Chapter 185

"Mom, it's snowing!" David pressed his face against the windowsill, his voice brimming with excitement.

Emily Johnson looked up and saw the swirling snowflakes outside. Just yesterday, the sky had been clear, but the weather had turned overnight.

"Want some grilled meat?" she asked casually.

"Yes!" both children answered in unison.

Emily shook her head with a smile. "No, you're too young for that. How about... stewed cured ribs instead?"

"Yay!" Tommy cheered, bouncing on his toes.

A sudden chill ran through Emily, and she shivered. Ever since Michael Stone had been away, she had become extra careful about keeping warm. Today, she wore her thickest thermal undershirt and a hand-sewn cotton coat.

"Mom..." David tugged at her sleeve.

"It's too cold to play outside," Emily said, kneeling to tighten the scarves around their necks. "If your boots get wet, you won’t have another pair to change into."

Meanwhile, chaos erupted at William Stone’s house.

"Mom! George Jr. is burning up!" Richard’s panicked voice came from the bedroom.

Patricia Stone rushed in and paled the moment she touched her youngest son’s forehead. "William! Come quick!"

William hurried over, and his expression darkened as he felt the fever. "We need to take him to the village doctor!"

But when they arrived, a long line had already formed. The sudden snowfall the night before had left many villagers sick.

"It’s all Emily’s fault!" Patricia hissed through gritted teeth. "George Jr. was never sick before she scared him—"

William said nothing, but his eyes held the same resentment.

Elsewhere, Mary Stone braved the snow to visit Emily and the children. She pushed open the door to find Emily teaching the boys their letters.

"Mom, what brings you here?" Emily stood quickly.

"I heard many in the village have caught colds." Mary studied her grandsons. "Glad you’re all well."

"Stay for lunch. I’m making stewed pork trotters and ribs."

"I’ll help." Mary headed straight for the kitchen.

The snow fell intermittently for days. Emily bought a free-range chicken to make soup, hoping to strengthen the boys’ health.

During this time, Ethan Miller also fell ill but refused to spend money on medicine. When Emily found out, she sent David over with fever reducers.

George Jr. took the longest to recover, and even afterward, he remained listless.

Then one day, Daisy Miller rushed in, breathless. "Emily, something terrible has happened!"

"What is it?" Emily blinked in confusion.

"Margaret Lee isn’t dead!" Daisy whispered urgently. "Someone saw her in town, dressed like a newlywed. They say she remarried!"

Emily’s eyes widened in shock. The incident of Margaret’s supposed drowning had been left unresolved, and now there was a new twist.

"She really remarried?"

"Absolutely!" Daisy said mysteriously. "Her family will raise hell when they find out."

As if on cue, George Lee and his wife were already on their way to town.

"Old man, do you really think we’ll find Daisy?" Margaret Lee fretted.

"We’d better!" George snarled. "If that bastard didn’t pay the bride price, I’ll break her legs myself!"

Amid the swirling snow, a new storm was brewing.