Erica with guarded dispassion.

“Mrs. Hilton?"

Although Erica had never met this woman before, she recognized her at a glance-Phoebe and Tessie Looked so much like her.

“Hello, Mrs. Fanya.

I'm Erica Leonard."

Fanya Dawson nodded slightly, and her next words were dripping with sarcasm.

"There's no need to introduce yourself. Everyone in Alorith knows that you're Mrs. Hilton now."

Erica didn't take the bait; she hadn't come here for an argument. Not wanting to wait for answers, she simply blurted out the question in her heart.

"Mrs. Fanya, is Tessie still alive? Where is she now?"

Fanya's reaction to this subject was remarkably similar to Phoebe's-the look on her face changed immediately.

"Mrs. Hilton, are you here to make trouble just because you think your husband will back you up?"

Although she had never Liked Tessie very much, the girl was still her own daughter. Having this woman show up, asking these questions, instantly kindled her anger.

“Of course not. Please understand. Back then, Tessie—" Erica stopped herself before she could say that Tessie had died in childbirth; she had promised her friend not to tell anyone about the child. Taking a breath, Erica started over.

"Something happened to Tessie in Askor.

Some medical complication-the doctor told me that she died because of it, so I came to find out the truth."

“Which quack dared to talk nonsense Like that-spreading rumors about my family?" Fanya snarled.

"Who did you hear this from? Tell me so I can sue him into oblivion!" She was a strong woman who had spent half a lifetime in the business world. It was a frightening thing when she lost her temper!

However, Erica was not intimidated. All she cared about was Learning what had happened to her friend. However rich she might be, Fanya meant nothing to her.

“So is it true?" Erica pressed.

"Tessie is really alive? Where is she now? Is she home? I want to see her!"

Had her life been saved? If Tessie was really alive, why hadn't she contacted her and Ethan?

To Erica's surprise, Fanya seemed to get even angrier.

"Mrs. Hilton, don't you know better than anyone else why Tessie was transferred back from Askor?" If Erica weren't a member of the powerful Leonard family, and if she hadn't married into the even more powerful Hiltons, the

Campbell family wouldn't have let go of her!

"I?" Erica hesitated, not sure what to say. She guessed then that