Pandora wore her emotions right on her sleeve. If Padgett hadn't fiercely protected her all these years, someone like her would have been eaten alive.
Back in the day, as a teacher, her lack of a filter could have easily gotten her exiled.
"Alright, I suppose I can play a few rounds," Pandora agreed.
"It's only once or twice a year, after all..."
Claire watched her walk away, completely baffled as to why a woman of her age needed permission just to play a game of Bridge.
Owen noticed her confusion.
"You probably don't know this, but Pandora had a massive crush on Professor Quincy back in college. After they married, she committed herself to playing the role of the gentle, perfectly virtuous academic's wife."
But how virtuous could a Churchill woman truly be?
To match her husband's scholarly vibe, Pandora had sacrificed a lot.
Even now, at her age, she looked at the old professor with absolute adoration.
It was the ultimate, lifelong romantic obsession.
"She's incredibly dedicated," Claire said, giving Pandora a thumbs-up.
Keeping up a facade for an entire lifetime couldn't have been easy.
Still, her ability to remain so blissfully naive was largely thanks to Padgett's interference.
Owen laughed. "Exactly. Rumor has it that when they were younger, if Professor Quincy so much as looked at a female student for too long, Pandora would run home crying."
Then, naturally, Padgett would step in and have a stern chat with his brother-in-law. Professor Quincy had been remarkably handsome in his youth, so it was no wonder Pandora guarded him so fiercely.
But having lived with her for decades, the professor surely knew her true nature by
now.
Claire instinctively glanced over at the older man and caught the incredibly tender way he was watching Pandora.
Despite her spoiled temper, Professor Quincy clearly adored every flaw.
He had gladly spoiled her for a lifetime.
Claire couldn't help but admire the man.
In his eyes, Pandora's desperate attempts to maintain her refined persona were probably endearing.
She rubbed the goosebumps forming on her arms.
Who knew elderly romance could be this sweet?
"Claire, please don't take what my grandmother said to heart."
"She doesn't mean any harm. She just speaks..."
Without thinking.
Because of her lack of tact,
Professor Quincy had spent most of his academic career cleaning up the nesses she made in the socrat circles.
It was a miracle they were now comfortably retired at home.
Otherwise, he might have died of stress years ago.
"It's fine. I don't mind."
Quinn were
While ade's furious
chatting,
suddenly shattered the picenet
blind date? Absolutely not content
Yolande never expected her mother to ambush her with a matchmaking arrangement on a day like today.
"Why are you being so difficult? I just
want you to meet the man. It's not like I'm forcing you to marry him tomorrow:
Tiffany was genuinely shocked by her daughter's fierce resistance.
"Yolande, why are you so stubborn? Do you really think I'd steer you wrong?"
"You aren't Padgett's granddaughter, so he isn't going to secure your future."
"If he cared, you'd be engaged to Dane right now."
"The man I found for you might be divorced, but his kids don't even live with him. You won't have to deal with them."
"You just marry him and live your own comfortable life behind closed doors."
"You can work if you want, or just stay home—he's fine either way."
"Isn't that an ideal setup?"