Chapter 233

• Margaret remained firm on the matter. She would only accept a single silver coin for the bracelet nothing more. I, ever composed, found myself at a rare loss. No amount of polite insistence, counteroffers, or appeals to fairness could sway the older woman.
• In the end, I relented not out of defeat, but with quiet respect for a gesture that transcended money.
• As Margaret stood to leave, she turned with a rare softness in her eyes. “I feel a connection with you, Cassandra. If you ever find a spare moment away from the chaos of your schedule, you’re always welcome to visit my home. Or, if you prefer, I could come to you sometime. I’d enjoy a proper conversation, just the two of us.”