Chapter 33

"Are you truly my mother's friend? How is she now? Is she doing okay in prison? I miss her so much…" A soft shimmer of tears welled up in Eloise's eyes at the mention of her mother. The child seemed to possess an understanding of her mother's incarceration, a fact that took Celeste by surprise. This revelation was unexpected, indicating a level of comprehension in Eloise that Celeste hadn't anticipated. Celeste had even mentally rehearsed a gentle fabrication, assuming the child was unaware of her mother's arrest. It now seemed likely that Eloise's father had informed her. "Your mother is doing fine," Celeste reassured her. "She has entrusted you to my care. From now on, you will live with me, alright? I will treat you as my own daughter…" She wasn't certain if Eloise would agree to come with her. Her only recourse was to convey genuine sincerity, born out of gratitude for Joyce. Eloise paused, a flicker of consideration in her eyes, before finally nodding her head. "I'm willing