Chapter 53

"I don't blame you." Josiah looked at Meredith on the floor coldly. "Miss Meredith wanted to run away. No one could stop her. I hope there isn’t a next time. I mean it."

He lifted Meredith's chin once again and looked at her indifferently. "You hear me?"

He squeezed Meredith until it hurt. Meredith's eyes were wet.

"Now, go drink with the customers." He flung her violently to the ground.

Josiah got up from the sofa. Before he left, he said to Miss Josie, "Keep an eye on her."

"Yes, Mister Josiah," Miss Josie replied with a nod.

The moment Josiah left, Miss Josie said to Meredith helplessly, "Merelyn. Since you have a feud with Mister Josiah, can you just try to be better? Don't drag me down."

Meredith looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Miss Josie, can you help me? I did not break that bottle of wine. If you don't pay me, my daughter…"

"Enough, stop talking about your daughter constantly," Miss Josie said angrily, "you know better than anyone else what Mister Josiah is like.