Just as Agnes was about to take a step, Jane appeared in front of her. The girl halted, lifting her eyes to meet Jane’s gaze. She was slightly startled, her face pale.
Silence.
Jane’s face was void of a smile, and she stared intently at the girl before her. Agnes regained her composure but didn’t know how to greet her. Mom? Aunt Jane?
She stood there silently, feeling extremely awkward. Surely, Jane had seen the hug with Ansel just now? Agnes’s thoughts were a bit chaotic. She pressed her lips together, unable to find the right words to speak.
Jane looked very calm. Her breathing was steady, and her voice remained gentle. “Agnes, what is going on here?” Strangely, there was no hint of blame in her tone.
Agnes didn’t know how to explain. Hadn’t Tom confessed to his family yet? Clearly, she couldn’t carry on this act alone; it would be exposed sooner or later.
So, the girl bravely lifted her eyes to meet her future mother-in-law’s gaze and softly replied, “Could you call Tom and ask him, please?”
Jane was slightly taken aback. Their eyes remained locked on each other, seeing the sincerity in each other’s gaze.
“I’m very sorry.” Agnes bowed deeply to her, filled with guilt but unable to utter an extra word. She couldn’t excuse or defend herself.
After bowing, Agnes said again, “Goodbye, Aunt Jane.” Then she turned and left.
Jane did not try to stop her. She turned her eyes to watch the girl’s retreating figure, digesting what she had just said. There was some confusion in her mind; she had changed her address to Aunt Jane. So, had she broken up with Tom?
Even if they had broken up, it couldn’t have happened so seamlessly and quickly, right? People have feelings. So where was the problem?
Jane snapped back to reality. She got into her car and sat for a long time with a slight frown on her brow. Driving back to the manor took half an hour, but she still couldn’t figure it out.
She truly couldn’t understand it.
But Jane was a patient person. She didn’t immediately call her son or tell the family about this matter-not even her closest confidant.
Because she needed to consider the bigger picture and whether Grandma’s health could withstand it; Grandma was still looking forward to their wedding.
The next morning.
After breakfast, Jane finished arranging flowers in the living room and sat in the yard watching short dramas on her tablet. She accidentally noticed two familiar figures.
She paused the screen and gazed at the middle-aged couple on the screen for a long time.
These two played a couple in the drama.
And Jane was very sure they were Agnes’s parents from the engagement day!
Weren’t they supposed to be businesspeople? How were they actors??
With this doubt in mind, Jane made some calls and found their contact information and current address by afternoon.
Without much thought, she dialed their numbers directly, stated her intentions, and arranged a meeting.
The Fritz family wouldn’t dare offend Mrs. Fritz; they could only agree while also thinking of countermeasures.
“Don’t be so nervous; we didn’t take anything,” the man said to the woman. “All the engagement gifts and dowry were returned to Miss Campbell; we only took the payment Miss Campbell gave us.”
“…” The woman still felt uneasy because taking Miss Campbell’s payment and pretending to be parents was deceitful.
“This can’t really be blamed on us; we acted our parts well,” the man thought optimistically. “When we meet later, we’ll answer whatever we’re asked; someone will have to take responsibility.”