Chapter 389


    Her words were sincere, and her loneliness was palpable. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have been at odds with me one moment and seeking friendship the next.


    "I don''t have many friends. Mr. rk forbids it, but I can tell he treats you differently, so... if I be friends with you, he might not mind," Shirley approached me with a hopeful look.


    I didn''t respond.


    "Felicia, I really mean no harm. I just want to be friends. Plus, Nancy adores you; she''s mentioned you a few times," Shirley brought up her daughter, trying to appeal to me.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    "I get it. You might not think highly of someone like me. Then, consider it for Nancy''s sake, please?" Shirley''s earlier arrogance had vanished, reced by a hint of desperation, almost as if she were begging.


    "I''m too busy for friends," I still refused.


    It wasn''t about being cold-hearted, but getting entangled with Mr. rk''s affairs, his woman no less, spelled nothing but trouble for me. Thest thing I wanted was to wade into those murky waters.


    The light in Shirley''s eyes extinguished like a candle in the wind, and she lowered her head with a self-mockingugh, "I know, I''m not worth your time."


    She tried to guilt me into relenting, but she didn''t understand me. Such tactics only pushed me further away.


    I walked off, feeling her gaze on my back even from a distance.


    When Jacqueline called me in the evening, "Felicia, did you know Rad''s back?"


    Thinking of the figure in the carst night, I replied truthfully, "Yes."


    "Has he looked for you?" she pressed.


    Last night didn''t really count, did it?


    "No," I denied, "Jacqueline, is something wrong?"


    She huffed, "I haven''t even seen him, what could possibly be wrong?"


    I understood why she was calling; knowing Conrad was back but not seeing him had irritated her.


    "Jacqueline, he''s probably tied up


    with


    to something. He''lle around


    to see youter," I found myself


    making excuses for him, as always did.


    UMS


    "What''s he so busy with? That widow, no doubt," Jacqueline was all too aware.


    foel


    I didn''t know how to respond, and she continued, clearly frustrated, "He''s lost to the charms of that young widow, forgetting his own parents. Felicia, why did I even bother having him? If I knew he''d turn out this way, I should''ve...," Jacqueline was biting her words with venom.


    "Jacqueline," I tried to calm her, "Don''t be upset; it''s bad for your health. Mr. Wagner is sick, and you need to take care of him." "Felicia, you''re the only one who cares about me. If only you were my daughter," Jacquelinemented.


    "Jacqueline, I am your daughter," I tried tofort her.


    Jacqueline sighed, fully aware it was just a polite gesture. If I were truly their child, I''d be by Herschel''s side day and night. "Felicia, don''t bother with him, nor try to persuade him. I want to see how stubborn he can be," Jacqueline instructed me.


    "Okay," I agreed.


    After sighing again, she reminded me to visit Herschel when I had the chance before hanging up.


    When I saw Fanny, I asked, "Has Haley been aroundtely?"


    "No, and I doubt she''ll evere back. Even if she does, she probably won''te to me," Fanny looked at me, "Why, miss the drama?"


    "Do I look that idle?" I shared how Conrad hadn''t visited Herschel since returning.


    "Don''t meddle in their business," Fanny advised.


    I knew better than to get involved, but avoiding some encounters isn''t always possible. On the day of Susie''s transnt, I saw Conrad in the crowd, watching. Beside me, Ernest and I held Susie''s hands, our nce at Conrad brief and fleeting.


    As Susie was wheeled into surgery, Ernest''s hand turned ice cold in mine.