Marcus approached the scene with a blend of puzzlement and relief painted across his demeanor.


    While his puzzlement lingered, the prospect of resolution eased him.


    Sensing his approach, Millie averted her gaze, turned on her heel, and began her departure.


    The discord born of misunderstanding had been rectified, and Celeste’s initial appetite, lost in the


    turmoil, found a substitute in the delectable aroma of the sweet soup. Raising the bowl, she took a


    tentative sip.


    However, as the spoon touched her lips, a sharp pain pierced her throat, a foreign object lodging itself


    therein.


    The abrupt sound of retching echoed, followed by the telltale tter of the bowl striking the floor.


    “Madam, what’s amiss?” Bria’s timely presence intervened.


    “Millie….. you….. harmed me.” Celeste’s gaze widened, a trembling finger directed usingly at Millie.


    Millie, taken aback, lunged forward. “What’s wrong? Are you choking?”


    Yet a forceful grip yanked her away.


    “Step aside.”


    Marcus’ nce prated Millie as his authoritative order followed. “Summon the doctor immediately.”


    Millie stood stupefied.


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    As he gazed upon the shattered bowl and scattered fish bones, Marcus’ voice resonated with stern


    reproach. “Millie, your obstinacy is quite a force. You came to extend an apology, yet it seems you


    harbored intentions of harming her.”


    It appeared that his prior admonition had fallen on deaf ears.


    Millie shook her head, her voice marked with incredulity. “I don’t understand why there are fish bones


    here. I did not put them in the soup.”


    “You cling to defense even now. This soup emerged from your hands, and yet you im innocence


    regarding the fish bones? Your malice is unmistakable. How could you mistrust Mrs. Celeste Thomas


    to such an extent? She has nothing to do with your grandmother’s ordeal.”


    Bria’s censurended squarely on Millie.


    Within the crucible of Millie’s contemtion, the pieces of the borate scheme gradually fell into


    ce. Bria must have surreptitiously imnted the fish bones in the soup when Millie ascended to


    retrieve her phone.


    Bria had urged her to serve Celeste the soup, simultaneously dispelling Millie’s suspicions of Celeste’s


    involvement. This maniption was Bria’s endgame.


    A surge of exasperation coursed through Millie, theplexity of their machinations proving hard to


    thwart.


    In due time, the doctor arrived, their focus intently fixed on Celeste’s ailment. Millie found herself


    standing, grappling with the weight of her forting exnation.


    Marcus’ earlier caution reverberated. He issued a stern reminder against vengeance.