Whatever the reason is, whether out of necessity, charity, or the void left by a missing sister, the outcome was the same. They had taken her in. And from the way the girl carried herself, from how well she was dressed and cared for, it was obvious she had been treated well.
Attachment was inevitable. Even a stray animal, once taken in, could become family in time. How much more a person? That thought alone tightened the knots in her chest. After everything she had gone through with Maddison and the Yorks, the unease only deepened.
Still, she did not let it show. She had learned her lesson once that bending too easily and compromising too much only gave others the chance to take more. She wouldn't repeat that mistake.
So she remained silent while watching.
Her gaze lingered on the girl, noting every small detail, every subtle interaction. And one thing stood out immediately, and that is, the girl was deliberately showing off her closeness to the brothers.
