Chapter 69: Two Women
As the two of them strolled through the vineyard, a strange, bitter wave of nostalgia washed over Anna, stirring memories she thought she had buried long ago.
Once upon a time, they had walked like this too—side by side, confiding in one another, sharing laughter, secrets, and sorrows. Back when Anna still believed that Marienne was someone she could trust. Someone who wouldn’t eventually twist those shared secrets into weapons.
Now, it all felt like a scene from a play they’d performed before. Only this time, Anna wasn’t the naive girl who mistook theatrics for sincerity. She knew better than to let Marienne anywhere near the parts of her life that still mattered.
"You know," Marienne chirped, clasping her hands together like a child with a clever idea, "we should plan a dinner together. Somewhere really nice."
"The Golden Room, perhaps?" Anna offered sweetly, her tone light, but her smile laced with something sharper beneath the surface.
Marienne visibly flinched. It was obvious that she instantly thought about the day she had sent Sebastian there for his meeting with Susanne. She recovered quickly, slipping back into her sugary charm.
"Oh, please," she waved her hand dismissively, "that place has become a glorified diner—anyone can get a reservation now."
Anna chuckled. The jab was subtle, but unmistakable—a dig at Susanne’s public meeting with Sebastian. She nodded, silently signaling that perhaps she, too, no longer held the Golden Room in such esteem.
"Then what place would you suggest?" Anna tilted her head slightly, one brow arching in polite curiosity.
Marienne’s gaze flickered with something unreadable before she replied, her voice soft and unblinking. "How about your mansion, Chloe?" she said, fluttering her lashes as if the request was as innocent as a compliment.
What? Anna asked inwardly, her eyes widening in disbelief. Is she serious? Is she really that delusional—to think I’d invite her to my home just like that?