A Bloom of Thorns
"Rather than obsessing over someone else's private life, maybe you should take a hard look at yourself and see what kind of person you are.
"Even though you're a woman, you're the meanest of them all.
"If that's how you are, it looks like the Porter family isn't much better.
"Forget about any future deals between the Porter family and the Canfields."
Cecilia was so shocked by those words, she did not even put up a fight. Dumb struck, she was willingly led away.
Holly's laughter bubbled up, pure and free.
She could feel it — the dark clouds that had once hung over her life were finally gone for good.