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"Austin is no fortune hunter"

"How do you know? You can't possibly know hih to make such a conclusion," she concluded herself before I could reply "You've known him for a rather short period I'm sorry I have to speak to you like this, but your uidance

"Just another thing Megan has left for racefully into the one and only chair She let her head fall back, closed her eyes, squeezed her tehed "I'hter and looked at me

"Your mother's been committed to a psychiatric institution until the doctors feel she is eh to be back in society and not atteht We finally told Alison, but there was no point in having her return She can't do anything"

"She could visit her, help her care about herself and her future," I suggested

Aunt Victoria tilted her head down and looked up at me with a smirk

"Alison Randolph? Help someone else?"

"Well, why did they spoil her so?"

"Why? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree Look at her mother"

"You really hate her, don't you? You hate your own sister" I accused

"I don't hate her I should but I don't" She conteinent oninto this house and faested our entire history, e are and e've all endured

"Yes, I'an, but that's not entirely a fault of my own She never knew my father as I did as I had to know him He made all sorts of demands on me that he never made on her He expected more from me

"Don't think I didn't ask myself why a thousand times," she continued before I could even think to ask

Actually, I was afraid to speak, afraid to utter a sound that would break the spell of this selfrevelation Her eyes became distant dark

"I could see the way he looked at Megan, how his eves just flooded armth and love and pride I never once saw hireat profits for his company I received a simple pat on the back or a nod while he practically swooned over her every sh