From Sneers to Cheers: Anthea’s Ascent

Wilma was furious.

That was absurd!

That was total nonsense!

Paulina had crossed the line this time!

“Aunt Wilma, please take a moment to breathe,” Luna coaxed, and her voice was a soothing balm as she gently held Wilma’s arm. “Knowing Paulina as I do, she’s not one to blur the lines of right and wrong without reason. If she’s brought Ms. Yeager here, she must have her reasons. Maybe, just maybe, Ms. Yeager can heal Tammie, right?”

Trying to keep a lid on her boiling fury, Wilma retorted, “Heal? Everyone in Cloudcrest knows that the Morris girl is nothing but an illiterate charlatan. If she had any talent, pigs would sprout wings and take to the skies! I bet Paulina wants to see Tammie six feet under!”

“Aunt Wilma,” Luna continued, “there’s an old saying that a gentleman should not judge the merits of another’s words by their status nor dismiss the worth of their status by their words. Maybe we’ve got Ms. Yeager wrong. She doesn’t seem as bad as the rumors paint her.”

Wilma glanced at Luna helplessly. “Luna, you’re too naive. Do you believe that quack could know anything about medicine? If Anthea had such miraculous healing powers, her name. wouldn’t have dragged through the mud in Cloudcrest! People have eyes. If she was that impressive, who could slander her?”

Fraud was a fraud!

No amount of dressing up could turn a fake into a genius.

Hearing that, Luna furrowed her brow. “Well, Aunt Wilma, you do have a point. After all, they say the people’s judgment is rarely wrong.”

But when the words left her mouth, Luna shifted the direction of the conversation, “However, I heard from Paulina that her Uncle Willard had introduced Ms. Yeager to her. The family wouldn’t steer the family wrong. Maybe we’re making this more complicated than it is. What if there’s a twist in the tale and Ms. Yeager manages to cure Tammie?”

Far from being comforted, Wilma grew angrier.

Paulina’s Uncle Willard was no simple man. He graduated from a prestigious medical school and knew pharmacology well.

The Smith family’s pharmacy had been in business for nearly a century.

How could such a man recommend a fraud to treat Tammie?

It was clear as day to anyone with half a brain!

It was nothing but a scheme by Willard and Paulina to get their hands on the Black family

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fortune.

They wanted Tammie dead so they could seize the Black wealth!

What a despicable move!

That uncle and niece were shameless!

The more Wilma thought about it, the angrier she became, wishing to strangle Paulina with her bare hands. “They’re plotting to kill Tammie and usurp the Black family!”

“What?” Luna gasped, and her face was pale. “No, that can’t be…”

Wilma’s emotions were an open book to Luna, who quickly added, “Aunt Wilma, don’t jump to conclusions. Maybe Paulina and her uncle were duped by Anthea, too. I can vouch for her with my integrity. Paulina is not the type to harm her husband. She loves Tammie. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been so desperate to marry her in the first place.”

The mention of that had stirred bitter memories in Wilma.

Paulina’s family was nothing special, just regular folks making ends meet.

Her marrying into the Black family was a stroke of sheer luck!

Had it not been for Tammie’s attempted suicide, Wilma would never have allowed Paulina to marry into the family.

Over the years, Wilma had never quite taken to Paulina. And it seemed her instincts were right. Paulina was nothing but trouble!

And she was out to harm Tammie!

Wilma shot up from her seat, fury radiating as she stormed toward the bedroom.

“Aunt Wilma!” Luna hurriedly followed.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Inside the room, Anthea had already left.

Only Paulina was there, cleaning Tammie’s body with a cloth soaked in herbal medicine, its faint scent permeating the air.

“Bitch!” Wilma strode over and slapped Paulina across the face without a second thought.