"Lisbeth, how about we grab safternoon tea?" With her arm wrapped affectionately around Lisbeth's shoulder, they both

headed to the parlor.

Harriet and Beverly were already there, sipping on their teas.

"Aunt Harriet, you are not joining Jessica and the aunts for bingo today?" Aurelia greeted with a chuckle.

Harriet just shrugged, "Just not in the mood for bingo."

"Uncle Charles hasn't cback yet?" Aurelia inquired.

Harriet's expression darkened, "Better if he stays out for all I care."

Beverly quickly interjected, "Mom, knock on wood! It's a happy day, and we should be talking about good fortune, not cursing."

Aurelia added, "Right, Aunt Harriet, we need to keep things upbeat for the holidays, any grievances can wait 'til after January 5th."

They took their seats beside the other two.

Beverly noticed the reddened rims of Lisbeth's eyes and asked with concern, "Lisbeth, did you have a tiff with Raines?"

"No, it's not that. He barely even remembers me, hardly speaks to me, how could we fight?"

Lisbeth sniffled, wishing they could argue if it meant sform of acknowledgment.

His indifference towards her was like a cold abyss, devoid of light or hope.

Aurelia felt a tremor in her heart. She wanted to tell Lisbeth that Raines hadn't really lost his memory, but Leopold's warning

choked her words, rendering her speechless.

Raines couldn't face Lisbeth, so he feigned amnesia to cope. If Aurelia exposed him, it might worsen things instead of healing the

rift between them.

But seeing Lisbeth's distress was suffocating.

She wished she could mediate their conflict, and untangle Raines' emotional knots, but the solution eluded her.

Harriet spoke gravely, "Lisbeth, I have to warn you. Your situation is precarious. With Raines' 'amnesia,' his feelings for you might

as well be gone. If he meets another woman that catches his eye, he might just stray."

Her words cast a dark cloud over Lisbeth, one that seemed to expand, threatening to engulf her.

Lisbeth's head drooped, her long lashes casting a sorrowful shadow on her pale lids.

Aurelia pulled her close, "That won't happen. Raines isn't that kind of man. Even if he can't remember you, he wouldn't fall for

someone else."

"That you can't be sure of," Harriet countered, "Men are fickle, always chasing the new and discarding the old. I'm not trying to stir

up trouble, and I'm saying, that in these times of crisis, you can't let your guard down. You must ensure he doesn't wander."

Lisbeth felt a knot tighten in her chest, her nerves on edge.

The fear of losing Raines was overwhelming.

Would he leave her, divorce her?

Aurelia held her hand, "Aunt Harriet, it's the holidays. Let's not scare Lisbeth. Even with his memory loss, I'm sure Raines’ feelings

for Lisbeth are intact. He wouldn't betray her."

As Leopold had said, if Raines truly couldn't accept Lisbeth anymore, he wouldn't pretend to have amnesia; he would have turned

her away outright.

Yet, Aurelia's words offered no solace to Lisbeth. She knew that even if Raines regained his memory, their relationship might not

mend, possibly even worsen.

She was drowning in a sea of despair, engulfed by waves of darkness, with no horizon in sight. Her world was devoid of love,

devoid of him. She blamed herself for the misery, seeing it as her just dessert.

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