Octavia reached out to Henrietta first, but Henrietta's response was icy, making it
clear she had no intention of pushing her daughter back into the arms of the James family. Frankly, who could blame her? The James family had become a burning house-even a fool wouldn't throw their daughter to the flames.
With doors firmly closed on Henrietta's side, Octavia turned to Claire. Maybe, just maybe, the girl would have a change of heart and show some gratitude.
"Since your father wants you home for dinner, why don't we head back together?" Octavia offered, hoping to usher Claire into her own car.
But Claire shook her head. “I'll drive myself."
Octavia knew better than to argue, especially now when placating Claire was crucial. There was no point insisting she could drive Claire back after dinner. She was left with no choice but to let Claire do as she pleased.
She called her own daughter, Cindy, over and asked how she ended up meeting with Claire.
"I just wanted to help out with the family, you know? The company's had trouble. I thought maybe Claire might have some ideas that could help."
Octavia frowned. "If the whole family can't figure it out, what makes you think she can? She's never been close to you anyway. All you're doing is setting yourself up for disappointment. Cindy, don't make decisions on your own like this again."
Though her tone was gentle, her words were anything but.
Cindy's expression clouded. "I understand, Mom." Then she asked, "What about you, Mom? Are you here about setting Claire up?"
"Setting her up?" Octavia was briefly confused.
"You know—Mrs. Clark? Didn't she want Claire to go out with her son?"
"Oh, right. I wanted to see what Claire thinks I've asked around, and aside from Mr. Clark's son being not much to look at, he's got a lot going for him if Claire can get past his looks, it might work out. And honestly, it's not just about the family's loan it would be good for Claire too. The Clarks have plenty of connections; that could really boost her career. When you're grown, you can't just act on impulse-especially in marriage. You need to keep your eyes open. Marrying well can make all the difference for a woman. If you make the wrong choice, it could ruin your whole life."
She said it all so righteously, like everything she did was for Claire's own good. But Cindy could see right through her. It just meant that Octavia approved of marrying Claire off to the Clark family.
A complicated mix of feelings stirred within Cindy. If she weren't already engaged, and the Clarks had their sights set on her, would her mother push her into it too? Suddenly her jealousy toward Claire faded a little. In the end, they were all the same-when it came down to it, they were just expendable pieces on their parents' chessboard.
“I don't think Claire will agree,” Cindy said hesitantly after a moment.
"You're not her how do you know she won't?" Octavia tried to sound confident, but uncertainty crept in Still, the thought of Claire refusing made her uneasy. If Claire didn't go would
through with it the ame
have to go hustling for favors again. After all these years raising Claire, was it too much to expect
something in return?
“Claire doesn't exactly strike me as someone who follows orders," Cindy replied.
"She seems determined to cut ties with the James family."
It wasn't an exaggeration.
Octavia fell silent. In the beginning, it had been her pushing Claire away. Now, it was Claire who wanted out. The girl had grown up, spread her wings, and was completely out of their control. That realization left Octavia feeling strangely powerless.
By the time they got home, Claire's car was already parked in the garage. Octavia couldn't outpace her, and didn't even bother wondering when Claire had become such a skilled driver.
Once inside, Octavia told the kitchen to make a couple of extra dishes that Claire liked. She played the part of the warm and attentive mother, fussing over her adopted daughter.