Chapter 4

Last night, when Charlotte was helping me clean my dress, her fingers paused for a moment at my waist.

There was an old silver button sewn there, a keepsake from Grandma Grace's youth.

Today, when I unpicked the dress, the silver button was gone.

The Fernandez family dinner was held at Fernandez Manor.

When I arrived, the dining room was already filled with people.

Charlotte was sitting next to Mr. Fernandez Sr., serving him soup. The bandage on her wrist had been replaced with a conspicuous white one, like a little flag.

Andrew saw me and immediately frowned.

"Why are you dressed like that?" he asked.

I glanced down at my plain cotton dress. "Is it not appropriate?"

Mrs. Fernandez set down her coffee cup, her tone even. "Even a family dinner is still a formal occasion. Remember, you're still Andrew's fiancée. We don't want anyone thinking the Fernandez family isn't treating you well."

Charlotte jumped in to explain, "Mrs. Fernandez, maybe Nora's not feeling well. Her dress from yesterday got dirty, so it's understandable she didn't have anything else to wear."

Mrs. Fernandez's gaze grew even more critical.

"Didn't Andrew send you some clothes?" she asked.

"I sent them back," I replied.

Mrs. Fernandez's face darkened. "You think you can just return whatever the Fernandez family gives you?"

Andrew cut in, "Mom, that's enough. She's been feeling down lately."

I looked at him. "I'm fine."

Charlotte whispered, "Nora, don't talk back to Mrs. Fernandez. She's just worried about you."

Grandma Grace wasn't here, so there was no need for me to keep my voice down.

"Miss Wright, you're neither a Fernandez nor my family. Is it really your place to tell me how to answer Mrs. Fernandez?" I asked.

Everyone at the table went quiet for a moment.

Mrs. Fernandez's spoon clinked against the edge of her bowl. "Nora, is that how you talk to your elders?"

Charlotte's eyes welled up with tears. "I'm sorry. I just didn't want to upset anyone because of me."

Andrew looked at me. "Apologize."

I looked at Andrew and asked, "So who exactly am I supposed to apologize to?"

"To Charlotte, and to my mom," Andrew replied.

"Seriously? Why should I?" I shot back, not backing down.

Andrew stared at me like I'd just said something outrageous. "Because you were being so rude just now."

I laughed, sharp and cold. "She brought people to my house to take pictures of Grandma Grace, and I told her to shut up. So that's me being rude?"

Charlotte immediately shook her head, her eyes wide with disbelief. "I never took any pictures of Grandma Grace. Nora, how could you accuse me of that?"

A young man sitting next to her spoke up. "Miss Nolan, Charlotte grew up in the Fernandez family. We all know how well-mannered she is. But you? Since you walked in, you've been making snide remarks at everyone."

I recognized him. It was Michael Fernandez, Andrew's cousin.

In my previous life, he was the first one to put up a post online, saying I was too extreme.

Mr. Fernandez Sr. finally spoke up. "Alright, let's eat."

Charlotte quickly served Grandpa Fernandez a piece of fish. "Grandpa Fernandez, please don't be upset. I made sure there are no bones in it for you."

As she lowered her head, her sleeve slipped down a little.

I noticed an old silver button threaded onto a string bracelet around her wrist.

At that moment, my hand froze on my fork.

Andrew noticed where I was looking. "Why are you staring at her again?"

I set down my fork. "Charlotte, hand over that bracelet."

Charlotte quickly hid her hand under the table. "Nora, you want this? It's just something I've had since I was little."

I looked at her. "That silver button was my grandma's."

She immediately looked hurt. "You can't just pin everything on me because of what happened yesterday. Andy gave it to me, he said he found it when he was little."

Andrew frowned. "Nora, that's enough."

I asked him, "When did you give it to her?"

Andrew hesitated.

Charlotte jumped in before he could answer. "It was ages ago. I can't even remember when."

I said, "There's the letter 'N' engraved on the back of that silver button."

Charlotte's expression flickered, but she quickly slipped off the bracelet and handed it to Mr. Fernandez Sr.

"Grandpa Fernandez, please take a look. It's okay if Nora thinks I did something wrong, but I don't want Andy to be caught in the middle," she said.

Mr. Fernandez Sr. picked up the silver button and looked it over.

After a moment, he handed the bracelet back to me. "Yeah, there's actually an 'N' carved on the back."

Mrs. Fernandez huffed, clearly annoyed. "Are you really making such a big deal over some old button?"

I took the silver button. "Of course it matters. This is my grandma's dowry button, an heirloom."

Charlotte's eyes brimmed with tears. "I really had no idea. Nora, if you want it, just take it. Why do you have to accuse me in front of everyone, like I stole it?"

Michael snorted. "It's just a worthless button."

Mr. Fernandez Sr. set down his fork. "Michael, shut up."

That was the first crack in the evening.