On the Ruins of His Regret I Soar novel Chapter 56

He was still there when Helen called them for dinner. He finally moved, walking over to scoop Amy into his arms. “What did you play today?” he asked, and she chattered on, telling him all about their games.

At the dinner table, Lance frowned. “Helen, please go get Catherine.”

“Why should a guest have to be called to the table?” the housekeeper grumbled under her breath.

Lance’s eyes narrowed. Perhaps he’d been too lenient with her just because she was good with Amy. A housekeeper had no right to question him.

Jessica saw his expression darken and shot Helen a warning look. The older woman reluctantly wiped her hands on her apron and went upstairs.

She was back in less than two minutes. “Ms. Brown says she’s not hungry. She said to go ahead and eat without her.”

Jessica placed a piece of pork on Amy’s plate. Lance didn’t touch his food. After a few tense seconds, he looked at Jessica. “I’m going to go check on her,” he announced. “Catherine doesn’t skip meals for no reason.”

He was already pushing his chair back, heading for the stairs.

“Mrs. Smith, you can’t just let her get away with this!” Helen hissed. “That woman is declaring war!”

“Helen,” Jessica said with a weary smile, “not in front of the child.”

The housekeeper sighed and fell silent.

It was useless. A man in love would only hear what he wanted to hear. Her questions, her logic—it all went right over his head.

He pressed closer, his voice low and menacing. “What will it take, Jessica? What will it take for you to leave her alone? To find an ounce of kindness in your heart? When will you go back to being the woman I married?”

The question felt like a knife twisting in her gut. I haven’t changed, she wanted to scream. You’re the one who changed. You both did. But she was too exhausted to fight. The only reason she was even standing in this house was to get the proof she needed to save her daughter.

Her silence only fueled his rage. “If you have a problem, you take it up with me. Catherine is innocent. If you so much as lay a hand on her again, I will send you back to that asylum to catch up with your old friends.”

One year obviously wasn’t enough. Maybe two would do the trick. Or three. Sooner or later, she would learn her place.