Abandon You Choose Dragon Chapter 08
Her voice dropped lower and lower—afraid my father would hear, afraid James would hear, afraid anyone would catch her grieving for her daughter.
“I’m useless as a mother,” she choked out. “I have no say in this house. I couldn’t even protect the moonstone bracelet that’s been in my family for generations… All I can do is stand by and watch.”
Ash paused. “The bracelet your husband gave Chloe—that was yours? Your family heirloom?”
“Yes. My mother left it to me before she passed. Told me to give it to my daughter someday. I wanted to save it for Iris, but…”
She couldn’t finish. She just shook her head.
Something sour settled in Ash’s chest.
He’d already given my ceremonial dress to Chloe. He’d told himself he’d commission an even better one for me later.
But the bracelet—that was my mother’s heirloom. My grandmother’s last keepsake.
He wanted to say something. The words wouldn’t come.
My mother lifted her eyes to his. Tears had soaked into every crease around her eyes.
“Ash. If you do marry Iris someday—please be good to her. Please don’t let her suffer anymore. I’m no use in this family. But if I know she’s all right… then I have no regrets.”
The way she said it, she sounded like someone who had already made peace with something.
Ash was still holding his cigarette, about to offer some reassurance, when a tribesman wandered over with a cheerful grin.
“Hey, isn’t this the Praise Moon groom? What are you doing standing out here?”
“My daughter was in the Festival too. Shame she refused the contract, so today’s got nothing to do with our family.”
The cigarette froze between Ash’s fingers. “What did you say? Your daughter? She refused?”
“Yeah, my girl’s fiancé—soon as he caught the moonflower, she found out he had another female on the side. She flat-out refused to marry him. So that was that.”
The man waved his hand. “Oh well. Can’t force these things.”
The cigarette slipped from Ash’s fingers and hit the ground.
The one who refused the contract—was that man’s daughter.
Then the bride inside the sanctuary—who was she?