Lucia eventually couldn’t bear the icy tension radiating silently from Logan and Yann.
Under Audrey’s scornful, mocking stare, she began to cry between gasps.
She said, “You can call me narrow–minded, but everything I’ve done is for Audrey. She’s my only daughter. No matter what past misunderstandings we’ve had, time will prove my heart!
“Yes, I took that money, but I’m not using it for investments or splurges. Don’t you know me by now? I’ve just been holding onto it for Audrey. If she ever runs into trouble, I’d give it to her without hesitation.
“Yann? It’s not that I don’t trust him. But their social standings are worlds apart, and Audrey’s been married before. What if one day he grows tired of her and dumps her like she’s nothing?
“Audrey, I’m your mother. I’d give you the best the world has to offer. You can doubt anyone else, but not me! This is tearing me apart.”
Lucia threw pleading looks at Logan, then turned to Audrey with tearful eyes, finally burying her face in a handkerchief to force out tears.
At first, it was all fake crying.
But the more she lied, the more she started believing her own story.
It was as if she truly had been secretly guarding Audrey’s wedding fund, hiding it only because she feared Audrey’s naive love for Yann–just like she’d once given everything to Clayton without caution.
What if history repeated itself? If Yann found out about the money, he could drown her in debt and leave her penniless.
By the end, Lucia had even convinced herself, sobbing as if in genuine agony.
Logan had never seen her so uncomposed. He furrowed his brow slightly, a flicker of distaste in his eyes.
Yann ignored her performance entirely. Instead, he rubbed Audrey’s stomach gently, massaged her lower back, then took her hand and played with her fingers like a child.
Audrey spread her hand, and they compared the white crescents on their nails.
A performance was never satisfying with no audience.
Lucia’s voice trailed off. Between sniffles, she shot Audrey a resentful look before turning back to Logan.
She said, “Maybe I should go explain to Amelia myself. It’s not that I don’t care about Audrey. It’s because I care so much that I kept this money. If she minds it, I’ll give it back to Audrey right now!”
Logan nearly nodded, but his head stopped mid–motion.
He thought, ‘If an explanation is needed, I should be the one to give it. What will Amelia think if Lucia shows up?‘
Amelia cared about Audrey’s wedding fund not for the money, but because she was fighting for Audrey’s honor.
If they truly wanted Amelia to move past this, the best way was to have Audrey handle the explanation.
He cleared his throat, prompting Yann to take a stand.
“So you’ll keep the money if she doesn’t mind?” Yann’s voice was ice–cold, chillier than the air outside.
He thought, ‘The wedding fund is Audrey’s. Amelia’s feelings aside, it should be returned to her.‘
Chapter 374
Logan nodded in agreement. “The wedding fund belongs to Audrey. She should decide what to do with it.”
Whether Audrey wanted Lucia to hold onto it or even give it away, they wouldn’t interfere.
As Lucia dabbed her tears with a handkerchief, she hid her irritation. When she looked up, her face wore the sorrowful expression of a devoted mother,
She said, “Audrey, remember what I told you before? A woman should always plan for her future.” She tried to remind Audrey of their talk about “a woman needing a safety net“.
“You’re my only daughter. All this will be yours someday. Not just the wedding fund, but my savings too.”
Yann gave Audrey’s fingers a gentle squeeze.
She knew it was her turn.
Yann had already set the stage for her. Certain things were better left unsaid by him, but she could voice them freely.
Audrey smiled sweetly, “Since you prepared this fund for me and want to hold onto it for my sake, I’ll explain to Amelia.”
“Exactly! Just explain it clearly,” Lucia said.
Audrey said, “But for my explanation to be credible, you should at least show me the deposit slip. Let her see you’re being genuine, not just making empty promises.”
Lucia froze.
She’d already used the money for something else. Where would she get a deposit slip?
She said, “Audrey, there’s no need for a slip. Why would I lie to you? With your bond with Amelia, she’ll believe whatever you say.”
Audrey scoffed, “If I haven’t seen the deposit slip with my own eyes or know how much is in it, how am I supposed to explain this to Amelia?
“What if she presses me for details and I can’t answer? That’ll make it look like we’re conspiring to lie to her.”
“Amelia is only arguing with you because she cares about me. If I deceive her on your account, won’t that strain our relationship?
“And if Amelia resents me and takes it out on my babies? Isn’t that a lose–lose? Or is it that you never actually set aside the money for me, so you’re afraid to produce the slip?”
“Of course not! I just thought it was a hassle to keep moving it around.” Lucia shot a quick glance at Logan, her handkerchief tightening in her fist.
Logan noticed her guilty look.
He thought, ‘Something is clearly amiss. So all her earlier babbling has been excuses. She’s used the money elsewhere?‘
To be fair, if Lucia had asked him for money upfront with a valid reason, he wouldn’t have said no.
But she’d requested it under the pretense of a wedding fund for Audrey, only to misappropriate it. No matter her excuses, Logan felt deeply bothered.
Worse, this whole debacle had soured Amelia’s opinion of him, which irked him even more.
For the sake of his own pride, he couldn’t let this spiral.
“I set aside 500 thousand dollars for you earlier.” Logan pulled out a checkbook from his pocket and a pen from his breast pock here, but I also dropped the ball.”
Logan scribbled quickly and handed Audrey a check.
‘s in the wrong
Lucia side–eyed it, her eyes widened. She had to grip her handkerchief tighter. If she let go, she might just yank the check out of Audrey’s hand.
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Chapter 374
Logan said, “Pregnancy’s been tough on you. Here’s some extra money for your nutrition.”
He handed the check to Yann, whose face betrayed no emotion as he passed it to Audrey.
1.3 million dollars!
Logan thought, If I’m in to patch things up, I might as well go big. Giving 600 thousand dollars will make Yann think I’m cheap!
Plus, Logan suspected that even during Audrey’s first wedding, the so–called “wedding fund” Lucia promised had never actually reached Audrey
He considered this his way of making up for it.
For the Winifred family, 1.3 million dollars wasn’t a huge sum, but for a stepfather contributing to his step–daughter’s wedding fund, it was more than generous.
“This is far too much,” Audrey said, trying to push Yann’s wrist away.
“Just take it. It’s from Dad,” Yann said firmly. He folded the check and slipped it into the pocket on Audrey’s maternity top, patting it gently to make sure it was in place.
He added, “When the babies are born, Dad’s got an even bigger welcome gift. All the money Dad’s earned will go to the kids one day!”
Logan thought to himself, ‘I’ve planned a gift, but with Yann saying that, each baby’s welcome gift can’t be less than 1.3 million dollars.”
‘That means I’ll end up shelling out over 3 million dollars for the kids.‘
‘Alas, at my age, well into my 50s or 60s, I still have to keep working hard!‘
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
