Chloe remained silent, letting the unspoken reality hang in the air.
Mrs. Bishop, being a woman of experience, quickly pieced it together. Her voice softened with understanding. "If Xavier isn't fond of the idea, then we won't push it. There’s no need to provoke him, especially since your relationship is... delicate as it is. It’s better this way."
She added a note of motherly hope, "If he truly cares for you, he’ll find a way to make it up to you later without us asking. Don't worry, I’ll handle the Old Madam and decline the arrangements from our side."
Chloe felt a massive weight lift from her chest.
"Chloe," Mrs. Bishop added as a final thought, "if things ever become truly unbearable, just come home. Don't ever let yourself be mistreated."
Those words brought a shimmer of tears to
