The Abandoned Wife

The children stood in line uneasily when they heard the word "punishment." Solemnly, Roxanne swept her gaze past the three of them and remained quiet for a while. Then she pointed at the wall. "All of you will stand there for fifteen minutes."

Although the boys were usually well-behaved, they had been punished before. They made their way to a corner and stood facing the wall. Estella moved exceptionally slowly.

When Roxanne saw that, she furrowed her eyebrows. Thinking that Estella still thought herself innocent, she urged, "You'll need to stand there longer if you walk this slow." Upon hearing that, the girl gathered the courage to turn back to Roxanne. Roxanne was puzzled. Is the punishment too severe? Is that why she's looking at me? Aggrievedly, Estella asked, "If I accept the punishment, will you still like me, Ms. Jarvis?"

The girl's question melted Roxanne's heart into a puddle. "If you learn from your mistake and don't repeat them, I'll continue to like you, just as I always did." Playvolume00:00/00:00TruvidfullScreen

promised, "Okay, Ms. Jarvis! I'll definitely behave myself!" She quickened her pace and arrived next to the boys. "I'm sorry. It's my fault for getting us

and best

she heard that, Roxanne wasn't sure if she should laugh or

punished, but those not in the know would think

thought. The punishment was something I came up with after careful deliberations. While I don't think Lucian will consider my punishment a little too much, I still feel uncertain about it since I don't technically have the right to educate his child. This is the best harmless solution I could conjure. When he arrives, I still need to explain the situation to him. Essie

minutes later, the children's

was almost noon, yet Lucian still hadn't shown up. When is

children were similarly

looking serious. "Since Mr. Farwell hasn't

desire to play that game didn't slip