Chapter 39

It rained on the day they buried Old Mrs. Chambers. The drizzle was chilly, making people shiver slightly when it landed on their skin. Victoria was dressed thinly, but she didn't feel cold at all. If anything, the breeze brushing through her hair felt like Bertha giving her a soft hug. She didn't step forward. Instead, she stood quietly under a tree not far away, eyes fixed on Theodore standing in the middle of the crowd. He stood tall and composed—just looking at him made people feel safe. But to her, he hadn't felt like a safe haven for a long time. That thought alone made her lips twitch in a bitter, ironic smile. After all, she was the one who had walked away from him in the first place. Fingers clenching the handle of her umbrella hard, tears ran down her face unnoticed as the cold wind stung her cheeks. Her mind kept replaying what Bertha used to say. She only wanted Victoria to be happy. But now? Everything in her life felt like a mess. The people she cared about kept slipping