The Kiss that Sparked it All

Chapter 1814

Marlinie held her daughter’s slightly cold hand tighter. “No. I want to take you away from here with me. Would you come with me?”

Ellinor seemed taken aback. The answer, which she thought was certain, now seemed uncertain.

Realizing that Ellinor was hesitating, Marlinie realized that her daughter was no longer a little girl.

Pearl had grown up. She had her own concerns and people who cared for her.

Marlinie wiped away her tears and chuckled. “Look at me, still thinking of you as a little girl. I must have forgotten that you’re now a grown woman with your own home and children.”

Snapping back to reality, Ellinor looked at her mother with some difficulty. “Can’t you just stay with us?”

The smile on Marlinie’s lips turned bittersweet. “Pearl, I…”

been a smart girl. She almost immediately understood her mother’s reluctance. “Mom, you don’t want

That silence

were her

stay in a place where she could constantly be reminded of her

both of hers. “I understand! The Howards are in Greenhaven, so we can live

let me go. As long as they know I’m alive, they won’t let me live

her mother be so terrified of the Howards, Ellinor’s heart sank. She couldn’t imagine the kind of torment

to be

for what they did to her

“Okay, we’ll discuss whether you’re coming with me or staying

hands and chatted about where she’d been

long, Marlinie fell asleep

voice faded, Ellinor gently called out to her a few times. When she didn’t get a response, she made sure her mother was comfortably asleep before covering her with a blanket and