Page 80 of The Villainess Chose Naps Over Death Flags

The warm feeling in her chest intensified.

Four days ago, she'd told him she'd miss him.

Now he was back, and the estate felt right again. Complete.

Like home.

"You're smiling again," Bea said.

"I know," Carol replied.

And she didn't even try to stop.

Chapter 17

Awkward Family Dinners: A Survival Guide

Carol had faced many challenging situations in her life.

Earnings call prep with managing directors who eviscerated analysts over decimal point errors. Pitch meetings with portfolio managers looking for any flaw in her models. Morning meetings with senior analysts ready to tear apart her valuations.

None of those compared to sitting at dinner between her protective siblings and her husband who they probably still thought was a monster.

The dining room felt unusually tense despite the elegant table setting and excellent food. Caspian sat at the head of the table, freshly bathed and changed into formal attire, his silver hair still damp and tied back. Carol sat to his right, with Jasper and Bea across from her.

Everyone was being very polite.

Excruciatingly polite.

The kind of polite that made Carol want to crawl under the table.

"The roast is excellent," Bea said, cutting her meat with precise movements.

"Very tender," Jasper agreed.

"The cook will be pleased to hear it," Caspian said.

Silence fell again.

Carol frantically searched for a conversation topic. Any conversation topic.

"The estate looks lovely with the new decorations," she said brightly. Too brightly. She sounded manic. "Bea has excellent taste. The tapestries in the great hall really brighten the space, don't you think?"

"They do," Caspian agreed.

"And the new furniture is much more comfortable," Carol continued. "The settees were beautiful but not very practical for actually sitting—"

"Your Grace," Jasper interrupted, setting down his fork with deliberate precision. "May I speak plainly?"

Carol's stomach dropped. "Jasper—"

"Of course," Caspian said, his tone neutral.

Jasper's hazel eyes were direct and serious. "How exactly are you treating our sister?"

"Jasper!" Carol protested.

"It's a fair question," Jasper said, not taking his eyes off Caspian. "We received desperate letters from Caroline for two months. She was miserable. Begging us to bring her home. And now suddenly she's... different. Happy. We want to understand why."