"Of course not! I'm just surprised to know that he left without saying goodbye." Jane tried to explain herself.
"Okay!" However Mrs. Shaw didn't believe what she said as she gave her a knowing smile.
Phil then came to the living room with a tray of cookies and fresh orange juice.
"Thank you, Phil."
"You're welcome Young Madam." Phil then excused himself to go to the to the kitchen but then Jane asked him.
"Wait, where's Celeste?"
"Oh! The Little Miss is in the Garden. She's having fun with Potato."
"Potato? Who's that?"
"Potato is Edric's dog. It's a one year old golden retriever." Mrs. Shaw explained to Jane.
"Really? Why had I not seen it before?"
"Oh! It was sent to the Vet Hospital after it got sick. But I think it's fine now. Right Phil?"
"Yes. Ma'am."
Then Jane could hear the barking of a dog from the back door and at the same time Celeste's giggle.
"Will she be okay?" Both Violet and Jane were never fond of dogs.
Jane was bitten by it when she was little.
On the other hand, Violet had been battling with demon dogs before.
There were no domesticated dogs in their kingdom. Most of them were demon beasts.
"Yes. Celeste loves animals. She's an animal lover by heart. She can become a good vet doctor when she grew up."
"Oh, really?"
"Yes."
They then took a bite of the cookie and drunk a mouthful of juice.
"Alright. Since we are already here, tell me what happened? How did he manage to get your sweet yes?" She asked while trying to change the topic which was still related to him.
Jane was hesitant to answer her question.
She didn't know if Mrs. Shaw would not judge her character or not. This marriage happened because she was desperate.
And Edric came at the right moment to give his help.
"Of course, I will not expect for you to say you both have fallen in love all of a sudden that's why you both decided to get married, no?"
As expected of Mrs. Shaw.
"Right. This is really embarrassing for me to say."
"Go ahead, Jane. You can tell me. I'm in all ears." Of course, she's really curious how this potential love story started.
She really expected Edric to not make a move on Jane but then she was surprised when Edric called her this morning asking her to accompany his wife while he was away.
Aside from that, he also asked her to start teaching Jane with the etiquettes just in case they had to meet his so called family soon.
Edric didn't tell her who that woman was but seeing Jane wearing a ring on her ring finger aside from the other ring on her right finger, then who else would it be if not her?
And Jane didn't deny it when she said she's married to Edric McWilliams.
Given the extra push, Jane finally got the courage to tell the truth.
Then Jane told her the whole story behind this.
"Edric came to help me and my family. And in return I have to agree to a favor that he'd be asking from me and this is that favor."
Mrs. Shaw was giggling inside as she thought of the means Edric had used to lure Jane inside his nest.
At the same time, she felt bad for Jane's family. Especially to Mrs. Sanchez. They had become pretty close while Jane was still in the hospital.
"How's Ann?"
"She's fine now. At least all the problems that she has been carrying all these years after my father died are now gone."
"That's good then. Yeah?"
"Yes."
"Don't worry Jane. Edric will never hurt you."
Mrs. Shaw believed that if he had not fallen in love with her first, then he would divorce or annul this marriage even before Jane would start having feelings for him.
That way, she won't experience that pain.
"Li-lith." Jane was still not used to calling Mrs. Shaw in first name basis so it came awkwardly.
"Yes, Jane?"
"Tell me about his family. I want to know what kind of family he has."
"Oh!" Mrs. Shaw was taken aback.
He and Edric had not rehearsed on what to say when asked. She didn't want to have a different answer from him. So she just based her answer on describing how complicated the McWilliams family currently.
"Hm. Well, let's say my Aunt is married to the brother of the current Patriarch, Patrick McWilliams. Together with his wife, Beatrice McWilliams they have three children. One son and two daughters. Then one day, Patriarch Patrick came back with the grown up Edric introducing him as his child from another woman whom he had a one night stand with."
"Since he is the eldest, my Aunt's sister-in-law felt threatened that Edric will have a share on the inheritance. So his (Edric's) paranoid step-mother are trying to set him up for marriage with women from other families which can't support Edric just in case the battle for the inheritance and the next Patriarch will happen."
"Oh! So that's why I came in the picture."
"Yes. But don't worry Jane, Edric never rely on the McWilliams for a living aside from the name. He has his own means. He can support you and your future family in the future just in case this marriage will work out."
Jane felt like Edric's life was rather pitiful.
She really had let her remaining prejudice towards him to prevail over trying to get to know him better.
'Jane, Edric and George are only look a likes, okay? He's not King George II.' Jane said to convince herself.
Maybe he had some mood issues given his family situation.
Jane was so into her thoughts that she had forgotten about Mrs. Shaw.
"So, you're not really his cousin then?"
Mrs. Shaw was taken aback not knowing that Jane could pick up this detail.
She then decided to come up for an excuse.
"Actually no. But still, since both of us are almost treated like an outsider of the family, we have found comfort and started treating each other as real cousins."
"I see. Now I get it."
"Yeah." Mrs. Shaw then shifted her position before she continued.
"Jane, Edric has a lot of secrets that he doesn't want others to know. But I'm sure, he will slowly confide to you. After all, he has recognized you as his wife. About his mood swings, please be patient with him." 'I believe only you can cool him down.' She continued in her thought.
"Don't worry. Now that I understand where he is coming from, I'll be more patient with him.
"Just a suggestion though."
"Sure, what is it?" Jane said as she took a bite at the cookie and then drunk a mouthful of juice.
"Why don't you make him fell in love with you?"
Jane choked on the juice making some of it entering her nose.
Mrs. Shaw immediately handed her the tissue to wipe her face and nose.
"Oh my gosh! I'm sorry Jane. Are you okay?" Mrs. Shaw asked in concern.
Jane could not speak yet so she made an 'OK' sign.
"Did I scare you with my question?" Mrs. Shaw tried to ask.
"You have no idea how I was so caught off-guard by your question, Lilith."
Seeing Jane's reaction, Mrs. Shaw wanted to hold back her giggle.
"I'm sorry."
"It's fine. But please don't do it next time. Make sure that I'm not eating something."
"Hahaha! Sure. My bad. This won't happen again. I promise."
"Well then, thank you."
Mrs. Shaw once again ate the cookie before she continued asking Jane.
"Jane, if you don't ming me asking this. Don't you find Edric attractive? He has it all. The money, the looks."
Jane's expression turned serious after she heard that.
"Honestly, I won't agree to this marriage had I not been in a difficult situation. But come to think of it, I'd still turn down his proposal if one of the conditions was to make him love me or that I should love him."
"Why do you sound like you have been badly hurt with love before?"
'I am. I was murdered by love. So I'll make sure that I'll never fall for the same feeling over again.' Jane wanted to say that but she couldn't.
"The idea of love, I mean the Romantic form of love, I don't want it."
Hearing Jane's response, Mrs. Shaw could only sigh deep down.
'Seems like Edric has to work hard even more.'
She could feel Jane's solid iron wall layered with ice that she had built to protect herself from love and pain.
"The only thing that I may be able to give to him after this marriage is probably friendship."
Nothing more than that.
"That's why I also advised him to not fall for me if ever. Because I can't reciprocate his feelings. And in the end, I'll only hurt him."
"Woah. That was deep, Jane."
"Mm. I understand your point. But as someone who has been enjoying the feeling of being showered and pampered with love by my husband, I would say, love isn't a bad thing."
She then looked at Jane intently before she continued.
"If love brings you a bad experience in the past. It doesn't mean to happen all the time. Love can be toxic sometimes but there are factors... reasons which caused it to be toxic. But it also means you're not meant to be with that person. So get out. Get over it!"
"But you can never say you'll never going to fall in love again. Because that feeling moves in mysterious way. And before you knew it, you're already hit by cupid's arrow and this time with your soul mate."
Jane was silent while listening to Mrs. Shaw.
"Do you believe in soul mate Jane?"
Mrs. Shaw's question got her however, she still answered her with a firm answer.
"No."
"What if Edric is your soul mate. I don't know about you but Edric has improved drastically. And I think that's because of you. He will not propose this marriage to you if it's not you. Do you get my point?"
"That man only speaks a couple of words so you might misunderstood him but I can tell he's trying. And this is because it's you. It's because of you."
****
After that serious conversation in the living room, Jane and Mrs. Shaw moved to the garden to join Celeste and play with the dog. Potato.
As soon as Potato saw Jane, the dog ran towards her and Jane waved her hand in the front to protect her in reflex but what she expected didn't happen.
Potato sat near her feet and waited anxiously for her to pat it on the head.
"Go. Give it a try. It don't bite." Mrs. Shaw encouraged Jane.
Though she was hesitant, Jane reached out to pat it's head. And it excitedly wiggled its tails and rubbed its head on her palm with its eye closed.
"Potato likes you, Jane."
"Yeah. I can see that."
Mrs. Shaw then rubbed its back and Potato rolled on the ground as it wanted them to rub its belly.
And when they did, Potato ran happily on the field not minding if it'd destroy the garden field.
"Don't worry about it. Phil will handle the plants."
***
The entire day went in a blur.
Celeste and Mrs. Shaw came back to the Shaw Mansion that night since Mr. Shaw arrived from the overseas and was expecting his wife and child to be there.
But they promised to come back the following day.
Jane looked at the clock and it was almost six in the evening yet all she had in her mind was the things that Mrs. Shaw told her.
However, she decided to push those thoughts at the back of her head and decided to have her dinner.
When Phil came to bring her food, she could not help but ask him.
"Phil?"
"Yes, Young Madam?"
"Why are you here? Why didn't you come with Edric?"
"Young Master instructed me to look after you while he's away."