Chapter 100 Marriage Issues

Jane entered the drawing-room, a bouquet of wilting lilies clutched in her hand. Their once vibrant petals, mirroring her own fading mood, drooped listlessly. Casting the bouquet onto a nearby table, she surveyed the room with a weary sigh. Fred, her seemingly oblivious husband, sat hunched over his desk, meticulously sorting through a stack of papers related to their estate. The flickering candlelight cast grotesque shadows on his face, making him appear even more stoic and distant than usual. Today, Jane craved a connection, a spark of intimacy to dispel the growing sense of loneliness that gnawed at her. Christopher's reappearance, and his apparent alliance with Mary, had dredged up a well of old emotions – longing, regret, and a simmering anger directed at herself as much as anyone. Ignoring the usual pre-dinner etiquette, Jane walked purposefully towards Fred's desk. He looked up, startled, his glasses perched precariously on his nose. "Is everything alright, Jane?" he inquire