Two Years Later

Two years later.

A lot of things happened within the span of two years. The most important one was that the Ashbourne family decided to officially take Talia to become a part of their family. Since they heard that she had lost her memories and had no recollection of who she was and her family is, they decided it was not a good idea if she stayed with them without an identity.

Hence, she became Peter's older sister through the adoption papers the Ashbourne couple signed six months after she stayed with them.

Talia initially wanted to be hired as a maid instead of being adopted since she couldn't owe them more than she already did. Besides, her lying to them made her guilt towards them become even stronger than before. She had already planned to leave them as soon as she regained enough energy to set out by herself.

However, who would have thought that Peter would throw a tantrum and break a few of the expensive vases in the manor. He told her that the reason why she was leaving was because he was so annoying and noisy that she had grown tired of him.

Seeing him cry and blame himself for her plan to leave torn Talia apart. Even though they had spent only a few months being together, she enjoyed her time with Peter and she had never met someone who could be so innocent and funny at the same time. In addition, the Ashbourne couple also persuaded her several times and told her how they liked her in the manor because it became a bit livelier with her being there.

Talia thought she would be reluctant to stay, but when she witnessed how much they wanted her to stay with them, she couldn't bring herself to tell them that it was better if she wasn't there with them. It would at least make them safer from her father and from her.

"Talia! Come here already and join us!" Penny called out from where they were standing in front of a small church that had Talia running over to where Penny, Isabela, and Lotte were standing.

After running towards them, Talia looked inside from where she stood the church which was already packed with people while only three people were on the center aisle where there was an elevated podium to stand on.

"Am I too late?" Talia asked the three girls who consecutively shook their heads.

Penny, a curly red-haired young lady of eighteen years of age and wearing a simple puffed gown, sighed in sadness, "I never thought Lily would get married to someone soon. How are we going to hang out with her now?"

Talia frowned when she heard and wanted to say something, but Isabella opened her mouth first to speak, "I know. I heard that the man she married was her lover." Then her tone went pitch higher, "How could she hide the existence of her lover from us? Aren't we her best friends? She hid the truth from us and belatedly told us just a day before the wedding! Are we so untrustworthy that she must hide it from us?"

Isablle continued as if Lily's betrayal was not enough to shock the whole world. She leaned forward enough to lower her voice into a whisper, "You mustn't tell this to anyone. Swear upon your names that you cannot and will not tell anyone about what I am about to tell you."

Talia frowned and looked at Penny and Lotte before they all nodded.

Getting their oath of secrecy of whatever she was about to reveal, Isabelle then said, "I heard from my brother that the man that Lily is marrying is a farmer boy from another town. He said the two met each other when her father was inspecting the rice mill he was lording over!"

Two gasps sounded coming from Penny and Lotte. Talia had to follow along with them and faked a gasp. Truth to be told, she had already seen Lily's lover. It was just a glimpse, but the two hugged each other while trying to be secretive of their relationship. She also knew who Tom was, the farmer boy, whom Isabelle had spoken about.

"She married a farmer boy?" Penny's eyes went wide as a saucer as she gasped the words loudly. An elderly man might have heard her sudden outbursts as he turned and looked at her.

Lotte blanched when she heard what Isabelle said, seemingly about to faint just after the identity reveal.

To young marriageable age girls like them, marrying into a good family was the best thing that could ever happen. Even more if the man turned out to be a desirable bachelor in the ton. Of course, they had dreamed of marrying the man of their dreams, but if that man turned out to be a useless boy who cannot even inherit a manor or anything at all, there was no need to even think about love.

What would they do with love? Will it feed and cloth them? No.

And what happened to Lily was the most dreadful thing they could imagine themselves to be at. Marrying a farmer boy, a man who was employed by her own father, they couldn't believe that Lily really ended up marrying a man like that.

However, Talia didn't think like them. She thought that marrying someone you will love for eternity even if he didn't come from a wealthy family or didn't own a manor is the perfect dream one could ever dream of. At least, she would be able to taste the taste of real love.

There was nothing beautiful or pleasant about marrying high in status when your freedom will only cease to exist. Talia knew about this when she was caged behind the walls of the castle.

But she couldn't tell them that. Not when she finally got herself friends whom she could hang out with.

After the wedding in that small church concluded, the girls bid their farewell towards each other after planning to meet up again tomorrow. As Talia was about to call the coachman, Gilber, to return to the manor, she heard her name called from behind her. When she turned, she saw Lily who held hands with Tom.

Upon coming closer, Lily looked around Talia and when she saw her other best friends not present, the smile and light on her face couldn't help but falter a little bit. "Where are they?" she asked in a shaky voice.

Talia didn't know whether she should tell her the truth or not. In the end, she chose to be honest and said, "They left after your wedding vows were exchanged."

She had already told them they were there with her. Just that their friendship was not enough to make them stay a bit longer.

Lily was a bit crestfallen when she also knew this would be the outcome when everybody learned about the truth of her marriage. Nobody in the society wanted to befriend a woman who married lower than her status.

"Don't worry about what they think and say." Talia cupped her friend's face in her hands and said, "You married the man you love. Isn't that the most important thing? Forget about what everyone will think of you. This is your most important day."

Lily quickly jumped into her arms for a tight hug and said with tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Talia. I would have been really sad if you left with them."

Talia rubbed the bride's back as she stared at Tom. She smiled at him before she told him, "Take care of Lily and make her the happiest girl alive."

Tom nodded at her and said, "I will."

Talia watched the newlywed get on the carriage with everyone clapping and praising them. She saw a glimpse of Lily's mother pressing her face against her husband as she bawled in tears while murmuring how a lowly boy stole their daughter.

Lily's family seemed affected with their daughter leaving their side and marrying a farmer boy. But they had never looked closely enough to see the brightest smile on her lips when she married him. It was disheartening to look at.

But it was even more painful when she thought that no one had cried nor held onto her when she was pushed to marry a man she never saw even once.

...

Poisonlily has something to say: This novel is finally contracted! While I'm still not thinking of locking the chapters until we're in the right part and have more chapters, please do gift this novel a lot of love >.<