In every memory he had of her, Hilda had always spoken to him softly, gently. In all their years together, she had been the one to back down after every argument. He simply could not absorb the distance between who she'd been and who stood before him now.
He wanted to keep trying, but his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He had no choice but to stop. He looked at Hilda with an expression that was equal parts desperate and pleading.
"I'll make this right. I mean it, Hilda. Wait for me."
Hilda didn't turn around.
She had far too much to do, too much to learn. But the person who came looking for her before Jasper could try again wasn't who she expected.
It was Vivienne.
"Hilda?"
Hilda turned. Vivienne stood three paces away.
She wore an all-white suit today, her makeup immaculate, but no amount of concealer could hide the bruised shadows beneath her eyes.
"It really is you, Hilda. You're actually—you're actually her!"
Her jaw clenched. Her entire body trembled with fury. "You're the daughter the Summers family found!"
"No wonder Jasper looked like someone had ripped his soul out at the gala. You're back."
Hilda offered a thin, indifferent smile. "It's been a while, Vivienne."
Vivienne's voice shot up an octave. "Hilda! You knew about your real family all along, didn't you? You hid it on purpose! You wanted Jasper to go crazy over you! You showed up at the welcome gala deliberately. This is revenge. You're punishing him. You're punishing both of us!"
"You must be so pleased with yourself. After you vanished, Jasper tore this city apart looking for you like a man possessed. He even risked offending my parents just to postpone the wedding!" Her voice cracked, sharp and jagged. "You ruined my entire life!"
Hilda stared at the woman in front of her, baffled by the sheer absurdity of it all.
"Vivienne," she said, "six months ago I was lying in the ICU waiting to die. I wasn't nearly as busy as you seem to think."
Vivienne froze.
Hilda held her gaze, reading the hostility burning there, and almost laughed at how ridiculous it was.
"You know what I kept thinking back then? If I died, who would even care?"
"Not Jasper. He was too busy playing house with you. My grandmother was already gone. My friends had no idea where I was. It seemed like there wasn't a single person on this earth who'd shed one tear for me."
"But now?"