From Ashes of Scandal to His Embrace (Laurinda) novel Chapter 343

Tanya sat nearby, nodding along, but her thoughts had already wandered off. With Laurinda and Adolphus’s looks, their future kids were bound to be adorable. She couldn’t help but start imagining a little grandchild, and the idea made her smile.

Laurinda had no clue what Tanya was daydreaming about. She just kept chatting with Carla, both of them bonding over stories about Jasper. By the time lunch was over, she felt like she’d made a real friend. Their connection had grown so much in just one meal.

Carla gently placed a sleeping Hanson into Abigail’s arms, then turned to her mom with a playful grin. “Mom, I want to go shopping with Laurinda. You and Grandma can take Hanson home and get some rest, okay?”

She gave Abigail her very best puppy-dog eyes, and Abigail couldn’t help but smile back, full of affection.

“Alright, you girls have fun. Buy whatever you like, it’s on me.”

“Thank you, Mom! I promise I’ll take good care of Laurinda.”

Once Abigail and Tanya were settled in the car and heading home, Carla grabbed Laurinda’s arm and couldn’t hold back her excitement. “Let’s get a facial first, then hit the shops. Honestly, I’m so full I can barely walk right now.”

Before Laurinda could get a word in, Carla was already leading the way, confidently weaving through the mall until they arrived at a high-end spa.

The moment they stepped inside, the owner hurried over with a big smile, her whole attitude warm and respectful.

“Laurinda, it’s been ages. What treatment are you thinking about today?”

Carla glanced at Laurinda’s skin, looking almost jealous. “Your skin is flawless. Seriously, you could just do a simple maintenance treatment. I wish I had skin like yours. What’s your secret?”

Carla, though, wasn’t the type to take advantage, especially not with business owners. She quickly piped up, “Come on, Magda, you don’t have to be so generous. We’ll pay for ourselves today. If the skincare works wonders, you can treat Laurinda next time. Now, let’s get started. We want the full treatment, please, and we still have shopping to do after.”

Magda understood right away and didn’t insist. She set everything up quickly and decided to handle Laurinda’s treatment herself.

While Magda was giving Laurinda a body massage, she noticed the bruises scattered across Laurinda’s skin. She almost wanted to call the police on the spot. Her hands became extra gentle, and she silently cursed whoever had hurt this girl.

Carla saw the bruises too, but her reaction was much louder. She suddenly sat straight up on the massage table, unable to hold back a cry.

“Laurinda, what happened to you? Who did this?”