Melody's breath caught as a sudden thought slammed into her. A thought that was so wild that it could not possibly be true. Her lips parted slightly, as if the words were struggling to find form, and then she clenched her hands, drew in a long breath and asked directly,"Are we related?"
Marianne's composure cracked. Her eyes widened just enough to betray the shock and fear over Melody's guess. The silence that followed was deafening.
Melody saw it. And in that moment she saw everything in that pause. Had found all the answers.
She took a step closer, to her mother and asked directly. "That's it, isn't it? That's why you've been looking into her. Why you're suddenly obsessed with knowing who raised her, where she came from. This isn't just about furniture. Or taste. Or admiration."
