Chapter 797:
Once the bodyguard left, Allison gently rapped on the study door.
A robust voice from within greeted Allison before she had a chance to speak. âCome in. The bodyguardâs filled me in.â
âI mean no harm,â Allison responded in a hushed tone as she pushed the door open.
Inside, Mollie was seated at her desk. The only source of light came from a dim desk lamp, casting a soft glow and giving the room a moody ambiance. Mollieâs features were sharp and somewhat spectral under the light, and her eyes were steady as she watched Allison in silence.
âPlease, have a seat, young lady.â
âThank you.â Allison settled into the chair across from her, taking a moment to absorb the scene.
Mollie wasnât thumbing through a book as Allison had expected, but instead seemed lost in a photo album. Her eyes carried a wistfulness that spoke of deep-seated grief, as if she were miles away, lost in memories of a cherished past. It was clear that Mollie was grappling with a profound sadness, the kind that lingers and refuses to let go, possibly tied to a face or a moment captured in the album before her.
Allison carefully reviewed the details laid out before her, then lifted her eyes to meet Mollieâs.
âMollie, what I said outside the door earlier wasnât true.â
Before she could finish, Mollie smiled and cut her off. âMiss, I know you were spinning tales. Given my husbandâs health, heâs hardly the philandering type.â Mollie held her gaze steady, a cool detachment radiating from her. Her daughterâs conception through in vitro fertilization had been a testament to their struggles.
âIf you think you can scare me into silence with these tales, Iâd advise you to think again and leave while you can.â Her voice was soft, but carried a razor-sharp edge. âYouâre too young to play these games here.â
Her words sliced through the air with unexpected ferocity.
Allison hadnât come here with deceit in mind. In silence, she slipped off her emerald ring.
âJust a moment before I go, please take a look at this.â Mollieâs eyebrows knitted together slightly at the request.
The dim lighting masked the item in Allisonâs hand. With a quick twist of the lamp dial, the room brightened, revealing the deep green glint of the ring.
âThis isâ¦â
A shiver ran through her.
Mollie reached out swiftly, her fingers enclosing the ring. After examining it closely, her fingers clenched. âThis ring belonged to my daughter! How on earth did it find its way to you?â
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