"Is it in Goldendell? | happen to have a friend at a sanatorium there." "No, it's in another city," Lisbeth said.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Which city? And why not in Goldendell? Why send her off somewhere else?" Aurelia asked with a casual, seemingly just-curious tone as if making idle conversation.
A brief flicker of guilt passed over Lisbeth's gaze as she replied, "I'm not entirely certain, all the arrangements were made by Raines." Beverley, sharp as ever, picked up on the subtle change in her demeanor, "Elfreda's been battling depression, and now you've shipped her off to sunfamiliar place? How frightened she must be. Raines has always been so devoted to her, and how could he bungle this?" "Raines has sconnections at that sanatorium," Lisbeth explained.
"I thought you didn't know which sanatorium it was. How do you know about Raines’ connections?" Beverley pressed, certain that Lisbeth was lying. She probably just wanted Elfreda out of the way and pushed Raines to do it.
A shadow of something dark and unnoticeable flickered in Lisbeth's eyes, "I just don't know the exact place. How could Raines ever let Elfreda suffer, given how dutiful he is?" Sheryl sighed, her face gradually taking on a mournful expression, "Elfreda must have really loved Chad, to put herself through such torment." "Anyone who falls for Chad is doomed to tragedy," Beverley said with a twist of her mouth, taking a sip of her coffee before continuing, "Sheryl, have you ever thought that if you refuse to divorce, Fredric will just double down on giving you the cold shoulder, making your life even more miserable than widowhood? Can you really stand that?" Sheryl snorted, a sad smile playing on her lips, "Since we've been married, when has he not been out and about, enjoying himself? I've been living like a widow all this time. I'm used to it." Beverley patted her shoulder sympathetically, "Then you might as well divorce him and find a man who truly loves you." "All men are the same. How many good ones are out there?" Sheryl scoffed with a cynical smile, having seen her fair share of seemingly golden men with rotten cores in the entertainment industry.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"There are good men like Raines, Arnold, and Leopold. It's just that they're rare, and you have to find them," Beverley consoled.
Sheryl gave her a sidelong glance, "Aren't you all supposed to be on my side? Why are you advisingto divorce?" "Because Fredric is a scoundrel, and we don't want to see you waste your life away on him," Beverley replied.
Lisbeth chimed in, "Actually if Sheryl could bear a legitimate first-born son, there'd be hope. Then no matter how those vixens vie for favor, they wouldn't be able to topple her." Beverley felt a bead of sweat form, "The problem is, Sheryl doesn't have a son. Is she supposed to conjure one out of thin air?" Sheryl bit her lip in determination, "I'm only thirty. | can still have children." Aurelia had a hunch about what Sheryl was planning.
"Sheryl, please don't do anything rash. Fredric's not an easy man to deal with, and if you really anger him, it'll be bad." Sheryl humphed. "He's already disregarded our marriage, and what do | have left to care about? Worst case, we both go down together." Lisbeth said, "I think Sheryl has been too indulgent with Fredric. Men get bold when women show weakness. If a woman toughens up, men get scared. A woman who's not fierce has an unstable position." Beverley jumped in, "Remember, Lisbeth, the Stirling family has its rules. In our family, the men lead, and the women follow. We've never had a henpecked husband. Wives are expected to be virtuous and dutiful, supportive and nurturing, and they must not overpower their husbands. Any wife who dares to dominate will be dealt with according to family law." She was starting to wonder if Raines was henpecked after all.