After leaving Pine Hollow, I wandered around for months before settling in this little fishing vige.


    I rented a tiny ce and started making embroidery pieces just for the hell of it.


    The fishing vige was way more open-minded than Pine Hollow. People actually liked my work-some even bought pieces to resell elsewhere.


    I was stoked.


    Then I started making my specialty sachets and herbal pillows.


    Those sold like hotcakes.


    For the first time in my life, I spent the money I earned on myself.


    Back when I went to the city, I heard these women saying, “Honey, when you make money, you gotta treat yourself right.”


    so I bought expensive medicinal herbs to make skincare treatments.


    My dad had passed down this secret family recipe.


    ‘d never been able to afford the ingredients before, never even thought about using them on myself.


    Day by day, my skin got softer and clearer.


    became my own walking advertisement.


    ll the vige women starteding to me.


    Lucy, you can’t keep something this good to yourself!”


    We’ll pay, we’ll pay!”


    Vord spread fast. People from neighboring viges and even the county seat started showing up.


    Vith the money rolling in, I rented a bigger ce with a workshop and converted some rooms into a bed-and-breakfast.


    nted tons of flowers.


    When they bloomed, the whole ce looked like a rainbow.


    ife kept getting better, until one day this guy showed up.


    The guy in front of me wouldn’t shut up about his offer.


    Izoned out a bit.


    His features looked just like William’s.


    This was Chester Winchester-William’s cousin.


    I turned him down t.


    I wanted zero connection to Winchester Industries ever again.


    But Chester wouldn’t take no for an answer. He just moved in.


    “Come on, Lucy, throw me a bone here. If I don’t close this deal, my dad’s gonna cut off my credit cards.”


    He stayed for two weeks.


    Then the bastard started hitting on me. <fna1d6> N?w ?ovel chapt?rs are published on fin?novel</fna1d6>


    I told him straight-faced, “I’m cursed to death-took out my husband and child. Haven’t you heard?”


    That’s what I’d started telling people when the vigers tried setting me up on dates. Shut them right up.


    But Chester’s eyes lit up.


    “I’m tougher than any curse!”


    I couldn’t get rid of him, so I figured whatever-freebor.


    One day he was video chatting, stammering, “Cuz, I, uh, still got some business to wrap up here.”


    “I’ll head back once I’m done.”


    [identally walked into frame.


    Dead silence from the other end.


    old, familiar voice.


    We been hard to find.”