Novel Square
Chapter 1238
Chapter 1238
"Lisbeth, how about we grab some afternoon tea?" With her arm wrapped affectionately around
Lisbeth's shoulder, they both headed to the parlor.
Harriet and Beverly were already there, sipping on their teas. Nôvel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner.
"Aunt Harriet, you are not joining Jessica and the aunts for bingo today?" Aurelia greeted with a
chuckle.
Harriet just shrugged, "Just not in the mood for bingo."
"Uncle Charles hasn't come back yet?" Aurelia inquired.
Harriet's expression darkened, "Better if he stays out for all I care."
Beverly quickly interjected, "Mom, knock on wood! It's a happy day, and we should be talking about
good fortune, not cursing."
Aurelia added, "Right, Aunt Harriet, we need to keep things upbeat for the holidays, any grievances
can wait 'til after January 5th."
They took their seats beside the other two.
Beverly noticed the reddened rims of Lisbeth's eyes and asked with concern, "Lisbeth, did you have a
tiff with Raines?"
"No, it's not that. He barely even remembers me, hardly speaks to me, how could we fight?"
Lisbeth sniffled, wishing they could argue if it meant some form of acknowledgment.
His indifference towards her was like a cold abyss, devoid of light or hope.
Aurelia felt a tremor in her heart. She wanted to tell Lisbeth that Raines hadn't really lost his memory,
but Leopold's warning choked her words, rendering her speechless.
Raines couldn't face Lisbeth, so he feigned amnesia to cope. If Aurelia exposed him, it might worsen
things instead of healing the rift between them.
But seeing Lisbeth's distress was suffocating.
She wished she could mediate their conflict, and untangle Raines' emotional knots, but the solution
eluded her.
Harriet spoke gravely, "Lisbeth, I have to warn you. Your situation is precarious. With Raines' 'amnesia,'
his feelings for you might as well be gone. If he meets another woman that catches his eye, he might
just stray."
Her words cast a dark cloud over Lisbeth, one that seemed to expand, threatening to engulf her.
Lisbeth's head drooped, her long lashes casting a sorrowful shadow on her pale lids.
Aurelia pulled her close, "That won't happen. Raines isn't that kind of man. Even if he can't remember
you, he wouldn't fall for someone else."
"That you can't be sure of," Harriet countered, "Men are fickle, always chasing the new and discarding
the old. I'm not trying to stir up trouble, and I'm saying, that in these times of crisis, you can't let your
guard down. You must ensure he doesn't wander."
Lisbeth felt a knot tighten in her chest, her nerves on edge.
The fear of losing Raines was overwhelming.
Would he leave her, divorce her?
Aurelia held her hand, "Aunt Harriet, it's the holidays. Let's not scare Lisbeth. Even with his memory
loss, I'm sure Raines' feelings for Lisbeth are intact. He wouldn't betray her."
As Leopold had said, if Raines truly couldn't accept Lisbeth anymore, he wouldn't pretend to have
amnesia; he would have turned her away outright.
Yet, Aurelia's words offered no solace to Lisbeth. She knew that even if Raines regained his memory,
their relationship might not mend, possibly even worsen.
She was drowning in a sea of despair, engulfed by waves of darkness, with no horizon in sight. Her
world was devoid of love, devoid of him. She blamed herself for the misery, seeing it as her just
dessert.