When the car arrived at the hospital minutes later, the doctor was already on standby. He wasted no time in giving Nicole an examination.
“How is it?”
The doctor paused for a moment before answering him. “Mr. Seet, I doubt this was one of Mrs. Seet’s episodes. She seems to have collapsed due to a sudden increase in her blood pressure.”
“Will she be fine?” Evan’s voice was full of concern.
“Don’t worry Mr. Seet, Mrs. Seet should come to in a while.”
His words greatly relieved Evan. Taking a seat by her bedside, he silently prayed for her well-being.
When Avril arrived at the Imperial Garden, Evan and Nicole were not around. Hence, she found a reason to talk to Stephen.
She took the chance to ask him, “Why did you tell others about how I threw myself at you?”
Stephen froze at her question. Aside from Nicole and Evan, he had not told anyone. No one else should be in the know.
Noticing his lack of response, Avril proceeded to grill him further. “Do you hate me that much? To the point that you wish for everyone to mock me?”
Stephen remained silent.
“I take it that your silence means a yes?”
Still quiet, Stephen’s brows furrowed.
Avril shot him a look of despair and grumbled, “Why do you have to be that way? Even if you’re not fond of me, it doesn’t give you the right to degrade me like that! My dignity is worth a lot too, alright. Now, everyone knows about how I drugged myself and tried to seduce you. My reputation is completely tarnished. Do you really want to see me kill myself?”
With a grim look etched on his face, Stephen still did not say a word.
This further upset Avril, causing her to weep uncontrollably.
Staring at her crying her heart out unsettled Stephen as he was fearful that others would misunderstand. “Please Avril, don’t be like this.”
She turned around to look at him full of hope and asked, “Are you comforting me?”
Stephen responded, “If you really want to cry, don’t do it here. Should other people get the wrong idea, it would be more unfavorable to you.”
Avril blinked a few times and stuttered, “You… You want me to… Go home to cry? Why don’t you just ask me to stop crying?”
Stephen was at a loss for words.
“Then stop crying,” he finally said with a blank look on his face.
Avril glared at him in disbelief, unhappy with his cavalier attitude. More tears started streaming down her face.
All the misery she had been feeling recently manifested in her uncontainable tears. The more she bawled, the more vexed she felt. From a mere few teardrops, it slowly progressed into a flood of tears.
Stephen, who already struggled with consoling women, was left feeling helpless.
Luckily, Levant arrived at the Imperial Garden at the right time. Before he even stepped foot into the living room, he could already hear Avril’s loud wails.
Taking big strides, he rushed to her side and gazed at her with concern.
“Avril, what’s going on? Why are you crying?” He asked gently, in fear of upsetting her further.
She paid no attention to Levant and continued sobbing.
Levant looked to Stephen for answers but the latter’s face was gloomy. Stephen heaved a long sigh and said, “Hurry, pacify her.”
Surprised, Levant questioned, “You didn’t do anything to her right?”
Unable to give him a satisfactory explanation, Stephen kept his mouth shut.
Choking back on the tears, Avril added, “He… He… He asked me… To cry at home… He wanted me to continue crying! So I shall.”
Stephen could not believe her. She was the one who wanted to cry her heart out… Now it’s my fault? Women. They can be so unreasonable.
Levant’s gaze shifted between the both of them. He too felt powerless. So she’s crying just because someone told her to? How weak! Besides, since when she was so docile?
To him, Avril was just being willful, throwing a tantrum as and when she wanted to.
Her sobs soon grew louder, getting on Levant’s nerves.
He sighed, asking Stephen in a low voice, “Is there anywhere in this house where the sound doesn’t travel?”
Stephen pondered for a moment before he said, “The music room. It’s rather sound-proof there.”
“Where is it?”
Ten minutes later, Levant glanced at a piteous Avril and said, “Avril, give us a call once you’re done crying. Any screaming can’t be heard from the outside.”
With that, he left the music room and shut the door behind him.
“How imbecile of you, Levant Musgrave, I’m your sister. I can’t believe you would help Stephen and not me. He’s just your step-father, I’m your actual sister. The one who’s actually related to you by blood!”
