t you feel any regret?” Maisie asked.

‘That was his own sister by blood, and yet she couldn’t even be at his wedding–actually, Amy never even got to have a wedding of her own,’ Maisie thought.

Maisie had heard that when Amelia woke up from surgery, she was all alone, facing her family and boyfriend, who were practically out for blood. She’d been so scared her legs nearly gave out.

Good thing she was brave enough to crawl into Landon’s bed for safety. And because Gloria had her own motives, she let Amelia become Mrs. Kingsley.

Otherwise, they might have lost her forever.

“When Amy finally has her wedding, we’ll all be there for her,” Daniel grinned, his optimism shining through.

These past few days, he’d been watching Edith from outside the room–seeing her sit alone, lost in thought, whispering softly to the baby in her belly, and quietly wiping away her tears…

Only then did he realize what a huge mistake it was not coming to her sooner.

“Brother…” Maisie looked at him, her expression a mix of emotions.

Her brother had always been a total sis-con, especially when it came to Amelia.

Ever since they reunited, he’d been dying to make up for the twenty years the Zuckerberg family owed her.

Thankfully, both Amy and Edith were mature and sensible enough not to let it come between them.

And now, even he was putting love above everything else.

‘The power of love is truly something else!’ Maisie thought. ‘It can make people lose their way, but it can also open their eyes.’

But she couldn’t help but wonder, ‘When will my mom finally admit her mistakes and make things right?’

“Tangerines?” Edith woke up to the sweet scent of tangerines.

Maisie handed her a freshly peeled tangerine, her eyes curving in a gentle smile. “Cousin, you’re awake.”

“Mais, you’re here too?” Edith’s ears flushed red with embarrassment. “I was being too willful…”

“No, you weren’t,” Maisie said, taking her hand. “You’ve already done so well.”

“Here, have a tangerine! My brother picked each one himself from the orchard.”

Daniel was left speechless.

The doctor had said Edith was suffering from severe morning sickness, and the strong scent of fruit could help stimulate her sense of smell and ease the nausea.

So, Daniel had gone to a nearby orchard to pick tangerines himself and asked Lennon to bring them to the hospital.

Only Lennon knew about this…

“Mais, did you see Lennon?” Daniel asked.

“No,” Maisie replied.

“Then how did you know I went to the orchard?” Daniel asked.

“I’m psychic,” Maisie said with a playful grin.

Daniel rolled his eyes at her and coaxed Edith into eating the tangerine.

Edith felt even more embarrassed, her face turning bright red. “You guys, stop it…”

“The wedding’s set for the sixth of next month. You need to make sure you’re in great shape by then,” Maisie said.

Edith blinked in surprise. “Who decided that?”

“Your dad,” Daniel answered without missing a beat.

His expression was calm and steady. He finally felt at peace with the Meyers family, inside and out.

Edith was lost for words.

She just cried herself to sleep, and somehow the wedding date got set while she was out.

“There’s no rush for us to head back. Let’s wait until you’re feeling better,” Daniel said. “Everything’s already taken care of in Lunova–just leave it to Paul.”

“Did you tell Amy yet?” Edith asked, feeling a little guilty.

Just a few days ago, she’d begged Amy to hide her so Daniel couldn’t find her–and now, suddenly, the wedding date was locked in!

“Not yet,” Daniel replied.

“Let me tell her!” Edith said, already reaching for her phone.

Daniel and Maisie exchanged glances, both looking a little uncertain.

‘Landon went into the lion’s den all by himself, and Amelia must be worried sick… Is she really in the mood to hear our happy news right now?’ they both thought.

“Amy, I just met up with your brother… Yeah, we talked everything through. We’ve decided to get married on the sixth of next month, so you have to come, okay?” Edith said sweetly.

“Okay! I’ll try my best to come,” Amelia replied, gazing out the floor-to-ceiling window of her hotel room with a bright smile.

‘Daniel finally got his wife and kid back… In these dark days, that’s the only good news we’ve had,’ she thought, her heart genuinely happy for them.

‘I’m really happy for them!’ Amelia couldn’t help but feel a surge of joy.

“Amy, thank you for understanding how stubborn I’ve been. Once I’m feeling better, I’ll come visit you in Norava,” Edith said softly.

Amelia shook her head. “No need! There’s much to do before the wedding. You two just head straight back to Lunova. I’ll be there for the ceremony.”

“Alright then!” Edith felt a tiny pang of disappointment.

‘Norava isn’t that far from Pinecrest, and yet Amy isn’t even coming over to celebrate in person, is she really that busy?’ Edith wondered.

“Oh, my mother-in-law just recently had surgery,” Amelia explained, picking up on Edith’s disappointment.

Edith, ever so simple and sincere, immediately brightened up. “Oh, I see! Then make sure to take good care of her, and don’t wear yourself out.”

The two women kept up their little act, both playing along with the same lie as they chatted away.

Daniel and Maisie could only look at each other, completely at a loss for words.

Maisie quietly tugged Daniel to the side and whispered, “So you’re just going to go get married and leave Amelia and Landon to handle everything on their own?”

“Of course I’ll help,” Daniel said. “I’ll do whatever they need, just behind the scenes. But don’t let Edith find out–she’s way too naive.”

“Totally. She’s so pure, it’s almost silly,” Maisie couldn’t help but laugh.

‘What if Edith ever found out that everything she and Amelia talked about today was nothing but lies?’ Maisie couldn’t help but wonder.

“Maisie, mind your words!” Daniel said, clearly displeased.

Maisie stuck out her tongue and made a face. “Alright, alright! From now on, it’s not just me–no one is allowed to say anything bad about Edith!”

Daniel finally looked satisfied.

With one big problem solved, he instinctively reached into his pocket for a cigarette, wondering how far Landon had gotten with investigating the inner workings of the Mystic Sect.