The Wrong Woman

Mila sighed. "It's probably best to move on sooner if Candice doesn't have feelings for you. But you shouldn't settle for marrying someone you don't love. Josie isn't the right match for you."

"Her aunt is shady," Elio responded with a relaxed drawl.

Surprised, Mila asked, "You knew about that?"

Elio hummed in acknowledgment.

Mila got to her feet and said, "Alright, I should head back. You should get some sleep. Meet me at Sudvilla at noon tomorrow."

Sudvilla, a villa granted to Nathan by the government, was located directly opposite Hudson Manor, where Josie lived.

"Why should I go there?" Elio looked at her, puzzled.

With a gentle smile, Mila said, "Come early and lend me a hand."

Then, she left Elio's room, quietly closing the door behind her. Elio's gaze lingered on the door, looking desolate.

...

noon the following day, Candice arrived in a floral dress complemented by a lace-trimmed sun hat. She carried

walked toward the garden with buoyant, graceful steps reminiscent of a

afar, she noticed someone crouched over the soil in the middle of the garden, dressed in a white shirt.

abruptly. Her words caught in her throat, and her eyes

he heard the voice, questioning if he had misheard. As he turned and

eyes locked,

hung between them, leaving them momentarily stunned. Feeling the weight of Elio's stare, Candice looked away hastily, her

Chubs. I-I came to deliver some

gone to fetch some

had insisted he come help in

small hoe and removed his glove. After taking a few steps toward Candice, he extended his

passed him the basket and edged closer, carefully pointing out the different seedlings. "These are magnolia seedlings. These

than the seedlings in the basket. Their eyes met, and he