Broken Vows and Buried Twins novel Chapter 278

Following Hester's instructions, Chiara went to her room to pack a bag.

As she was heading downstairs, Jovie Crane called out to her.

"Chiara, hold on a second!"

Chiara paused, looking at the Inn owner. "What is it?"

Jovie stepped out from behind the front desk. "I had Walter whip up some light broth and a few dishes. Hospital food is always terrible. Take this with you so Hester and Caden can eat something decent."

Chiara’s heart warmed. "Jovie, you're always so thoughtful."

Jovie playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh, hush. It's nothing. Give me a second to grab the bags from the kitchen."

Chiara smiled softly. "Take your time, no rush."

Jovie turned and headed into the kitchen.

A moment later, she emerged carrying two large insulated food carriers. "Let's go. I'll ride with you."

By the time the two women arrived at the hospital, the sun had set.

It was right around dinner time.

They didn't go straight into Caden's room. Though they knew he was stable, crowding him with too many people might overwhelm him.

Fiona stayed in the room with him while Hester led Chiara and Jovie to the adjacent family lounge.

Taking a seat on the sofa, Jovie set the food containers on the coffee table. "Walter made all of this. Since Caden has gastroenteritis, the light broth should be perfect for him, right?"

"Thank you for going through all this trouble, Jovie," Hester said gently. "But the doctor said he shouldn't eat anything until tomorrow. He's on an IV right now, so he'll be fine."

"Ah, well, if he can't eat it, you have to."

Jovie reached for the lids, but Hester quickly stopped her.

A heavy silence fell over the room as Chiara and Jovie processed the horror.

Finally, Jovie broke it, cursing under her breath. "That's sickening! Has that widow completely lost her mind? Caden is such a sweet boy, and she actually laid hands on him! She's not a mother, she's a monster!"

Chiara was less explosive but equally disturbed. Frowning, she asked, "Hester, how did Julian handle it?"

"He banned Seraphina from seeing Caden for the time being."

"That's it?!" Jovie laughed in disbelief. "She literally abused a child, and Julian is just letting her off the hook?!"

Hester remained silent.

It was best not to mention Julian's secret investigation into Seraphina just yet.

The implications were massive, and dragging Chiara and Jovie into it could be dangerous.

"The eldest Weston brother is dead, so Seraphina is just a widow. Sure, they call her a member of the family now, but if she remarries, she’s out," Jovie ranted indignantly. "But Caden is Weston blood! As his uncle, how can Julian tolerate her abusing him? A vicious woman like that should be thrown out on the street. Banning her from seeing him? What the hell is Julian thinking?"