Chapter 16
“Why would you think that? You’re going on a date with marriage in mind. The whole point is to be efficient—find someone suitable, agree that you’re right for each other, and then get married quickly. That’s perfectly natural p>
Nadine spoke with absolute conviction.
“And listen-everyone says the Crestwell family has a great reputation. Lennon Crestwell’s been around for twenty-nine years and hasn’t had a single scandal. That says a lot about his character and values. Men like him are rare. When you meet someone like that, you lock it down. Hesitate for even a second, and it’s almost disrespectful to such a good guy p>
Seren couldn’t help but fall silent.
Leave it to someone who studied medicine to be so sharply logical, cutting right to the heart of things-every word sounded unarguable.
But even so, Seren finally felt her nerves unwind, and a smile crept onto her face.
She really had been afraid Nadine would object to her marrying Lennon-just like three years ago with Zena and the others.
She cared about Nadine’s opinion. She didn’t want their friendship to crack over something like this, the way she’d become a stranger to someone she once knew so well.
Sometimes, when she thought back to that phone call three years ago, a haze of confusion still lingered:
If Zena and the rest had supported her then, the way Nadine or Old Mr. Rutledge did now, would things have turned out differently?
“All right, all right, get up already!” Nadine urged, but then her mind seemed to catch on something. “Oh, by the way-did you tell your parents about you and Lennon getting married p>
At the mention of “your parents,” Seren’s smile froze.
She shook her head. “No. I only told Old Mr. Rutledge. I haven’t said anything to them. I texted my mom to tell her Sheridan and I divorced, and she didn’t even reply. Honestly, I doubt they care what happens to me p>
Her voice was completely calm, as if she were describing someone else’s life.
Nadine took it all in, sighing quietly. She didn’t pry.
After all, the relationship between Seren and the Bradley family had always been strained. Nadine had picked up on it from little things here and there.
Compared to Carla, who was sweet, sociable, and knew exactly how to please others, Seren was quiet and withdrawn, always lost in her art. She didn’t socialize, and she never learned how to play the social games.
With her stubborn streak on top of that, it was no wonder the Bradleys didn’t care for her.
Nadine had never asked for details, and Seren had never volunteered them.
But disappointment accumulates
slowly, a little colder, a little heavier
each time. How much must she
have endured to speak so
indifferently about her own family?
“Here, I brought you breakfast-get it while it’s hot before you go.” Nadine changed the subject without missing a beat.
“Okay.” Seren didn’t dwell on it. She ate her breakfast and headed out, pushing thoughts of the Bradley family from her mind.
Seaside City might be home to them all, but it was big enough without reaching out, they were unlikely to cross paths.
But as Seren pulled up at the Rutledge estate and parked her car, a familiar black Mercedes glided to a stop beside her.
The moment she saw the tall, imposing figure step out, Seren’s heart sank. It was her oldest brother, Swain.
He must have had nothing better to do and decided to visit Old Mr. Rutledge.
“Morning, Swain.” Seren didn’t want to see him, but she forced herself out of the car and managed a polite greeting.
Swain’s brow furrowed as he saw Seren get out of Nadine’s Porsche, clear disapproval on his face.
“You’ve been staying at Nadine’s place? You didn’t even bother letting us know you were back p>
Seren kept her gaze straight ahead, her voice flat. “I just got back. I haven’t had a chance to tell anyone p>
Technically, she’d only returned to Seaside City yesterday.
Swain’s irritation only grew at her stubborn, unyielding expression.
with the attitude? I
“Seren, what’s w
thought after things fell apart for you in Riverbend, you might have changed. I never expected you to be as sweet or sensible as Carla. Kjust wanted you to stop being so rebellious. But it’s been three years and you’re exactly the
same. Haven’t
you learned anything p>