An uneasy silence fell over Dustin as he closed his mouth, unwilling to test his mother s patience any further. Still, he couldn t ignore the faint praise Hester had offered Dolores proof that her disapproval wasn t set in stone.

Hope flickered inside him; maybe there was still a future for him and Dolores. Forcing down his nerves, Dustin waited, doing his best to steady himself while Hester weighed her next words.

Her expression unreadable, Hester s gaze landed on Joanne. Though she wore a gentle fa?ade, something cold glinted in Joanne s eyes.

Tonight s announcement of your engagement to Dustin doesn t make it permanent, Hester stated, her voice even. I can end it at any moment.

Odd as Dustin s reasoning might have sounded, it wasn t entirely outlandish. In that tense moment, Joanne had dashed straight for Jeffery, pushing Hester aside without hesitation. If Jeffery ever found himself in trouble, Hester suspected Joanne would use the Wade family s power to help the Lawsons without a second thought. Risking her own safety, Joanne had shown just how far she would go for Jeffery s sake.

At Hester s words, Joanne s gaze dropped, a bitter smile flickering across her lips. So, Hester, what reason will you give for breaking things off? she asked quietly.

Her lashes trembled as she paused. After gathering herself, Joanne spoke again, her voice rough with regret. I understand all of this is because of me. I didn t put Dustin first but

An uneasy jolt ran through Dustin. What was Joanne trying to pull now?

Raising her gaze, Joanne fixed Dustin with tearful eyes, looking heartbreakingly fragile.

Dustin, maybe I haven t moved past Jeffery, but are you really innocent in all this? Haven t you and Dolores done things that cut even deeper?

A trembling smile broke across Joanne s lips as glistening tears traced down her cheeks. Jeffery keeps his distance, and whatever I feel is one-sided. But you and Dolores? You never hid your flirting, not even when I was watching.

Instant tension washed over Hester s face as she interjected, Joanne, what are you getting at?

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A low, brittle laugh slipped from Joanne, tears streaming as she laughed, yet a cold chill lingered in her eyes, unsettling everyone in the room.

With a sudden lift of her chin, Joanne s face became unreadable. Call off the engagement if you want, she retorted, crisp and clear, but don t think you can pin the blame on me.

Her unyielding stare locked onto Dustin. I ve covered for you and Dolores more times than I can count. Loyalty deserves better than betrayal.

Nobody forced you, Joanne! You were the one who offered to help! Dustin exclaimed, his nerves fraying.

That one reckless admission was all it took for Hester to realize he had been meeting Dolores behind her back.

A flash of fury crossed Hester s features. You ve been lying to me for who knows how long, Dustin!

The urge to slap Dustin was almost overwhelming, but Hester s attention shifted right now, Joanne was the greater problem.

She had never pictured Joanne as capable of turning the tables so quickly, leaving her carefully crafted plans in shambles.

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