Eleanor's voice was lined with hesitation and fake nostalgia.
"She's relatively new to this lifestyle. She was my neighbor's daughter, back in the day. Her parents were good to us. Kind and generous people."
She glanced away, as if reaching into the past for innocence that never quite existed.
"Linda practically grew up with David and Charlotte. I always considered her... like a daughter. So when I heard that David had given her an opportunity for a better future at his company, I was genuinely happy for her. I thought, maybe this would be her chance to build something good."
She looked up, eyes soft, searching Anita's face for a crack of sympathy.
"That's why I asked her to join me for lunch. I haven't seen her in years. And she just returned to the country. Please, for my sake, forgive her disrespect. She didn't mean to. She's just too used to seeing everyone as family, especially you—her big brother's wife."
