Sofia Walton kept her distance from her family, unwilling to humiliate herself further in front of Ronan Sterling, her fiancé.
The stench emanating from both her mother and sister was so overwhelming that she nearly fainted herself.
They were desperately waiting for fresh clothes from home. The auction had ended, yet their replacements hadn't arrived.
More pressing was the matter of mysterious bids placed in their name—bids they vehemently denied making.
"Ronan," Sofia called weakly, her voice thin and uncertain. "I was feeling too ill to attend the auction for Dr. Luxe's medicine. Did you place a bid for me? "
Her voice wavered toward the end, as if she already knew the answer but needed to ask anyway.
Part of her still clung to the idea that he might have done it for
