After Betrayal - I Married a Handsome Tycoon-Chapter 52: Sister-in-law vs. Wife

Moira Sloan had never been one to indulge in sensual pleasures.

Otherwise, she couldn’t possibly have been with Shane Jennings for so many years and kept things platonic.

Of course, she wasn’t the type to be heavily constrained by rules and conventions, either.

Otherwise, she and Connor Quinn, two experienced adults, wouldn’t have hit it off so perfectly.

But Connor Quinn threw cold water on her. The desire instantly vanished from Moira Sloan’s enchanting face. She shot up, her bare feet padding against the floor as she returned to the bedroom.

As the door slammed shut with a BANG, Connor Quinn, whose eyes had been downcast, arched a brow.

「The next day.」

Moira Sloan was up at the crack of dawn. Without so much as a word to Connor Quinn, she left the hotel.

She first stopped by a jewelry store to pick out a couple of pieces for Lillian Kidd, then went to a department store to select two dresses for her.

They were all elegant and tasteful styles, befitting Lillian Kidd’s status.

By the time she caught a taxi to Lillian Kidd’s place, it was nearly noon.

She rang the doorbell. Lillian Kidd answered it herself, and the moment she saw Moira, her eyes instantly reddened.

Moira Sloan wasn’t a sentimental person, but she had a soft spot for heartfelt moments.

Seeing that Lillian Kidd’s tears were about to fall, she quickly put down her things and gave her a big hug.

"Mrs. Kidd, I’m back."

Lillian Kidd patted her on the back, the gestures almost like light smacks, yet she couldn’t bring herself to use any real force. "You... I thought... I really thought..."

Lillian Kidd didn’t finish her sentence.

But even without her saying it, Moira Sloan knew exactly what she meant.

’She thought I would never come back.’

She had left in a fit of pique—resigning from her job, ending her relationship—all in the span of a single day. It had left everyone who knew her in stunned disbelief.

She was truly decisive, and truly ruthless.

After their embrace, Lillian Kidd took her by the hand and led her inside. A housekeeper came out to help with the bags she had left by the door.

The housekeeper recognized Moira and greeted her warmly, adding with a smile that Lillian Kidd had been up at the crack of dawn after hearing she was coming back.

Moira Sloan gave a winsome laugh, playing the part of an endearing junior to perfection.

The meal had a pleasant atmosphere.

Over lunch, Lillian Kidd asked Moira about her plans for the future.

Moira picked up a piece of braised meat with her chopsticks and placed it in her bowl. "I’ve opened a small shop in Everwood."

Lillian Kidd frowned at her words. "You’re planning to stay in Everwood?"

Moira meticulously deboned a piece of duck in her bowl without looking up. "Yes, that’s the plan for now."

Lillian Kidd said, "But won’t your skills go to waste?"

Moira replied, "No, I haven’t missed a single day of practice."

That wasn’t what Lillian Kidd meant. "I’m talking about..."

Moira knew what she was getting at. She looked up and said with a placid smile, "Mrs. Kidd, let’s talk about that some other time."

The phrase "some other time" left Lillian Kidd with nothing more to say.

Not wanting to spoil the atmosphere of their long-awaited reunion, Lillian Kidd put some food on Moira’s plate and changed the subject. "You still haven’t met your Senior Brother, have you?"

Moira agreed. "No, I haven’t."

’This Senior Brother of hers is notoriously elusive. Honestly, if I hadn’t been a disciple for so many years, I’d suspect he was just a made-up figurehead to bolster the school’s reputation.’

"I’ll arrange for you two to meet when there’s a chance," Lillian Kidd said.

"Sounds good," Moira replied.

After lunch, Moira sat with Lillian Kidd for a while before making an excuse about having other errands and taking her leave.

Lillian Kidd walked her to the door, broaching the topic of her love life indirectly. "Are you still in touch with Shane Jennings?"

"No," Moira said.

Lillian Kidd nodded. "That’s for the best. It’ll keep people from gossiping."

Moira offered a faint, lovely smile. "I agree."

Lillian Kidd added, "I know plenty of talented young men. Whenever you feel ready, I can introduce you."

Moira smiled. "Okay."

After saying goodbye to Lillian Kidd, Moira ducked into a taxi.

The moment the taxi pulled away, she let out a soft sigh.

’What am I going to do?’

’I’m so tired.’

’Not physically tired, but emotionally drained.’

’It’s the exhaustion that comes from returning home and having to navigate all the social obligations.’

It was over an hour later when she got back to the hotel.

She paid the fare by scanning a QR code and got out. Her heels had just touched the pavement when she spotted two tall figures standing at the hotel entrance.

One was Connor Quinn, and the other... was Shane Jennings.

She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the look on Shane Jennings’s face was thunderous.

As Moira walked closer, she caught Connor Quinn’s infuriatingly calm words. "Really, you don’t have to be so upset. So she didn’t become your wife... she became your sister-in-law. At the end of the day, we’re still family."