Agatha stamped her feet and exclaimed, "Times have changed! Back then, he was down and out, a nobody. Who could have known he'd become this powerful?"
Rowan said gloomily, "Grandma, let's go back! He's already been generous enough, providing us with so much support! Asking for more would be shameless of us. After all, we're outsiders!"
Agatha snorted, "Outsiders, my ass! I brought you here because I wanted you two to get close! But he hasn't paid us any attention since returning to Blumedale. It seems he doesn't take the Onyx Serpents, or you, seriously at all!"
She added, "Rowan, you're so beautiful. Doesn't he have any feelings for you whatsoever?"
Rowan gave a bitter smile and mocked herself. "Who knows what he thinks. Besides, I'm not even that pretty! If I were beautiful, he wouldn't have returned without glancing my way!"
If this had been the old Rowan, she would have been proud and would not have cared whether Andrew paid attention to her or not.
However, the Onyx Serpents had fallen and were wandering everywhere. It was only thanks to his offer of refuge that they had a place to stay. Her pride and dignity had long since faded, leaving only self-doubt behind.
She thought about her two encounters with Andrew, once in Goldridge and once at the McDaniel family estate in Sunstrand. They had kissed and even shared intimacy, but the more she thought about it, the more worthless she felt.
Perhaps Andrew had only been playing along, treating her as nothing more than a frivolous woman.
Then, Lauren and Chantelle came back, stunning beauties who clearly belonged to Andrew. Rowan did not know them, but from the moment she saw them, she could tell they were his women, each one breathtaking.
She did not want to linger any longer and forced Agatha to leave quickly.
…
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