Chapter 17

Why Did It Come to This? How did things turn out this way? At first, they were hopeful, clinging to the slim chance that Aunt Marie might help. After all, she had watched them grow up and had always cared for them deeply. Unable to resist their persistent pleading, she finally gave in and muttered, “Joel might not return to West Brooke. Her family… they probably arranged for a more suitable man for her.” A more suitable man? The two of them exploded at once. They had been...