His Unveiled Passion

Chapter 58

Soon after, an elderly woman with a slightly plump figure and a warm, beaming smile stepped out. "Ms. Yates... Is that Tess?"

Tessa froze for a moment. "Ma'am, do you know me?"

The old woman approached her, her cloudy eyes brimming with emotion. "Tess, you've grown so tall. Time flies."

Tessa's mouth opened slightly, unsure of how to respond.

Stephen spoke at just the right moment. "I learned my cooking skills here."

Tessa glanced at him, puzzled.

Stephen explained, "This is Helen Wilson. She used to be the Somerton family's housekeeper, and Madam Somerton learned to cook from her."

Helen looked at Tessa, her joy overflowing into tears. "It really is you, Tess. Your eyes look just like your mother's. Tess, I even held you in my arms when you were little.

with tears. "Yes, it's me,

sit," Helen said, ushering them

buy some groceries. Get

off. Helen held Tessa's hand and began reminiscing, sharing many stories about Tyla's younger years. From these stories, Tessa learned that

mother, a delicate and refined heiress unaccustomed to kitchen work, had learned to cook for the

a mix of

her mother passed away, her

remarry just two years after her mother's

she was little, her mother had taken her to meet Marianne a few times. Since Marianne didn't live in Rivertown, their meetings were infrequent,

whatever affection had

Marianne had treated her well after the marriage-even better than when she was just her mother's friend. She gave

mind, Tessa asked softly, "Mrs. Wilson, do you

moment. "Is she the girl who was very close to your mother? I remember her. Before your mother got married, she often

paused, as if

a moment, she said, "I remember that before your mom passed away, Marianne visited her in the hospital several times. Once, when I went

want you to grow up without the love and care of a mother. Your dad was there too, and

that be..." Tessa's face paled, and her chest felt tight with

father's marriage to Marianne was her mother's dying