Pandora thought it was someone else's child calling their grandmother, since Claire's voice didn't sound like that.
"Grandma, it's me, Cindy!" Cindy sounded a bit anxious.
Pandora's coldness was jarring-did the older woman truly have no affection left for her?
Cindy found it hard to accept.
"Oh, it's you," Pandora said, recognizing Cindy.
Her eyesight hadn't failed her yet.
But the elderly woman's attitude remained entirely aloof.
This was completely different from what Cindy had expected.
Cindy steeled herself, dropping her pride as she collapsed before the older woman in a desperate plea.
"Grandma, I was so foolish before. I'm sorry!"
Pandora frowned.
What was this about? Hearth & Kettle was still open for business, and she was putting on a pity party at the entrance?
The fact that Pandora thought of the term "pity party" showed just how much she kept up with the times.
"You don't need to apologize to me. You didn't do anything wrong."
"You just followed your heart."
"Besides, you're a victim too. It wasn't your fault you were switched at birth."
Seeing that no one was around, Pandora quickly finished her thought.
"Cindy, you're an adult now. You need to know how to handle things."
"Our two families have no ties anymore, so you don't need to try to win my favor."
"You and Claire have never gotten along. You two will likely never be friends, so cutting ties early is for the best."
Cindy felt a suffocating wave of despair at Pandora's words.
She wanted to tear the old woman apart to see if her heart was made of stone. Cindy felt incredibly wronged.
She had gone to such lengths, yet Pandora refused to give her any grace.
"Grandma, I don't mean anything else. I just wanted to apologize. I was foolish before."
"And I wanted to wish you a happy new year. I still remember the past..."
Cindy wanted to reminisce,
completely forgetting that Pandora was a woman who always spoke mind.
Before Cindy could finish, the older woman cut her off.
"Let's not talk about the past. How things used to be means absolutely nothing now." "People need to look forward."
"Cindy, you've always been a sensible girl who never gave anyone trouble."
"I used to think that wasn't a good thing. Such children are too passive."
She gave Cindy a meaningful look. "But now, I think it's perfectly fine."
Cindy's heart skipped a beat. She
the older woman's
in she was being told to
know her place.
"Yes, Grandma. I'll take my leave then. I won't bother you."
Cindy wasn't completely stupid, after all.
She actually left.
Claire poked her head out to look at Pandora. "Are you okay?"
The older woman scoffed. "Why, do you think I shouldn't be?"
Claire cleared her throat. She was just worried the old lady might be heartbroken over Cindy.
After all, Cindy was acting terribly. Her plea for forgiveness came with an ulterior motive.
It would be a miracle if Pandora actually wanted to see her.
"I was just afraid you'd be upset. You raised her, after all."
Pandora scoffed. She had indeed raised Cindy.
But once the girl left for school, her personality had twisted beyond recognition.
Pandora had tried to correct her, but it was useless.
She didn't know if it was a genetic
issue orif Fallon had just been net
successful at at brainwashing met
Regardless, this girl was beyond her teaching.
She never expected Cindy to truly repent anyway.
The current situation, where they stayed out of each other's way, was perfectly fine.
"She looked like she'd been slapped," Claire remarked, a bit curious about who had hit Cindy.
Tabitha James certainly didn't seem like the type to bother hitting her.