Well…”
Grace pondered for a moment before admitting, “You know, people around my brother have always claimed that Ruby was his first love.
But my brother himself? He’s never confirmed it.”
“What?”
Lydia’s eyes widened in astonishment.
“Wait a minute, didn’t you assure me she was Mr. Mitchell’s ex-girlfriend? And that Bryson never refuted their past relationship?”
Grace scratched her head, visibly uneasy.
“Well, there are some complexities here… Details I’m not sure how to clarify for you.”
Hannah scrutinized Grace’s expression, reminded of something Ruby had mentioned before departing.
“Look, Grace, there are questions I’d rather not put to Bryson. I don’t want to jeopardize our trust. But clarity is essential. I need to know the real story.”
Facing the earnest stares from both Hannah and Lydia, Grace finally relented.
“I’ll tell you the truth!”
‘s
Nervously clutching the hem of her shirt, Grace said, “When my brother was studying overseas, Ruby was always around him. They had an unspoken agreement about their relationship. My brother graduated, returned to Valmere, and she followed him. Her family’s reputation was pretty significant here at that time. But after coming back…”
Grace hesitated before meeting Hannah’s eyes.
“Things between them got weird. For a long time, he seemed uncomfortable around her.
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Despite that, he’d bring her along to business functions. I’d tag along too, and no one questioned that Ruby was his girlfriend. Bryson never corrected them. However, at a later point, the Green family faced an unexpected financial crisis, compelling Ruby and her family to relocate overseas.”
Grace cleared her throat and glanced apologetically at Lydia.
“So, about misleading you earlier… I’m sorry. I made it sound like she moved abroad because Bryson didn’t want to split up. The truth is, when he found out she was leaving, he didn’t even bother to say goodbye. That was their abrupt end.”
Lydia gave Grace a gentle pat on the shoulder.
“You naughty girl!
Why would you deceive us if it wasn’t a big deal to talk about?”
“Well…”
Grace tapped her nose and said hesitantly, “My brother was right in the thick of it back then. He told me to just let the rumors spread, no matter what people believed.”
Her first love had been a fake…