Elliot’s confused expression only grated further on Bridget’s nerves when she saw it. She had anxiously waited in her brother’s room, her heart pounding with the weight of the conversation she had overheard.
She attacked without waiting. “Brother, explain exactly what you and Father were discussing. I heard everything.”
Elliot’s face paled, and his eyes widened in shock. He was quiet for a moment, then he began stammering, desperately trying to deny her claim. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Bridget. You must have misunderstood.”
Bridget’s voice remained firm, her eyes piercing into his. She wasn’t going to let him evade the truth. “Do not lie to me,Brother. I heard every word. What happened to our family’s fortune? Why are we facing financial issues?”
“Bridget… listen to me, whatever you heard?—”
“I know what I heard! It was crystal clear!” she cut him off, balling her fists to calm herself. “No more lies, Brother. Tell me the truth. How did we end up in this situation?”
Elliot stared at her for a moment, then he let out a heavy sigh, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “You’re a child no longer, so I shall tell you. Yes, our family has been struggling for the past year. It’s… it’s bad.”
His tone was forlorn. “It all started with a series of poor investments. Father trusted the wrong individuals, and we lost a significant portion of our wealth. We tried to recover by borrowing money, but the debts kept piling up.”
He took a deep breath and hesitated before adding, “We are relying on Olivia’s dowry to pay off our debts.”
The silence stretched, the tension between them palpable, and when Bridget found her voice again, it trembled with rage as she spoke.
“And that is the truth behind why you’re marrying Lady Olivia so hastily, Brother?” She paused, her eyes heavy with accusation. “Do you even love her? Or has she always been a means to an end?”
Elliot’s eyes flickered with a hint of panic and shock. “Now, hold on. Of course, I love her. Sister, things are complicated. I?—”
Bridget’s brow furrowed, her voice growing more angry. “Complicated? Whatever does that mean, Brother? Your intentions are pretty straightforward.”
Her eyes narrowed, her tone betraying her anger and disappointment. “How could you, Brother? How could you use a woman like this, you of all people?”
Elliot averted his eyes, his shoulders slumping in shame. “All right, Bridget. You’re right. But?—”
“Of course, I’m right!”
“ButI love Olivia, Bridget. I truly do.” He sighed. “Still, I can admit we are rushing our marriage, and this is one of the reasons but not the utmost. By marrying, I could protect our family and provide for you, for all of us. It’s my duty, after all. I?—”
Bridget’s voice rose, her frustration boiling over even more. “Protect us? Through deception? By using dear, sweet Olivia’s feelings for your own gain?”
“Bridget, I already said?—”
However, she cut him off again, her anger doubling at his exasperated tone. “I expected better from you, Brother. You’vebecome nothing more than a common manipulator now, you hear me?”
A flash of anger crossed Elliot’s face. “Pardon?”
Bridget scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “How about pardoning Olivia? Did you bother to consider her feelings at all when you spoke so carelessly earlier? Or is she truly just a lifeless pawn in your eyes?”
“That’s enough, Bridget!”
Elliot’s shock reverberated through his voice as he yelled, his frustration and anger reaching their peak.
“Allow me to speak! Please!” He violently gestured for her to sit. “We can’t continue like this, arguing and shouting at each other.” He sighed, and his tone turned pleading. “Please.”
Bridget, still fuming with anger, hesitated for a moment before reluctantly obeying his request. She took a seat, her body tense and her eyes fixed on him. Elliot sighed deeply, shaking his head as he tried to gather his thoughts.
After observing her fiery expression for a while, he finally began to speak, his voice filled with earnestness. “Sister, you have to believe me. I love Olivia with all of my heart. She knows about our financial struggles and understands the challenges we’re facing too.”
Bridget’s eyes widened at this new information, then quickly narrowed in skepticism.
Elliot nodded, a hint of tiredness in his eyes. “I understand your surprise. It was Olivia herself who suggested that we marry quickly. She knew that by joining our families, we could overcome our financial burdens.”
Bridget’s initial shock and confusion slowly transformed into understanding. She pondered Elliot’s words, realizing that Olivia’s suggestion aligned with the strong-willed and kind nature she had come to know in her future sister-in-law.
