SWNOVELS Chapter 16
Going through a divorce was something that might have broken Allison three years ago, but now? Now, it felt like little more than brushing out an old coat she should have thrown away ages ago.
Not that there wasn't sadness.
Of course there was.
Three years of pretending to be someone she wasn't because of a fleeting love from her youth.
She'd foolishly believed that Colton might remember their shared past, but even if he did, what difference would it make now?
Colton already had his true love, and in the process, he had transformed into someone she found utterly disgusting.
Now that it was all behind her, Allison found the divorce surprisingly trivial, as if it had no more weight than choosing what to have for breakfast.
Instead of the anguish she had once feared, she felt liberated, as if the shackles had been removed.
Maybe it was because those three years had been nothing but a cascade of disappointments.
When she finally learned the truth, her heart had hardened, had become numb.
How had he not realized this before? How had he not realized how vile Colton was?
He threw his head back and muttered under his breath, “This is my new beginning.
”
That night, Allison fell into a deep, dreamless sleep in her bed, the weight of her past growing ever more distant.
The next morning, she headed to the Stevens family’s former estate, perched on a hill with stunning views that would make any visitor stop in their tracks.
Allison expected to meet Keanu directly.
But to her surprise, it was Colton’s mother, Lindy Stevens, who greeted her.
“Allison, you’re here,” Lindy said softly, taking a delicate sip of her coffee.
Despite being over fifty, Lindy carried herself with the grace of someone untouched by time.
She wore a fitted brown cheongsam, adorned with pearl earrings, and her every movement was poised and refined.
When she looked up, her gaze lingered on Allison for a moment.
Surprise flashed in Lindy's eyes.
Gone were the simple, loose clothing Allison had worn before, and the stiff clip holding her hair back.
Today she wore a light green dress, flowing gently, like a willow swaying in a gentle breeze.
There was a newfound elegance, a quiet charm that hadn't been there before.
“Good morning, Mrs.
Stevens,” Allison greeted politely.
Maintaining her respectful tone, Allison replied.
No matter how messy things had become with Colton, she maintained the courtesy ingrained in her upbringing.
“There’s no need for such formality, my dear.
Come and sit with me,” Lindy said warmly, standing up to take Allison’s hand.
Yet despite the warmth, she couldn’t help but notice a change in Allison’s demeanor.
Allison's expression was still serene, her manner calm.
But there was something else now: a cold detachment, a stark contrast to the docile girl Lindy had known before.
“Don’t call me Mrs.
Stevens, just Lindy, like always,” she sighed, a trace of weariness in her voice.
“Colton’s loss.
I can only imagine how hard these past few years must have been for you.
”
Allison responded to Lindy's words with a polite smile.
She allowed herself to be guided to the couch, but her posture remained firm.
In a calm but unwavering tone, Allison replied, “I wouldn’t think it appropriate.
It’s just a title, after all, so there’s no need to overthink it, Mrs.
Stevens.
”
Her response was tactful, but left no room for negotiation.
It was impossible to find fault with her words.
Lindy raised an eyebrow slightly, her frustration barely perceptible.
But she quickly concealed it with a soft, motherly smile.
“I’ve told Colton how angry I am with him.
Believe me, I told him off last night.
If his grandfather wasn’t so sick, he would have insisted on involving the whole family.
” Lindy was used to handling situations with charm and grace, but she hadn’t anticipated this sharper side of Allison.
By simply sticking to a formal title, Allison had created a distance between them, subtle but unmistakable.
She wasn’t cold, exactly, but the message was clear.
Lindy sighed dramatically and wiped her eyes with a finger, as if she were wiping away invisible tears.
"You've had a very hard life, darling.
No family to support you and now this divorce.
How do you plan to cope on your own?"
Lindy removed an enameled gold bracelet from her wrist.
“My son may have made mistakes, and I can’t control that, but I’ve always thought of you as a daughter.
If you don’t mind, I’ll continue to treat you as I always have.
That way, we can preserve the bond we’ve built.
You’ve always been like family to me.
”
She tried to press the bracelet onto Allison's hand, but Allison didn't budge, gently pushing it back.
“Thank you for the kind offer, Mrs.
Stevens,” Allison said quietly, “but I’m fine on my own.
”
Allison knew very well that in this house no woman was underestimated.
And Lindy, with her decades of navigating the intricate webs of high society, was a master at saying one thing and meaning another.
Her words, as sweet as they sounded, were carefully constructed, each syllable dripping with unspoken intent.
Behind the kind offer was a clear message: Keanu's health was failing, and as an orphan with no strong backer, Allison would be wise not to rock the boat.
She'd be better off accepting the bracelet, maintaining her ties to the Stevens family, and avoiding causing trouble.
Beneath the warm comments was a deliberate approach.
It seemed friendly on the surface, but it was a warning.
Lindy's methods were leagues ahead of Melany's crude attempts.
Lindy's voice remained calm as she said, "Don't be shy.
If I say that you're still part of our family, Colton has nothing to say.
" Although Lindy was still smiling, the rejection of the bracelet made her gaze turn colder.