Chapter 16
Chapter 16
A mysterious man arrives at the estate claiming to be Lily's biological father, threatening the adoption. Ella and Evan investigate his story, uncovering a web of deceit and desperation. With Mrs. Gable's help, they prove his claim false and secure Lily's future, deepening their family bond.
The first weeks with Lily were a tender bloom. Each morning, Ella woke early to prepare a simple breakfast of porridge and honey, which the little girl ate with solemn gratitude. Lily’s eyes, still carrying the shadow of her mother’s death, began to brighten as she explored the gardens and the great house. Mrs. Gable, softening with each passing day, taught her to sew a small sampler, and Evan read to her from a book of fairy tales each evening. The estate, once a fortress against Thomas’s cruelty, became a haven of gentle laughter.
But the calm was not to last.
One gray afternoon, as Ella helped Lily arrange dried flowers in a vase, the doorbell rang with an unfamiliar insistence. The butler, a tall man named Higgins, appeared in the sitting room with a grave expression. “Madam, there is a gentleman at the door. He insists on speaking with you and Dr. Raymond. He says his name is Mr. Frederick Hale, and he claims to have… business regarding the child.”
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