#13: A Very Generous Offer
Cecelia loved to display her success and speak without filters, and just as dessert plates began to arrive, she started describing the fishery’s banner season, the thriving contracts, and the boats coming in heavy with silver arcs of lake light.
She ended the monologue with a smile that felt ceremonial and said she would pay for the wedding. Leon blinked as if the room had tilted. Freya nodded gratefully while her stomach tightened. Generosity this grand rarely traveled alone. She sensed a condition waiting behind the compliment, patient and sharp. If Cecelia disliked her, why attach kindness to their ceremony?