From a higher vantage point, Valerie watched Terri’s retreating figure. She tugged at the sleeve of the man beside her, pouting.
“Mr. Hemphill wants me to sign the contract now. The party doesn’t start for a while, so we have just enough time. Blayne, come with me?”
Terri didn’t want to go.
But she had no choice.
Oswald, Blayne’s grandfather, had her in his grasp. He thought she was easier to control than Valerie, so he insisted she marry Blayne.
Now, Valerie was using the same tactics.
Years ago, Terri’s mother had been young and naive when she was taken advantage of by Giddeon, Valerie’s father, while he was stationed in a quiet Midwest town.
In places like that, a woman in Clarissa’s situation would have been sent away in disgrace.
Clarissa didn’t want to disappear, so she clung to Giddeon and followed him to Massachusetts.
She kept her head down and survived by playing the obedient, submissive role under Demetria’s watch.
But even then, in that household, Clarissa remained the perfect target for the cruelty of Belladonna, Valerie’s mother.
And by extension, Terri became Valerie’s punching bag.
Controlling Terri was easy.